STATE CHAMPIONS!!! Lady Dawgs capture Class A title

The Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton track and field program has consistently followed the mantra, “It’s a beautiful day to be a track athlete,” all season.

There were many days when that motto was put to the test, from injuries to harsh weather conditions. But it was all worth it, especially for the girls’ track and field team. They left the Class A state tournament at St. Michael-Albertville as champions on Wednesday, June 11. From what we could gather, it marked the first time in JWP school history that a team won a state title in any sport or activity.

The girls had all four of their relay teams qualify for the tournament (including the Section 2A record-holding 4×100), along with senior Onikia Herme in the 300-meter hurdles, Lilly Strauss and Katie Olson in the long jump, and MaKenzie Westphal in the 800-meter run. Together, they combined for a 41-point effort, beating Minnewaska Area by eight points. Although that would usually be considered a close contest, it was decisive in this one, as only three points could have been the difference between Minnewaska placing second or seventh.

Although the relay teams have been a highlight of most of the season, it was the freshman who led the way. After taking first place in the preliminary round with a 2:17.10 time, Westphal went the distance with a 2:18.90 run, good enough for first place in the championship by nearly a second. She became the first individual state champion from the JWP track and field team.

The girls’ 4×100 (Brielle Bure, Nevaeh Weimert, Katie Olson, and Lilly Strauss) took the first of two second-place finishes on the day, starting in sixth in the preliminaries with a time of 49.74. The girls slightly improved their performance by 0.5 seconds for the silver. The 4×400 relay team (Onikia Herme, Ashlynn Wolff, Weimert, and Strauss), clocked in at just over four minutes in the prelims for a fifth-place finish, taking second by running a season-best 3:59.63.

Westphal’s performance, along with the 4×100 and 4×400, was nearly enough to take first place, as Westphal earned 12 points, while the second-place relay teams earned 10 points each. The final touch was a fourth-place finish from the 4×200 (Herme, Weimert, Olson, and Strauss) for six points and a seventh-place finish from Lilly Strauss in the long jump, which sealed the deal with a crucial three points.

It wouldn’t be a typical meet for JWP without some school records broken. The girls’ 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400 teams broke records, while the boys’ 4×100 team also had a record-breaking meet en route to an eighth-place finish in the finals with a time of 43.94. Although she didn’t make it to the finals in the 300-meter hurdles, Onikia Herme still left her own individual mark on the history books with a school record of 46.63, earning 12th place. Katie Olson took 20th in the long jump, with the 4×800 team of MaKaela and MaKenzie Westphal, Kwynn Krause, and Ashlynn Wolff finishing 22nd. All the athletes in this tournament, from relays to individuals, earned All State honors.

With Hay Daze here in Janesville, it marked the perfect time for such a momentous occasion. The track and field program received a warm welcome home just before the “Main Street Mayhem” wrestling event on Thursday, June 12. The Hay Daze attendants gave them a warm welcome, cheering their truly special guests.

Head Coach Sam Schruin highlighted each person’s journey, and the boys’ 4×100 relay team even received recognition alongside the girls’ state track and field participants. Whether it was the 4×800 getting pelted by rain or the determination to break school records and make it to the podium, as he put it, “Relay by relay, jump by jump, we put it together.”

We were fortunate to interview individual champion MaKenzie Westphal, and five of the six seniors who participated in the state championship meet; we were unfortunately unable to speak with Ethan Born, who was part of the boys’ 4×100 team that made it to state.

 “It’s very surreal,” Schruin began, referring to the fact that he coached a girls’ team to a state championship in his third season. “It’s three years coming of hard work, dedication, and the athletes putting in the work. Their work ethic is what made it possible. They weren’t there by luck. They earned it.”

This doesn’t happen without high-quality support. “When I first took the job, one of the questions during the interview process was, ‘Why do you think you’re the best individual for this job?’ I told them, ‘I’m not. But with the proper coaches around me, I think we can have a successful program.’ That’s exactly what we’ve done.”

