The Osakis track and field programs had a mix of veteran and younger up-and-coming athletes this past spring season, and there were athletes in both of those categories who were honored for their roles during the Silverstreaks’ postseason banquet.
Team awards were voted on by the athletes, and senior thrower Ben Paulson brought home two of those honors. Paulson was the boys’ most improved athlete and also their most valuable field athlete. He led Osakis in both throwing events and joined teammates Stewart Jones and Tessa Stanek in being named the MVP from the Prairie Conference championship where the Osakis boys and girls both won the league title.
Paulson set the Osakis school record in the discus at the Prairie Conference meet with a throw of 152-02. He just missed qualifying for the state meet in the discus after taking third in the Section 6A meet with a throw of 138-08.
Fellow senior Duncan Vandergon also earned two team honors as he was named the Will to Win Award winner and the winner of the Silverstreak Award. Vandergon battled through a hamstring injury for much of the last half of the season. At the Section 6A meet, he finished fifth in the 100-meter dash (11.85) and 200-meter dash (23.81).
Sophomore Stewart Jones was one of those up-and-coming athletes for Osakis who broke out in the hurdles and jumps this year. Jones was the Silverstreaks’ most valuable track athlete award winner. He finished his season by taking fourth in the triple jump (40-00.50) and fourth in the 110-meter hurdles (16.69) at the Section 6A meet.
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Stanek, a junior sprinter, and Kiley Kranz, a sophomore thrower, both led the Osakis girls by earning two team-voted awards.
Stanek earned the Silverstreaks’ Will to Win Award and the most valuable track athlete honor. She finished 13th at the Class A state meet in the 200-meter dash.
Kranz was with Stanek at that state meet where she placed seventh in the shot put (37-03.50) and 14th in the discus (96-08). Kranz earned her team’s Silverstreak Award and Most Valuable Field athlete award.
Addison Wildman, a freshman, finished off the Osakis girls’ team award winners by being named the most improved athlete. Wildman earned a spot on Osakis’ 4x100-meter relay team at the section meet with Kiana Kendall, Hailey Walker and Stanek where they finished seventh, while also placing 10th in the 300-meter hurdles (52.34) at the 6A meet.
Osakis had a big group of athletes see success in the classroom. The girls had a team GPA of 3.98 that earned them an academic all-state gold team honor (GPA of 3.75 or above). Stanek, Kranz and Vandergon were academic all-state individuals who had GPAs of 3.6 or higher who also met performance standards in track and field.
OSAKIS TRACK AND FIELD ADDITIONAL HONORS
LETTER WINNERS -- GIRLS -- Raechel Weir, Kaylee Thompson, Hatti Schmidtbauer, Lexi Spychalla, Mara VanNyhuis, Emma Tenhoff, Alexis Johanson, Tessa Stanek, Makenzie Lien, Larissa Hoffarth, Madi Douvier, Kiley Kranz, Bria Hoffarth, Hailey Walker, Lauren Anderson, Madeline Anderson, Eva VanAcker, Kiana Kendall, Addison Wildman, Bella Weisser, Kaelyn Walker
BOYS -- Isaac Hetland, Ben Paulson, Duncan Vandergon, Jarron Kurth, Ryan Engstrom, Caleb Goodwin, Issac Loverink, Ethan Wiggens, McCarter Kirksey, Jack Petrich, Joseph Aaser, Stewart Jones, Noah Schultz, John Pahl, Kale Drevlow, Isaac Ruegemer, Brennen Gustafson, Zackery Bruder
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PRAIRIE CONFERENCE ALL-ACADEMIC AWARD (Letter winner, 3.7 GPA) -- Duncan Vandergon, Isaac Loverink, Jack Petrich, John Pahl, Kale Drevlow, Isaac Ruegemer, Mara VanNyhuis, Hatti Schmidtbauer, Lexi Spychalla, Emma Tenhoff, Alexis Johanson, Tessa Stanek, Larissa Hoffarth, Madi Douvier, Kiley Kranz, Bria Hoffarth, Hailey Walker, Eva VanAcker, Lauren Anderson, Madeline Anderson
