Bulldogs capture Section 2A True Team and Gopher Conference titles
It’s good not to brag about yourself. So we’ll do the job for JWP track and field.
At this point, it’s a given that JWP’s track teams are great, especially the girls. But the girls proved it again by taking the Section 2A True Team title at United South Central on Tuesday, May 6, and the Gopher Conference title at Maple River on Saturday, May 11.
The boys took fifth in the true team meet and once again were second to Maple River in the conference meet. Despite that, they made the Eagles work for it this time.
With another successful conference title defense, the JWP girls’ team will enjoy its third consecutive year as the Gopher Conference Champion; they’ve held the title since rejoining the conference in the 2021-22 school year. It is also their fifth straight year with a conference title, earning two in the Valley Conference in 2019 and 2021 (the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19).
The Section 2A True Team title marked the team’s second time taking the championship since 2021; they also took second in 2019 and 2022.
True Team Meet
A True Team meet tests a team’s depth by giving at least one point to every participant in an event instead of only awarding the top athletes.
For example, River Valley’s Hailey Hollar took first in the 100-meter dash with teammate Yanellie Fernandez in 14th, while JWP saw Katie Olson take third and Lilly Strauss place seventh. Typically, River Valley would earn more points since they had the better runner than JWP, and Strauss may not normally earn points in seventh. However, with the True Team format, JWP scored more points as Olson and Strauss combined for 56 points while River Valley’s two runners only combined for 51.
Out of 16 teams in the section, JWP’s girls took first with 816 points, defeating Jackson County Central, who had 785.5. River Valley took third with 777. JWP’s boys scored 631 and were stopped short of getting fourth by St. James, who had 636. Minnesota Valley Lutheran Took first with 797, defeating Maple River with 742 and LCWM-Nicollet with 719.
Although placing first in the events didn’t necessarily guarantee a higher place overall, Ryan Kronbach was the lone Bulldog who took first, doing so in the high jump. He also collected second-place finishes in the long and triple jumps. Other second-place finishers were Nevaeh Weimert in the 400, Lilly Strauss in the long jump, and the team of Weimert, Ashlynn Wolff, MaKenzie, and MaKaela Westphal in the 4×400. Kronbach collected a third in the 400, while Olson took the bronze in the 100.
Gopher Conference Meet
Last season, JWP narrowly held onto the Gopher Conference title, upsetting NRHEG by taking 108 points to their 106.33.
This time, they had a bit more breathing room.
JWP’s girls were the only team at the conference meet to score into the double digits with 129.5. NRHEG took second again with 99 points. Triton took third with 82.
JWP’s boys were looking to steal the championship from Maple River. They were much closer to doing it this year than last, as the Eagles had 209 points last season to JWP’s 107. However, Maple River proved they were still too good to beat, at least this time, earning 164 points compared to JWP’s 145. NRHEG took third with 71, narrowly beating Blooming Prairie’s 70.
The girls’ championship run was off the backs of two firsts from who else but the relay teams. The 4×800 team of Kwynn and Ava Krause, Madeline Hoehn, and Ashlynn Wolff were champions, while the 4×400 relay team of Wolff, Lilly Strauss, and MaKaela and MaKenzie Westphal also took first. They also had three second-place finishes thanks to the work of Lauren White in the 3200, Nevaeh Weimert in the 400, and the 4×200 relay team of Brielle Bure, Onikia Herme, MaKaela Westphal, and Weimert. Four three-place finishes sealed it for them: MaKenzie Westphal in the 800, Onikia Herme in the 300 hurdles, Aubrey Weedman in the shot put, and the 4×100 team of Bure, Herme, MaKaela Westphal, and Katie Olson.
Although runner-ups as a team, the boys 4×100 team of Dylan McWaters, Isaiah Berndt, Daulton Bauer, and Ryan Kronbach broke a school record in their campaign for first place at the conference meet with a time of 44.85.
In addition, there were three other first-place finishes: Ryan Kronbach in the triple jump, Alex Kleve in the 800, and the 4×800 relay team of Derek Gustafson, Tyson Kronbach, Alex Kleve, and Memphis James.
Four second-place finishes were by Tyson Kronbach in the 800, Ryan Kronbach in the long jump, Daulton Bauer in the triple jump, and the 4×200 team featuring Alex James, McWaters, Ethan Born, and Memphis James. Four three-place finishes were also collected by Isaiah Berndt in the 100, Teagan Mulder in the 3200, Ryan Kronbach in the high jump, and the 4×400 relay team of Tyson Kronbach, Gustafson, Born, and Kleve.
The track team’s slogan is, “It’s a great day for a track meet.” But to turn that phrase, they had a fantastic week in both track meets.
Both teams will participate at a track meet in Waseca on Thursday, May 16. The girls will be looking forward to the State True Team Track Meet at Stillwater High School; they will compete in the Class A portion of the meet on Saturday, May 18, starting at 10 a.m.
