By David Paulsen
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Cassy and Alex Goodrich, and Madelyn Schwartz, will represent Union Grove High School at the 2013 Track and Field Championships Friday, May 31, and Saturday, June 1, at UW-La Crosse. All three advanced out of the Wisconsin Lutheran sectional May 23.
Cassy Goodrich, a junior, will compete in the 100-meter dash, the 200 and the 400.
Freshman Alex Goodrich will compete in the 300 hurdles, while junior Madelyn Schwartz will run in the 800.
The top three athletes in each event in Division 1 sectional action advanced to state.
Cassy Goodrich won all three events she participated in – the 100, 200 and 400.
In the 100, Goodrich set a stadium record with a time of 12.26. That is fifth best in the state this year.
“That also broke her previous school record,” head coach Joe Busalacchi said.
Goodrich’s time of 25.08 in the 200 was her best this season, and is the sixth best in the state this spring. That time also broke the UGHS record Goodrich had set earlier this season.
In the 400, Goodrich won with a time of 57.48. That was not her fastest time this season. Her best this season – a 56.06 – is the second best in the state.
“She could have a very, very interesting state meet,” Busalacchi said. “She can run with anybody in the state.”
Busalacchi noted that many times this season Goodrich was not pushed in her races. At state, she will be, which potentially could lead to even better times.
Goodrich competed in the same three events at state last year. She finished second in the 400, seventh in the 200 and eighth in the 100.
Schwartz took second in the 800 with a time of 2:21.08. That was not her best this season, and does not place her in the top 20 in the state.
Schwartz also competed in the 800 at state last year, finishing 20th.
In the 400, Schwartz narrowly missed qualifying for state by finishing fourth.
Alex Goodrich qualified for state by finishing second in the 300 low hurdles in a time of 47.95 seconds.
“I can’t tell you how far she has come as an athlete,” Busalacchi said. “It’s nothing short of awesome.”
Busalacchi noted that when Goodrich started the season, in her first two races on the hurdles she fell over the first hurdle.
The Bronco boys had no one advance to state.
The closest came in the 4-by-200 relay where Andy Hatch, Dennis Hebron, Kyle Martinez and J.K. Witkofski finished fourth in 1:32.51. That time just missed setting a UGHS record.
“That was a heartbreaker,” Busalacchi said.
The team had trouble with the passing of the baton from the second runner to the third runner.
“That pretty much cost them the race,” Busalacchi said.
All four should be back next season, though, since Hatch and Hebron are sophomores and Martinez and Witkofski are juniors.
Witkofski also came up short in the 200-meter dash, finishing sixth in 22.90.
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