State Track Hopefuls Slated for Sectional Competition Today

Many Greenfield and Whitnall athletes will find themselves in favorable situations at today’s WIAA sectional track meet in Mukwonago.

The meet, which will feature athletes from Oak Creek, Muskego, Franklin, Wisconsin Lutheran and a host of others, including the two local schools, is slated for 4 p.m. Thursday.

The top three finishers in each event earn an automatic berth to the WIAA state meet, held next weekend in La Crosse, and many Hustlin’ Hawks and Falcons are seeded in the top three of their respective fields.

Leading the way is defending hurdle champion Michelle Garner of Greenfield, who is the top seed in both the 100-meter (15.98 seconds) and 300 (45.96) hurdles. Her 300 seed time is nearly a full second better than the next-closest competitor.

A pair of 3,200 relays – the Whitnall girls (9:55.28) and the Greenfield boys (8:46.09) – are also seeded first. The Falcons’ time is the only one in the eight-relay field under 10 minutes.

Whitnall’s Mary Erickson is seeded second in the 1,600 (5:21.21), just behind Pius XI’s Maria Schmidt’s (5:20.69), and second in the 800 (2:22.79) behind only Racine Case’s Paula Kuiper (2:21.84).

Whitnall’s Eric Windt is also seeded second in the 3,200 (9:57.15), as is the Greenfield boys 800 relay (1:33.69).

Whitnall’s Rachel Stave is seeded third in both the 400 dash (1:00.77) and the triple jump (35 feet-3 ¼ inches). Other third-place seeds belong to Greenfield’s

Ryan Manzuk in the 300 hurdles (41.34), Arnell Howard in the 200 dash (23.14) and the Whitnall girls 1,600 relay (4:08.98).

The two local schools.