Cyclones qualify 9 for state championships
HCHS girls
Sophomore Lindsey Sonderman was the lone Cyclone who punched her ticket for the state championship meet in Des Moines after competing with the HCHS girls track and field team at the State Qualifying Meet at Carroll Athletic Stadium.
“Big celebration of the night was Lindsey qualifying for the state meet in both the 3000 and 1500,” said Cyclones Head Coach Jenny Hamilton. “She ran her 3000 in an absolute downpour and managed to cut 7 seconds from her previous best. She has invested so much time and energy into her training all winter and spring. Nobody gets to state who doesn’t belong there, and she certainly earned her place.”
Sonderman finished second in the 3000 meter run with a time of 10:44.58 almost 16 seconds ahead of Lola Mendlik of Denison.
“I’m really proud of myself,” Sonderman said. “It was a tough race with tough weather and tough competitors, so I’m super stoked that I got to qualify for state.”
No other Cyclone for the girls made it to state, but Hamilton was still pleased with the effort put forth.
“We knew our district meet was going to be a tough one full of fierce competition, and it was,” Hamilton said. “The girls showed up ready to compete and did not back down.”
Ava Monson performed well in high jump, taking third with 4-08.00 and according to Hamilton, she was in first place until weather changed the standings around.
“With the timing of the rain, Ava found herself in first place for a while in the high jump and ended up one place out of qualifying for state,” she said.
Other highlights of the meet included Cameron Springman taking 7th in discus with 100-09 and 8th in shot put with 30-02.50. The 4x800 team of Jenna Gessert, Maria Elizalde, Brylee Schechinger and Lily Schechinger took 4th place with 10:52.84, 60 seconds behind the winner Ballard.
The 4x200 team which included Kami Stork, Dani Smith, Aubrey Schwieso and Samantha Ineson finished 4th with 1:51.48, 3-plus seconds behind Glenwood with 1:47.53.
HCHS Boys
Eight Cyclones qualified for the state championship in Des Moines including Jacob Birch, Aidan Hall, Brehden Eggerss, Wil Neuharth, Matthew Sorfonden, Cade Sears, Wil Arkfeld and Bryce Van Baale.
“We qualified for the sprint medley,” said Cyclones Head Coach Sam Brummer. “Anytime you can start the meet and get that first race qualified, it just kind of helps set the tone for the remainder of the meet.”
Sorfonden, Hall, Birch and Eggerss won the sprint medley with 1:36.57 with Atlantic right on their tail at 1:36.77 for second place.
Neuharth and Sears took the top two spots in the 100 meter dash with Neuharth taking first with 11.08 and Sears right behind him at 11.19.
“Mark Kohorst isn’t the only Harlan resident that owns land in Carroll County,” Brummer said. “Wil Neuharth owned lane 4 last night at Carroll Field.”
Eggerss won the long jump event with 21-06.50, finishing ahead of Anthony Driscoll-Lee with 21-03.50.
The 4x200 team (Birch, Sears, Neuharth, Hall) won with 1:28.83, finishing 1-plus second ahead of Lewis Central with 1:30.16.
The 4x100 team (Birch, Sears, Neuharth and Eggerss) won with 43.09, and Lewis Central was right behind them at 43.29 for second place.
“It wasn’t our fastest times or our smoothest handoffs, but overall they came around and got first and qualified for the state meet. I guess at the end of the day that was the goal and just making sure we got that in and it’ll give us another week to keep trying to work on smooth handoffs,” Brummer said.
For the Cyclones who didn’t qualify for the meet, Brummer spoke on behalf of how proud he was of their efforts.
“It’s always a catch 22,” he said. “Hopefully you get some athletes into state, but then there’s some that you don’t. If you PR and you don’t make it, you at least know that you ran your best time and can hang your hat on that and that should hopefully propel them in whatever their next sport will be.”