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The Luverne girls’ track and field team had seven athletes competing in five different events at the 2016 Minnesota Class A State Track and Field Championships at Hamline University in St. Paul Friday and Saturday.
This year’s state meet will be long remembered for the heat and humidity that made conditions difficult.
“Overall it was just a very challenging meet,” said longtime Luverne coach Craig Nelson.
Temperatures on both Friday and Saturday were well over 90 degrees.
“Our kids did a great job staying hydrated and on their feet,” Nelson said.
“But, considering the spring we had, to go from meets with temps in the 50s and then a couple in the 70s to over 90 degrees at the state meet was a tough transition for the kids.”
The Cardinal 3,200- meter relay team overcame the heat to place fourth at the state meet.
The relay team, made up of junior Madison Schandelmeier, freshmen Gabrielle Ferrell and Jadyn Anderson, and seventh-grader Autumn Nath, ran a season best 9:41.31 race to place fourth and earn the team six points.
Schandelmeier produced another highlight for the Cardinals when she set a new school record in the 3200-meter run.
Her fifth place finish at the state meet set a new LHS record at 11:20.18 and earned her team five points.
Senior Morgan Edwards also medaled for the Cardinals, placing eighth in the shot put with a throw of 38-07.50 while gaining two team points.
Anderson also competed in the 800-meter run. Her 2:20.64 in the prelim race equaled her personal best in the race and just missed qualifying for the finals by 0.92 seconds.
Luverne seventh-grader Regan Feit ran in the 1,600-meter race in St. Paul. She placed fourteenth in the event with a time of 5:42.25.
Courtney Siebenahler, an LHS junior, competed in the triple jump at the state meet. Her jump of 34-03.75 earned fifteenth place.
Overall, the Luverne girls’ team tied for 24th place out of the 76 teams that scored points at the state meet.
“The coaches are just super proud of the efforts of the kids at the state meet,” Nelson said.
“You can’t help but feel pressure at the state meet; it’s the biggest stage with the best athletes,” Nelson continued. “Our kids handled the pressure and the heat exceptionally.”