Huskies win section for fourth straight season
Owatonna’s 4x100-relay team of Halle Theis, Kendra Miller, Jozie Johnson and Madelynn Meier pose for a photo atop the Section 1AAA podium. The team ran a 48.89-second lap to win the section title. Staff photo by Johnnie Phillips
One of Owatonna’s most dominant programs will make its fourth consecutive trip to the state meet this spring after the Huskies’ boys’ track and field team won the Section 1AAA meet in Lakeville last week.
Owatonna had 12 athletes in 12 of 18 events qualify for the big stage at St. Michael-Albertville High School coming up June 10-12.
“We had a lot of guys step up. We knew our freshman were a good group of kids and athletes, but for us to have four freshman going to state is something we’ve never had before,” said Owatonna boys’ Head Coach Kevin Stelter.
The Huskies were headlined by senior Nolan Ginskey, who qualified for state in all four of his events and won three section individual titles.
Ginskey earned his medals by taking first in the 100-meter dash (10.73), 200-meter sprint (21.81) and the long jump (21 feet, 8.25 inches) – while also taking third in the triple jump at 43 feet, 9.25 inches.
He will compete for a new state title after winning the 4x200-relay last season; an event he will not partake at this year’s meet.
Returning state champion Seth Johnson will also hope to find his stride after qualifying in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.
Johnson placed second in the 110-meter race in 14.17 to post the second-best time in the state this season.
He was joined in the race by teammate Lucas Ginskey, who took fourth but recorded a state-qualifying time of 40.34.
The first freshman to stand out on the track was Jordan Gleason in the 400-meter sprint.
Gleason finished the prelims in second place but shined when it mattered by taking first in 49.68 seconds to qualify for state.
Distance runners Jack Sorenson and Dawson Levy also punched their tickets in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races.
Sorenson took second in the mile (4:25.55) while Levy handled the two-mile trek in 9:52.98 to also finish second.
Owatonna’s 4x800 relay team of Levy, Michael Halverson, Micah Gentz and Bryce Haverkost also qualified for state by taking second.
In the field, Owatonna’s Terell Miller and Zach Dahnert shined.
Miller made his mark on the high jump event by taking first place with a height of six feet, three inches.
Dahnert won the shot put event by hitting 51 feet, 7.25 inches.
Owatonna’s girls team also had a handful of state qualifiers with Halle Theis, Jozie Johnson and the team’s 4x100-relay team all hitting their marks.
Theis and Johnson led all girls with two qualifications each.
Theis won the long jump event with a distance of 17 feet, 9.75 inches – just 1.5 inches shy of Becky Kirchgasler’s 1976 school record.
Johnson qualified for state in the 100-meter dash by placing third with a qualifying time of 12.35.
The two were also a part of the team’s winning 4x100-relay team alongside teammates Madelynn Meier and Kendra Miller.