WIAA track and field: Here are 21 Manitowoc and Sheboygan athletes to watch at state
The WIAA track and field postseason continues on Friday and Saturday with several Manitowoc and Sheboygan county athletes to participate at the state meet in La Crosse.
Individuals finishing in the top four at sectionals in each event in Divisions 2 and 3 advance to state. In Division 1, it’s the top three in each event.
Here are 21 state qualifiers, in alphabetical order, to keep an eye on from the area. This is not a complete list of all area qualifiers, just the ones most likely to win a state medal by finishing in the top six.
Clark Behler, jr., Kohler
Behler earned the sectional title in the 3,200-meter run on Thursday at the WIAA Division 3 sectional in Horicon, finishing with a time of 10:00.47.
Maggie Behler, fr., Kohler
Behler will compete at state in both the 1,600 (5:17.32) and 3,200 (11.31.92), taking fourth and third, respectively, at Horicon. Her time in the 1,600 is 10th best in the state in D3 according to Athletic.net while she has a time of 11:31.15 which is ninth, set at the VanderPan Invitational on May 3.
Tessa Campbell, jr., Manitowoc Lincoln
Campbell won the sectional title in the 400 (57.19) at the Division 1 West Bend East sectional on Thursday. She also qualified for state in the 200 (25.36), having top 10 times in both events in D1.
Mason Davies, jr., Oostburg
Davies earned the triple jump (42-11) title out of the Freedom sectional, which is 10th best in D2 this season.
Destiny Duesterbeck, jr., Sheboygan North
Duesterbeck won the shot put (41-5) at West Bend East to move on to state. Her distance is fourth best in D1 on the season.
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Brody Feldmann, jr., Elkhart Lake-Glenbeulah
Feldmann secured the sectional title in the 300 hurdles (40.45) on Thursday in Horicon, the fifth-fastest time in D3 on the year. He’ll also compete in the 200 and 110 hurdles. Feldmann ran a 22.62 at the Big East Championships last week, which is ninth in the state in D3 while his 110 hurdles time of 15.05 is third fastest despite taking second Thursday by .04.
Rachel Halverson, sr., Sheboygan Falls
Halverson earned a sectional title in the long jump (16-11.5) at Freedom and had a season best of 17-6.25 at the Under the Lights Invitational on April 19 which is tied for sixth best in D2. The senior will also compete at state in the 100 hurdles.
Wyatt Herzog, jr., Plymouth
Herzog won the 400 (49.87) at Freedom to advance to state. His time is the sixth best in D2.
Anthony Justinger, jr., Kohler
Justinger’s season long throw of 49-7 in the shot put at the Big East Championships is fourth best in D3. He qualified for state in the event, taking third in Horicon on Thursday (46-6.75).
Kennedy Kneser, so., Oostburg
Kneser will compete at state in both shot put (39-6.75) and discus (121-9). Her sectional performance in the shot put at Freedom was the third best in D2 this season while she thew the discus 126-10 at the Big East Championships last week, which is the seventh best on the year.
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Paige Kurlinski, jr., Ozaukee
Kurlinski took home the title the shot put (39-6.5) at the Horicon sectional. Her season best of 39-11 on May 13 at the Big East Championships is third in D3.
Ryan Lang, jr., Sheboygan North
Lang was sectional champ in the 800 (1:58.88) at West Bend East.
Edi Mella, sr., Plymouth
Mella’s toss in the discus (169-11) placed him fourth at the Freedom sectional but it’s the seventh best distance in the state in D2.
Aaron Nehls, sr., Ozaukee
Nehls won the sectional title in the 1,600 (4:34.62) at the Horicon sectional.
Christian Pyles, jr., Two Rivers
Pyles was third in the shot put (54-8.75) at the Freedom sectional, which is the seventh best distance on the season in D2.
Reid Rydzewski, sr., Random Lake
Rydzewski earned a trip to state in the high jump (6-0) in Horicon, taking third. His season high of 6-2 is tied for ninth best in D3 this season.
Mason Stoeckigt, jr., Howards Grove
Stoeckigt was second in Horicon in the shot put (47-6) to qualify for state but has a season-best 48-5.5 at the Howards Grove Invite on April 22 which is eighth in the state in D3.
Gabriel Stuebs, jr., Manitowoc Lutheran
Stuebs qualified for state in the 400 (51.30) out of the Rosholt Division 3 sectional, taking third. His season best time of 50.54 at the Big East Championships is sixth in the state in D3.
Hunter Taddy, sr., Reedsville
Taddy took home the sectional crown in the 800 (1:56.57) on Thursday in Rosholt. It’s the fastest time in D3 this season in the event.
Otto Utecht, jr., Ozaukee
Utecht placed second at the Horicon sectional in the discus (145-5) to qualify for state. It was the seventh longest throw on the season in D3.
Jamison Velzke, jr., Cedar Grove-Belgium
Velzke advanced in the 800 (1:59.53) in Horicon to move on to state. His time was third best at sectionals but seventh best in D3 on the year.
Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck.
This article originally appeared on Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter: 21 Manitowoc/Sheboygan athletes to watch at WIAA state track meet