He has a vast range of knowledge to pull from. He even acknowledges that he learns from the students. “I learn from them as much as they learn from me,” he said. “They bought into the culture, and that’s why we have the success we do.”

The X-Factor in them winning their state championship? “Upper-classmen leadership,” he said. “We have a great group that has mentored a lot of the individuals very strongly, from parents and teachers who have been there, all the way to the admin…all the way down. Honestly, having the support we’ve received has brought on the success we have.”

As senior Lilly Strauss put it, the past 24 hours have been surreal for the JWP girls’ track and field team. “It feels like a fever dream,” she added.

The boys definitely deserve their time in the spotlight, too. The journey for them was more unexpected. They weren’t exactly sure if they’d make it to state, let alone qualify for the finals. As Isaac Gahlon said, “We were excited and surprised.”

“I felt like even making it to state at first was a shocker to us,” Berndt shared. “We didn’t expect it. Going to finals was another surprise. It had been an exciting last few weeks of the year. It was a great way to end it. I never felt disappointed that it was over. I was more proud of us and how we did.”

I’m sure the 800-meter champion, MaKenzie Westphal, was feeling the same. After all, she, out of all people, had the right to have the least expectations of making it to state, let alone bringing home first place. “I didn’t expect it after tearing my quad,” she said. “It was kind of hard. I didn’t think I would even make it back to state. So, becoming a state champion was something I didn’t think would happen.”

Westphal is the perfect example of overcoming adversity. After tearing her quad near the beginning of the season, she worked her way back into the lineup and received a first-place medal, helping the 4×800 relay team break school records. “It took a lot of good mentality to get through it. But it was good to have everyone supporting me and pushing me to get back.”

When asked what the factor was to the JWP track and field program’s success, everyone had an answer.

“We all work very well together,” Brielle Bure said.

“We have support from our community, too,” Onikia Herme pointed out.

“It’s been big for us, especially our families,” Strauss chimed in.

“The teamwork, support, and all the coaches being there for each other,” Westphal said. “It helps bring a team together. Because it’s been an excellent season for the girls and the boys.”

Berndt agreed, mostly focusing on giving the coaches credit. “We have very supportive people on our team,” Berndt added. “The coaches are a big one. A couple of years ago, when the coaching staff was new, we didn’t know what to expect. But it’s been nothing but positives. They all are smart at what they do and push us to be the best we can be.”

When we ask what the seniors will miss the most, it’s usually after the end of a game during the fall or winter sports season. However, this was a special moment. Not only will they never play a high school sport ever again, but they ended their careers on top.

Strauss will miss the bonding and the culture they created. Bure answered similarly, highlighting how each athlete lifts and cheers for one another’s success, rather than being jealous of each other. “The team is very well-knit, especially the 4×100 and 4×200. We’re competing with our best friends, and succeeding with them has been a really big part of my high school career.”

Advice they’d give to the underclassmen?

Bure: “Anything’s achievable if you put your mind to it.”

Herme and Strauss: “Give it your all. Who cares? Give it everything you got.”

Berndt: “Don’t ever think anything is unachievable. Some people may have said there was no way for our girls to win the state tournament. And making it to finals…we didn’t expect it, but we didn’t let that stop us.”

It’s a dream for every coach to lead a talented team to the state championship. However, to achieve this in only your third season is a testament to your leadership capabilities and the respect you have from your student-athletes, coaching staff, managers, volunteers, and the community. This is the story of Head Coach Sam Schruin.

It’s also a goal for any athlete to climb to the top tier of their sport. For Westphal to do that as a freshman and for the girls’ track and field team to climb that hill and bring home JWP’s first-ever state title is a testament to the Henry Ford quote that Schruin brought up: “Whether you think you can or can’t, you’re right.” With the title win, the 2025 JWP girls’ track and field team has cemented its place not only in school history but also in state history. They will be talked about for a very, very long time. And we are privileged to be the ones to tell their story.