By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
Leah Joslyn and Lauren Reesman have known each other pretty much since birth.
On Saturday at the WIAA State Track and Field meet in La Crosse, the two remained just as close.
Reesman – a first-year wheelchair competitor – swept the girls events at state, while Joslyn finished second to Reesman in all three events.
Those points were enough to gain Reesman and Catholic Central High School the wheelchair girls team championship trophy with 30 points. Joslyn’s 24 points were good enough to give Burlington High School the state runner-up trophy for the second year in a row.
According to Holly Reesman, Joslyn and her parents convinced Lauren Reesman to try wheelchair athletics earlier this year. Working with a donated wheelchair, Reesman steadily improved her times throughout the season.
On Saturday, she posted a time of 29.03 seconds to win the 100, 1 minute, 56.68 seconds to win the 400 and a best throw of 13 feet, 11 inches to top the wheelchair shot put.
Joslyn, meanwhile, beat her state-winning throw in the shot put from last year, posting 9 feet, 10 inches for second.
She was second in the 100 in 33.03 and in the 400 in 2:04.57.
Both girls were diagnosed with spina bifida as children. Reesman can walk with the aid of leg orthotics, but Joslyn is confined to a wheelchair. The two are working with Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association out of Lake Forrest, Ill., in the offseason.
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