Glenwood City track and field teams return talent, gear up for run at conference championships
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
THE GLENWOOD CITY boys’ and girls’ track and field teams are ready to compete for conference championships again in 2023. Despite the weather, the teams have competed in a couple of indoor meets but are eager to get outside to kick the new season into high gear. Front row (L to R): Savanna Millermon, Alixe Derycker, Ava Multhauf, Whittnie Wittmer, Alexis Alms, Rileigh Schwartz, Maddie Booth, Brooklyn Caress and Kinzie Price. Second row (L to R): Gabriella Williams, Kylie Ohman, Logan McVeigh, Tyler Harrington, Sal Stillday, Cody Hansen, Justin Rogers, Ben Standaert, Greta Draxler, Stephanie Anderson and Elsja Meijer. Third row (L to R): Ilan Anderson, Logan Klatt, Marquese Hoyer, Morgan Kohls, Micah Simmons, Brady Thompson, Wyatt Thompson, Connor Berends, Tucker Augesen, Garrett Gross and Jackson Halbach. Back row (L to R): Elliott Springborn, Ben Klatt, Conner Gross, Brady Klatt, Clayton Hoffman, Owen Bauman, Elek Anderson, Blake Wakeling, JJ Williams, Nick Hierlmeier, Will Standaert and Logan Rands. Missing are Kayley Dickmann, Mali Draxler, Haylie Hannah and Anthony Nelson. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
GLENWOOD CITY — A year ago both the Glenwood City girls’ and boys’ track and field teams came close to capturing Dunn-St. Croix Conference championships.
The Lady Hilltoppers finished second to Mondovi while their male counterparts came in third behind boys’ champion Mondovi and runner-up Elk Mound. The Glenwood City boys went on to finish third in the Division 3 regional, sectional and state competitions while the girls took fifth in the regional, 12th at the sectional meet and finished 38th at state.
Both squads look to chase conference championships again this year, but it may be a bit more difficult for the girls who lost three talented seniors – Brenna Schwartz, Isabella “Bella” Simmons and Samantha Peterson – to graduation last spring.
With the exception of Austin Nelson, who capped his senior season last year with a pair of individual state medals (third in the 200 meters and sixth in the 400 meters) and ran a leg on the boys’ state runner-up 4×400 meter relay squad, everyone else returns to the fold making the Topper boys not only a conference favorite but a serious contender in the WIAA tournament series.
The boys team is lead by a strong senior class that features JJ Williams, who was the state runner-up in the 800 meter run, Brady Klatt, a state competitor last year in a pair of events, the long jump (8th) and discus (13th), Elek Anderson and Wyatt Thompson, who along with Klatt and Williams were part of the silver-winning 4×400 meter relay and the state-qualifying 4×800 meter team, and Nick Heirlmeier, a sectional and regional place winner in the shot put. In addition, Cody Hansen served as an alternate in those state relays.
Joining them will be a solid core of juniors and sophomores along some promising freshmen.
In all, the boys’ team sports 30 competitors.
Co-head coach Tom Klatt, who has 20 plus years of track and field coaching experience, sees the boys experience and numbers as big assets in 2023.
“The boys have a lot of returning letter winners that were a big part of our success from last year,” stated Klatt.
The girls team lost a lot of point production from last season with the graduations of Bella Simmons, a seven-place state finisher in the 300 meter low hurdles, Brenna Schwartz, a pole vaulter and triple jump specialist, and middle distance runner Samantha Peterson. Together that trio made up three-quarters of the girls’ 4×400 meter relay squad that took eighth at state a year ago.
“Our girls’ team lost three very talented athletes that scored lots of points, so our returning athletes have some big shoes to fill,” said Klatt
The ladies, however, return one phenomenal performer from the 2022 D-SC runner-up team – junior Haylie Hannah. As a sophomore, Hannah finished sixth in the D3 state pole vault competition while establishing several new school records along the way. She used her speed to help the girls’ 4×400 meter relay team that finished 8th in state last season.
Klatt and co-head coach Ron Hanestad, who is in his sixth season coaching the sport, will be relaying on Hannah to lead and guide a girls’ team that has 17 members.
Seniors Brooklyn Caress, Maddie Booth, and Mali Draxler will be also be counted on for leadership and points.
As for the teams’ goals, Klatt said its simple – have fun, keep everyone healthy and reach personal and team goals.
“With 47 total athletes out this season (13 more than a year ago), it will be an exciting year with lots of opportunities for athletes to achieve their personal and team goals,” added Klatt.
As for conference contenders, Klatt knows Mondovi and Elk Mound always have strong boys’ and girls’ squads.
“Graduating just one senior, our boys have a lot of returning athletes with experience and we are looking to create some good things this season. As for the girls, we lost some very talented seniors so the rest of the team knows they have their work cut out for them,” concluded Klatt.
Klatt and Hanestad will be assisted by Angela Williams, who has transitioned from middle school track and field and a high school volunteer last year. Jim Williams, Casey Nolde and Tryn Gross will serve the teams as volunteers.
2023 Roster
Seniors: Anthony Nelson, Blake Wakeling, Brady Klatt, Brooklyn Caress, Cody Hansen, Elek Anderson , JJ Williams, Madalyne Booth, Mali Draxler, Nick Hierlmeier, Owen Bauman, Sal Stillday, Wittnie Wittmer and Wyatt Thompson.
Juniors: Alixe Derycher, Conner Gross, Connor Berends, Haylie Hannah, Jackson Halbach, Kenzie Price, Logan Rands, Marquese Hoyer, Morgan Kohls, Rileigh Schwartz, Savanna Millermon, Tucker Augeson and Will Standaert.
Sophmores: Elliot Springborn, Elsja Meijer, Ilan Anderson, Justin Rogers, Kylie Ohman, Logan McVeigh, Stephanie Anderson and Tyler Harrington.
Freshmen: Alexis Alms, Ava Multhauf , Ben Standaert, Brady Thompson, Clayton Hoffman, Gabriella Williams, Gretchen Draxler, Garrett Gross, Kayley Dickmann, Logan Klatt, Micah Simmons, Ben Klatt and RJ Hoffman.