Alex boys' track and field: Redbirds send four to state, take Section 8AA boys' team title

• Coleman

Eric Morken, Echo Press Felix Coleman, along with Ben Vickstrom, Mike Huss and Dan Gorghuber, will run the 4x400-meter relay for Alexandria at this weekend’s state meet at Hamline.

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Ben Vickstrom sprinted to wins in 100 and 200-meter dashes and Dan Gorghuber powered his way to a first in the 300-meter hurdles, then anchored the 4x400 relay in a first place performance to give the Cardinal boys’ track and field team four entries into the State Class AA meet this week and a Section 8AA championship for the team.

“The contest was exciting, with four teams vying for the title down to the final two events,” said head boys’ coach Jerry Amundson, who was named the Section 8AA boys’ coach of the year. “The Cards had to dig deep and rally in the last two events to claim the win.

“The weather was sunny and humid, and the 20-25 mph head winds definitely were a factor in the contest, as was a large crowd of Alexandria faithful.”

Vickstrom ran times of 11.57 and 23.03 to edge out Jordan Hayes and Daniel Lauer of Brainerd in the finals of the 100 and 200 dashes, while Gorghuber’s 39.39 broke the state qualifying mark and gave him first in the 300 hurdles.

Vicktrom and Gorghuber, together with Mike Huss and Felix Coleman, sprinted to a 3:26.67 to qualify for state with a first in the 4x400 relay.

“Although first place finishes played a large part in the victory, the depth of the team cemented the win,” said Amundson. “Mike Huss provided back-up in the 100 meters with his fifth place effort, as did Zach VanOrsdel with his fifth place in the 200-meter run.

“Zac Bartholomeo, although only a sophmore, raced like a veteran as he ran his best times ever in the 1,600 run and 800 dash to place sixth and ninth, respectively.

“Dan Gorghuber had to settle for a third place finish in the 110-meter hurdles after a solid contact with a hurdle (15.88),” he added. “Senior Tanner Thomson had a personal best performance in the discus to place fourth. Wednesday’s finals in the shot put claimed a fourth by Andy Werk, sixth by Jesse Hacker and eighth by Tanner Thomson.”

The Cardinal relays had some impressive runs in addition to the first place by the 4x400 as Dylan Koenig, Mitch Ronning, Kreg Anderson and Mitch Evink ran to second in the 4x800, Dylan Galligan, Derek Goracke, Lee Klein and Zach VanOrsdel were second in the 4x200 and Coleman, Goracke, Huss and Galligan raced to a second in the 4x100.

“To win the 4x400 relay in the final event in dramatic fashion capped off a great day,” said the coach. “Sweetening the deal, we were able to watch our counterparts – the Alexandria girls’ team – capture the section title. It definitely will be a great memory for all the coaches and the Alexandria track and field fans.”

SECTION 8AA BOYS’ TRACK AND FIELD

TEAM SCORES – 1. Alexandria 96, 2. Monticello 85, 3. Moorhead 76, 4. Brainerd 75.5, 5. Sartell-St. Stephen 65, 6. Fergus Falls 63, 7. Bemidji 54, 8. Big Lake 36, 9. Little Falls 32, 10. Rocori 27, 11. St. Cloud Tech 26, 12. Becker 20, 13. Sauk Rapids-Rice 17.5, 14. St. Cloud Apollo 16, 15. Detroit Lakes 13.

(Q-state qualifying)

110 HURDLES – 1. Jackson Walters, Brd, 15.34 (Q), 2. Bryce Balfanz, Mon, 15.57 (Q), 3. Dan Gorghuber, Alex, 15.88. 300 HURDLES – 1. Dan Gorghuber, Alex, 39.39 (Q), 2. Mark Pederson, Roc, 39.78 (Q).

100 DASH – 1. Ben Vickstrom, Alex, 11.57 (Q), 2. Jordan Hayes, Brd, 11.65 (Q), 5. Mike Huss, Alex, 11.96. 200 DASH – 1. Ben Vickstrom, Alex, 23.03 (Q), 2. Daniel Lauer, Brd, 23.24 (Q), 5. Zach VanOrsdel, Alex, 23.94. 400 DASH – 1. Cyrus Mason, Mon, 49.94 (Q), 2. Cole Bardwell, Bem, 50.07 (Q), 8. Felix Coleman, Alex, 53.26.

800 RUN – 1. Alex Schoneberger, Bem, 2:02.51 ( Q), 2. Zach Haus, FF, 02:2.82 (Q), 9. Zac Bartholomeo, Alex, 2:07, 31. 1,600 RUN – 1. Glen Ellingson, Mhd, 4:29.38 (Q), 2. Keegan Hurley, FF, 4:32.18 (Q), 6. Zac Bartholomeo, Alex, 4:38.55, 12. Elijah Hartsell, Alex, 4:47.77, Matt Young, Alex, 5:07.62. 3,200 RUN – 1. Glen Ellingson, Mhd, 9:29.10 (Q), 2. Keeghan Hurley, FF, 9:36.79 (Q), 11. Will Sieling, Alex, 10:11.77, 17. James Lovrien, Alex, 10:19.42, 18. Mitch Evink, Alex, 10:21.97.

4X100 RELAY – 1. Brainerd 43.42 (Q), 2. Alexandria (Felix Coleman, Derek Goracke, Mike Huss, Dylan Galligan) 44.40. 4X200 RELAY – 1. Brainerd 1:30.66 (Q), 2. Alexandria (Dylan Galligan, Derek Goracke, Lee Klein, Zach VanOrsdel) 1:33.02. 4X400 RELAY – 1. Alexandria (Mike Huss, Ben Vickstrom, Felix Coleman, Dan Gorghuber) 3:26.67 (Q). 4X800 RELAY – 1. Bemidji 8:11.12 (Q), 2. Alexandria (Dylan Koenig, Mitch Evink, Kreg Anderson, Mitch Ronning) 8:38.08.

HIGH JUMP – 1. Simon Krych, SCA, 6-1 (Q), 2. Gabriel Wright, Mhd, 6-1 (Q). LONG JUMP – 1. Nathan Cole, FF, 21-8 (Q), 2. Elliot Kohler, LF, 21-3.25 (Q). POLE VAULT – 1. Brendan Johnson, Mhd, 13-11 (Q), 2. Joshua Murrey, Brd, 12-11 (Q), 9. Logan Hanson, Alex, 11-11, 18. Peter Olson, Alex, 10-5, 21. Felix Coleman, Alex, 9-11. TRIPLE JUMP – 1. Taylor Otto, BL, 45-5.25 (Q), 2. Josh Lieberg, Sar, 43-5.75 (Q).

SHOT PUT – 1. Anthony Moss, BL, 53-5.5 (Q), 2. Paul Kaczor, SCT, 50-1.25 (Q), 4. Andy Werk, Alex, 49-7.5, 6. Jesse Hacker, Alex, 48-5.75, 8. Tanner Thompson, Alex, 46-6. DISCUS – 1. Anthony Moss, BL, 155-10 (Q), 2. Nick Moran, Mon, 155-3 (Q), 4. Tanner Thompson, Alex, 147-00.

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, boys, track, and, field, cardinals, section, 8aa, state