Colfax senior Jeanette Hydukovich wins state discus championship
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COLFAX junior Kaysen Goodell is shown competing in the Division 3 1,600 meter race on Friday, May 31 at the 2024 WIAA State Track and Field Championships in La Crosse. Goodell ran a 5:38.83 to place 16th. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
IN THE WIAA state shot put competition held last Friday, May 31 in La Crosse, Viking senior Jeanette Hydukovich heaved the shot put 38 feet 6.5 inches to place fourth. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
COLFAX senior Jeanette Hydukovich prepared to throw the discus during Saturday morning’s Division 3 competition at the 2024 WIAA State Track and Field Championshops in La Crosse. Despite rainy conditions, Hydukovich won the state title with a school-record fling of 137 feet 2 inches, beating the runner-up by three feet. It was Hydukovich’s four time competing in the state discus. She finished second a year ago and was third in 2022. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
STATE’S BEST! Colfax senior Jeanette Hydukovich (second from right) stood atop the awards podium Saturday morning, June 1 after winning the Division 3 girls’ discus competition at the 2024 WIAA State Track and Field Championships at Veterans’ Memorial Field Complex on the UW-La Crosse campus. After a second place finish at last year’s state meet and a third in 2022, Hydukovich captured the state gold medal with school a record throw of 137 feet 2 inches despite a steady rain throughout the event. Please see sports for the story. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
LA CROSSE — The conditions were not ideal but the result was!
Despite a steady drizzle of rain and a wet concrete throwing circle, Colfax senior Jeanette Hydukovich made her fourth and final appearance in the Division 3 girls’ state discus competition one to remember.
On her second attempt in Saturday morning’s competition, Hydukovich unleashed a record shattering throw of 137 feet 2 inches that would bring her a coveted state championship. After she had finished second in last year’s state meet and took third in 2022, Hydukovich finally secured the state gold medal in the discus throw at the 2024 WIAA State Track and Field Championships held Friday and Saturday, May 31 and June 1 at the Veterans’ Memorial Field Complex on the UW-La Crosse campus.
The throw was a full three feet further than the second-place finisher, Nora Skoraczewski of Drummond who had beaten Hydukovich a week earlier in the sectional meet. It also set a new school record breaking the one Hydukovich had set earlier this season during a meet in Durand with a then best toss of 134 feet 10 inches.
“It feels really good,” stated a beaming Hydukovich shortly after stepping off the top spot on the medals’ podium. “Sophomore year I was third, last year I was second and now, finally, I got first so I am really, really, really happy! Lots of feelings but I’m really happy.”
The key to victory under rainy conditions was being patient said Hydukovich.
“I wanted to be patient and not go too fast,” recalled Hydukovich. “I threw my throw, but did not rush it so that I didn’t slip and fall.”
“When you start throwing, you want to make it to the state meet,” noted Hydukovich. “I have been lucky enough to do that all four years of high school. I medaled my sophomore and junior years, but I wasn’t done. I wanted to really finish my senior year strong.”
And she did just that with the state title.
“Jeanette has had a wonderful career,” stated her head coach Chuck Brown. “Three-time state medal winner in the discus. Her hard work has really paid off and she has led by example all year. Here future is very bright in anything she choses to do. Emory College (in Atlanta, Georgia) is getting a well-rounded and talented young lady.”
A day earlier, Hydukovich also made the awards stand when she placed fourth in Friday afternoon’s girls’ Division 3 shot put. Hydukovich heaved the steal sphere 38 feet 6.5 inches. Pardeeville junior Chloe Kessenich took first with a put of 40 feet 3 inches.
Hydukovich did not make the trip to La Crosse alone. She was joined by junior teammate Kaysen Goodell who competed in Friday afternoon’s 1,600 meter run.
Goodell finished in a time of 5:38.83 to place 16th in the division 3 field.
“Kaysen had a wonderful year and to end it at state was great,” said Coach Brown. “She ran a solid race against some great kids.”
With the 15 team points that Hydukovich accumulated via her two state medal finishes, Colfax finished in a four-way tie for 14th place with Eau Claire Regis, Madison Country Day and Athens in the final Division 3 girls’ team standings.
Deerfield won the girls’ championship with 42 points. Cameron tallied 39 points to take home the silver trophy as the D3 state runner-up. Fennimore finished third with 31.5 points and last year’s state champion, Fall Creek, finished in fourth place with a score of 29.50.