Triton, Hayfield turn in strong state track & field showing

Minnesota State High School League track and field championships were held Friday, June 19, at St. Michael-Albertville’s Knight’s Stadium. A near capacity crowd battled the 90-degree heat to watch the top track and field events of the year.

Tournament action began Friday morning with the boy’s long jump.

Hayfield’s Steele Tebay finished with a jump of 18-ft. 03.50-in. He was the sole competitor from Section 1A.

The 110 high hurdles had all eyes on Triton’s Owen Petersohn and Blooming Prairie’s Xavier Renning, the second and first place winners respectively in Sectional 1A Finals at Triton, June 10.

Petersohn turned in a time of 15.74, enough for fourth place, behind Jayson Ekiyor of Providence Academy who was the 2019 event winner. Ekiyor turned in a time of 14.51.

Back to the rivalry between Rennie and Petersohn, the second place sectional winner beat out his Blooming Prairie sectional rival by .14 seconds. Rennie finished in the sixth spot. It was his sole race of the day.

With only 90 minutes between the 110 hurdles and the 300 meter hurdles, Petersohn climbed into the starting blocks and turned in a time of 40.99. He finished in the fifth spot. Kenny Soderberg of Morris Area/Choki-Alberta claimed the top spot with a time of 39.14.

All track and field events were halted until the girls took over the stadium at 3:30 p.m.

With the start of the afternoon competition, area field events were highlights for area school competitors.

Joining the throng of Hayfield Vikings competing at state competition level was shot putter Madison Johnson who launched the shot put 36-.06.50 to claim the ninth spot behind winner Delaney Smith of Windom Area who turned in a 43.-02.75 to finish in the top spot.