Grady Lenn Beats Manny Putz With Sensational 4:01/8:52 Double,  Leads De Pere To Boys State Title By Thin Margin; Chris Marcell Throws US#5 211-4 To Win D3 Discus

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

Just two points separated the first three spots in the boys Divisions 1 title race at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Track and Field Championships.

De Pere won the Division 1 boys team championship with 46 points, Homestead was second with 45 and Arrowhead was third with 44. De Pere’s Grady Lenn led the team as he broke meet records in the 1,600 meters (US#13 4:01.79) and in the 3,200 (8:52.79) during the two-day meet at  Veterans Memorial Field Sports in La Crosse. 

Lenn defeated Manny Putz of Onalaska in a race for the ages in Wisconsin. Putz was also under the record with US#18 4:02.25. Putz also finished second in the 3,200, in 8:53.79.

Also on the track, Wisconsin Lutheran’s Niyer Clayborn broke a meet record in the 110 hurdles prelims with 13.92. 

Homestead junior Jemekhi Tally broke the meet record in the 800, running 1:51.21 and ran on the winning 4x800 relay that won a title for the third straight year with a time of 7:47.55.

In the 4x200 relay, Arrowhead broke an all-time state record with 1:25.88. 

In the throws, Hunter Sprangers of Kimberly won the  discus title with a US#19 toss of 196-2. Sprangers also won the shot put (61-3.50).

Cole Zielinski of Waukesha West won the boys long jump title in Division 1 soaring (24-5). 

The Arrowhead girls repeated as the Division 1 state champions putting up 51 points. 

Thea Kral of Ashwaubenon highlighted the throws as she won the shot put with a throw of US#21 47-2.25. She also won the discus title for the third straight year (156-8).

Neenah sophomore Celia Gentile won the Division 1 girls triple jump state title with a jump of 40-2.50 and the long jump (19-6.50).

Junior Charlize-Trinity McKenzie of Cedarburg won the 800 (2:08.13) and 1,600 (4:45.48)

Division 2

The Notre Dame boys scored 44 points to win the Division 2 title. Senior Joseph Hunt  won the 800 (1:53.60) and was second in the 1,600 (4:15.74), while teammate James Flanigan won the shot put (59-7) and discus (188-5). 

Junior Lucas Hansen of Hayward broke a division state record in the 300 hurdles clocking 37.79. He added a third place finish in the 110 hurdles. 

The Freedom girls claimed the Division 2 title outright with 40 points after sharing it last season.

Individually, Osceola’s Elletta Uddin dominated the track and field. The junior won the 100 hurdles (13.98) and 300 hurdles (42.56), both Division 2 records. She also took first in the long jump (18-05.75). 

Analena Peterson of Catholic Memorial broke a meet record in the 200, running 24.19, and also won the 100 (12.06). 

Division 3

Standout thrower Chris Marcell led Marathon to a boys state team championship as won the shot put in a Division 3 record of 61-feet, breaking a 27-year-old record. He won the discus with a US#5 toss of 211-4. 

On the track, Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah’s Brody Feldmann impressed with three wins, all divisional records. He won the 200 (21.69), 110 hurdles (14.32) and 300 hurdles (37.83). 

Parkview’s Tommaso Gobbi brioke the Div 3 record in the triple jump with a mark of 47-8.50. 

The Cochrane-Fountain City girls scored 40 points to narrowly beat out Lourdes Academy (39 points) and Fall Creek (36 points) for the Division 3 crown.

Cadet’s Iszy Sonnentag won the 400 wtih a record-setting division best in the prelims of 54.99, and won the 100 hurdles in a record time of 14.48. In the field, the junior captured the long jump title, soaring 18-4. 

Assumption’s Bella Thomas won the 100 (12.18) and set a division 3 record in the 200 (24.45).                   

A total of 25 state meet records were broken during the two-day meet. 

Team Champions 

Division 1 - De Pere boys 46 points, Arrowhead girls 51 points - RESULTS

Division 2 - Notre Dame boys 44 points, Freedom girls 40 points - RESULTS

Division 3 - Marathon boys 48.50 points, Cochrane-Fountain City girls 40 points - RESULTS