Local schools send strong contingent to state track meet
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
Nick Webley’s journey is complete – he’s going to state.
After breaking his leg during football season, it’s been a long road to recovery for the Burlington High School senior, including grueling rehab and having to sit out basketball season.
But the 6-foot-3 elite athlete’s perseverance paid off at a WIAA Division 1 track and field sectional at Badger High School May 23.
Webley qualified for this weekend’s state track meet in the long jump, and his 400 relay squad also notched a state berth as the Demons will send six athletes to UW-La Crosse Friday and Saturday.
Webley, Jack Hartzell, Jack Shenkenberg and Zach Wallace took third in the 400 relay with a time of 43.93, and Webley’s leap of 21 feet, 5 inches in the long jump was good for second place, only two inches short of sectional champion Wesley Juszczak of Mukwonago.
Sun Prairie won the 400 relay with a time of 43.16.
Fellow senior Julian Luciano will join Webley at state in the long jump. Luciano took third with a jump of 21-4.25.
Burlington’s other state qualifier was Holly Reynolds, who took second place in the shot put with a 37-8.
Toppers advance
Catholic Central High School will bring a ton of Topper blue to the state track and field tournament this weekend thanks to a stellar showing at last week’s sectional.
Competing in a WIAA Division 3 sectional in Princeton, Sam Henderson won a championship in the 3,200 run, and six other Toppers survived and advanced in three other events.
It’s been a season of substantial gains for Henderson.
“Sam Henderson continues on an awesome journey, hitting quality workouts, improving aerobic capacity and dropping his 3,200 time from 11:41 last season to 10:07 this season,” Catholic Central head coach Rick Koceja said.
Joining Henderson out west will be Nick Aldrich for the second straight year in the 100 (third at sectionals, 11.36); Anthony Ricci, Gabe Stich, Aldrich and Payton Meinholz in the 800 relay (second, 1:33.89) and Julia Klein in the high jump (fourth, 5-0).
For complete stories on all the local prep teams in postseason play, pick up this week’s edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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