ALEXANDRIA — A season of accomplishments that included Central Lakes Conference and Section 8AA titles and a trip to the state true team meet meant there was plenty to recognize for the Alexandria boys track and field program.
In team honors, the Cardinals named three athletes MVPs of their events.
Senior Joel Brault earned the most valuable distance runner award. Fellow seniors Christian Doumbia and Will Heydt were the most valuable sprinter/hurdler and most valuable field event athletes, respectively.
Brault, who was one of six senior captains this past season with Heydt, Joey Lanoux, Teagan Pfeffer, Myles Sansted and Jack Theien, was an honorable-mention All-Central Lakes Conference runner in the 1600-meter race from the conference meet.
Heydt wrapped up his standout career as a jumper by taking third place in the triple jump. That’s after he won the 2021 state title in that event as a junior.
ADVERTISEMENT
Heydt was an All-CLC athlete in the triple jump and the 4x200 relay with Venald Becker, Daniel Jackson and Trey Negen. Heydt was also honorable-mention All-CLC in the long jump.
Heydt owns the Section 8AA record in the triple jump (43-05.75). He rounded out his list of postseason honors by being an academic all-state recipient as well.
Doumbia proved himself as one of the top sprinters in the state this season after joining the track and field program as a junior. Doumbia made the Class AA state meet in the 100 (eighth place), 200 (fourth) and 400 (ninth) dashes and finished as an all-state performer in all three with those top-nine finishes. He is also the Section 8AA record holder after winning section titles in the 200 and 400-meter dashes. That’s in addition to being All-CLC in all three sprint events.
Alexandria’s finish at the state meet left the program with multiple podium finishers from the finals. Those all-state athletes in addition to Heydt and Doumbia were senior Gavin Ashmore (4x400, eighth), Lanoux (shot put, ninth), Myles Sansted (4x400), junior Riley Wagner (4x400) and sophomore Owen Draper (4x400).
The Cardinals also had a good season in the classroom with many student-athletes taking home academic all-state awards. Joining Heydt with that honor were Pfeffer, Sansted, junior Kelly Johnson, Wagner, Draper, sophomore Walker Hennen, sophomore Samuel Williams and freshmen Otto Anderson, Daniel Jackson, Evan Kludt and Trey Negen.
Alexandria has named its captains for the 2023 season with soon-to-be seniors Bryr Homelvig, Johnson, Ashton Sayre and Wagner serving in that role.
The Trust Project
