BRENNA BROTZ will be one of the South’s track and field athletes at the state meet. – Photo by Andrew Colley

At least nine track and field athletes will compete in the state meet Friday and Saturday in La Crosse.

Six of them are from South.

SOUTH

Senior Jack Kakuzi advanced by winning the triple jump and taking second in the long jump Thursday in the Division 1 West Bend East Sectional.

His coach, Lisa Herber, says he has natural talent but works incredibly hard and has been very determined this year.

“He had some setbacks and struggles with injuries, but he always comes back stronger,” she said. “After the high jump, his legs were not feeling great. He didn’t have great triple and he was second going into his last jump. He is a gamer. He did what he needed to do to get into first place on that final attempt. It was awesome.

“By the time long jump came, he didn’t have much left in his legs. He was able to pull out a decent jump on his first attempt, which got him into second and he was able to just wait it out. He’s looking forward to some rest this (past) weekend so he can have fresh legs for this weekend.”

The girls are sending the 800 and 1,600 relay teams thanks to second-place sectional finishes by seniors Rylee Brotz and Madeline Ognacevic, and sophomores Brenna Brotz and Keeyana Judkins.

And senior Alex Kaffine will compete in the 400 after his runner-up sectional finish.

Conference results

The lone champion for the Redwings was Kaffine in the 400. He was also sixth in the 200, as the boys came in 10th place in the final team standings.

The girls, who ended ninth, were led by Brotz and Ognacevic. Brotz was third in the 1,600 and fifth in the 800, and Ognacevic finished third in the high jump, fifth in the 400, seventh in the long jump and ninth in the 200.

NORTH

Freshman Victoria Garces and sophomore Anthony Meyers will represent the Golden Raiders at state.

Garces qualified by taking second in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at sectionals. 

Meyers will compete in the 100 after placing third.

“We were very excited to see Anthony make it,” coach Ted Schermetzler said. “There was stiff competition to get there. He just got out of the blocks quick, ran a strong race; fastest time he’s ran in his career. He put it all together at the right time.

“Victoria probably raced against her toughest competition of the year. Same thing, she ran a good, solid race. 

“She did what was expected of her.”

Conference results

The boys took seventh with the help of the second-place 1,600 relay, which consisted of freshman Ryan Lang, sophomores Landon Schwaller and Alexander Schober, and junior Dylant Dettloff. Lang took third in the 400 as well.

The girls came in eighth, as Garces won the 1,600 and 3,200. Freshman Destiny Duesterbeck was runner-up in the shot put and senior Hattie Herrmann ended fourth in the pole vault.

LUTHERAN

Senior Logan Zak advanced to the Division 3 state meet by winning the 400 in 51.33 at the Rosholt Sectional. Last year, he took seventh in La Crosse.

Conference results

Zak not only won the 400 at the Big East championship, he claimed the triple jump title as well and was fifth in the 800.

The boys, which placed sixth, also got third-place showings from junior Zach Glewen in the triple jump and high jump. He took seventh in the 300 hurdles, too.

The girls, who finished 12th, watched senior Rose Hahn take third in the long jump.

KOHLER/CHRISTIAN

The Deerfield Sectional was delayed until Friday (after deadline).

Conference results

Junior Davis Behler won the 1,600 crown at the Big East championship and was third in the 3,200 to help the boys finish eighth overall.

The 13th-place girls were led by sophomore Senibua Sander, who finished the 400 in fourth.