Austin girls’ track team takes first at Faribault in season-opening meet Thursday

The Austin Packers girls’ track team, back into action after losing last season to the COVID-19 pandemic traveled to Faribault for a season-opening meet with the Falcons and Red Wing, and it was the Packers taking home first place with 79 team points, followed by Red Wing with 65.5 points and Faribault in third with 40.5 points.

In the 100 meter dash, Austin finished 2-4 as sophomore Sara Wangen was second only .6 seconds behind Cadence Thorson of Red Wing with a time of 13.87 seconds, junior Kendall Gilster was third for the Packers at 14.89 and freshman Kiandra Greene was fourth with a time of 14.91.  Sophomore Olivia Walsh was third in the 200 meter dash for Austin with a time of 29.20, sophomore Agony Kwot took first in the 400 meter dash with a final time of 1:03.10 and junior Cassidy Schute was second in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:49.08.

Freshman Grace Vortherms was second in the 1600 meter run for Austin with a time of 6:50.42, Marissa Schute was first for the Packers in the 3200 meter run with a final time of 12:33.87, senior Briella Wempner took second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 20.63 seconds, and Austin’s 4 x 100 meter relay team of Sara Wangen, Kendall Gilster, Wempner and Olivia Walsh was first with a time of 59.98.

The Packers dominated the relay events on their way to the win Thursday as the Packers’ 4 x 200 team of Wangen, Gilster, sophomore Rachel Engelstav and junior Muye Ojulu were first with a final time of 2:04.68, just over five seconds ahead of second-place Faribault.  Austin’s 4 x 400 relay team of Cassidy Schute, junior Nadia Vaughn, Ojulu and Agony Kwot was also first with a time of 4:56.64, and their 4 x 800 team of Vaughn, Grace Vortherms, Marissa and Cassidy Schute was first as well with a time of 11:34.71.

In the field events, Austin went 1-2 in the high jump as Olivia Walsh cleared 4′ 6″ for first place, and senior teammate Toria Strampe cleared 4′ 4″ for second place.  Sarah Wangen was first in the pole vault for the Packers by clearing 7′, and sophomore Emma Roshem was third in the long jump with an effort of 12′ 3 1/2″.  Olivia Walsh took third in the triple jump with a jump of 32′ 6″, and Austin was second and third in both the shot put and the discus, with senior Kaitlyn Ronning putting the shot 28′ 6 1/2″ for second, and junior teammate Denni Heimer taking third with an effort of 28′.  Heimer took second in the discus with a throw of 78′, and senior teammate Emiy Curtis was third with a throw of 77′.02″.