Lady Vikes earn runner-up trophy at Plainview
PLAINVIEW — The Wausa girls and boys had a strong showing at last Tuesday’s Plainview Invitational as they brought home second and third-place finishes thanks to a number of strong performances.
Norfolk Catholic captured both titles as the Wausa girls collected 92 points and the boys ended up with 65 points.
“I was very pleased with the way we competed despite the 45-degree temperatures and 30 mph winds,” Wausa head coach Greg Conn said. “I told the kids that everyone competing today will endure the same conditions, but it will be the team that fights through the adversity will be successful and we did just that.
The team didn’t let the weather phase them, Conn said.
“I thought our kids showed some real grit and actually had better times than last Thursday which was a much better day in terms of weather conditions. So that tells me that we are getting in better shape and that our kids are putting in quality work at practice.”
Those who brought home individual titles were Christina Martinson in the girls 400-meter (65.9), Addison Smith in the boys 3,200-meter (10:56.9) and Jaxon Claussen in the high jump (6-feet) and long jump (18-02).
Runner-up performances were recorded by Tyler Baue (boys 300IH, 47.3), Smith (1,600-meters, 5:09.9), the 4x400-meter girls team of Brooke Kumm, Leah Bloomquist, Abrielle Nelson and Martinson (4:38.8) and Alexa Cunningham in girls high jump (4-06).
Also finishing third in their respective events were, Nelson (100-meters, 18.31 and 300-low hurdles, 54.50), Baue (110-high hurdles, 18.71), Blair Wakeley (girls 800-meters, 3:01.7), Darla Nelson (girls 3,200-meters, 13:43.1), the boys 4x100-relay (Josh Wattier, Steel Claussen, Baue and Devin Rosberg) and the girls 4x800-relay (Teyah Anderson, Nelson, Martinson and Woockman).
“Our girls had a great day bringing home a runner-up trophy, but our boys, with only 10 squad members were equally impressive,” Conn said.
Wausa heads to the Knox County Invitational this week in Creighton. It will be a finals meet only.
Jaxon Claussen was impressed with his team’s performance considering they were actually down to nine members on this day due to an injury.
“Personally, I excel in the jumping events, but as a team we do really good in relays and long distance events,” he said. “Addison is doing really good at running those for us and that helps us a lot.”
The team’s hard work is paying off, he said.
“We all work really hard at it – even if we don’t like it -because we are competitive. It is a team sport, but it is also an individual one and that helps a lot,” he said. “You can help yourself excel at least if others don’t excel.”
The early returns should provide the Vikings with plenty of optimism going forward.
“We have had two track meets and the weather hasn’t been nice for either of them, but this one is supposed to have some nice weather so we should have a lot of PRs,” Claussen said. “This next meet will have some smaller schools that we can compete with a lot easier and get possibly first or second.”
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