LA CROSSE — Platteville qualified seven events for this year’s WIAA Track and Field State Championships, that was held this past weekend in La Crosse.
The Hillmen turned in a number of quality performances, but none of the seven events was able to climb the medal stand (top six finishers) in this year’s loaded Division 2 field.
Junior Dan Iselin came the closest, running to a pair of ninth-place finishes. Iselin finished second in the Division 2 1,600 Friday afternoon with a time of 4:31.03. Saturday he ran the anchor leg of Platteville’s 4x800, teaming with seniors Vince Momot and Blake Julius and freshman Jace Serres to place ninth with a time of 8:08.13.
Senior Maggie Durni was a three-event qualifier for the Hillmen. She placed 10th in Friday’s D2 long jump (16’3”), 11th in the 200 (26.35) and 12th in the 100-meter-dash (13.60).
“Maggie had a great season, and ended up at the state meet in three events,” said Platteville head coach Rob Serres. “In each of those events she was only a few tenths, hundredths, or inches away from the medal stand. The same was true for Faye, Skye, Dan and the 4x800 Relay team. We have nothing to be ashamed of. These kids had a great season of working hard, representing PHS with respect and honor, and winning. The kids gave what they had on the given day, and that is all we can ever ask of ourselves. All the kids were hoping for a bit better of themselves as all of us do, and they learned that even with the best of intention and planning, things do not always end up with a storybook ending.”
Senior Faye Bailie, a three-year state qualifier in the high jump, placed 12th in Friday’s D2 high jump competition after clearing 5’0”. The two-time SWC champion missed all three attempts at 5’2”, which would have put her in a tie for sixth place.
Sophomore Skye Digman finished 13th in the D2 shot put Friday afternoon with a throw of 36’7¾”.
“The state meet is always a tough one,” added Serres. “You can get your season PR and still not make the medal stand or be happy about your performances, especially when you are used to walking away with a win or high place in the event.
“This year’s state meet was a lot like that. The kids performed well, very well. We may not have hit the big jumps/throws, or times that we were hoping for, and that is going to happen. In a few days, the kids will realize that even though they may not have walked away with a medal at this year’s state meet, that 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, or 13th in the entire state is pretty darned good. This is a great bunch of kids and it was a great season.”
WIAA Division 2 State Championships
(from Friday–Saturday, June 3–4 @ Veterans Memorial Stadium, UW–La Crosse)
(Boys)
Top 10 teams scores — 1.Freedom 45, 2.Wisconsin Lutheran 43, 3.Little Chute 42, 4.Rice Lake 35, 5.Luxemburg–Casco 31, 6.Arcadia 26, 7.Omro 24, 8.Spooner 22, 9.Waukesha Catholic Memorial 21, 10.Jefferson 20...Platteville 0.
Platteville’s state qualifiers
1,600 — 9.Dan Iselin 4:31.03. 4x800 — 9.Platteville (Vince Momot, Jace Serres, Blake Julius, Iselin) 8:08.13.
(Girls)
Top 10 teams scores — 1.Jefferson 44, 2.Wisconsin Lutheran 42, 3.Lakeside Lutheran 37, 4.Waukesha Catholic Memorial 31, 5.Bloomer 27, 6.Wittenberg/Birnamwood 26, 7.Brodhead/Juda 25, 8.Monroe 23, 9.Big Foot 21, 10.Milwaukee Lutheran 20...Platteville 0.
Platteville’s state qualifiers
100 — 12.Maggie Durni 13.60. 200 — 11.Durni 26.35. High jump — 12.Faye Bailie 5’0”. Long jump — 10.Durni 16’3”. Shot put — 13.Skye Digman 36’7¾”.
