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Jun. 5—ST. MICHAEL — David Obst had his eyes on a first-place finish.
It didn't quite happen.
The Kasson-Mantorville standout distance runner settled for second place on Friday in the 3,200 at the Class 2A boys track and field state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
He did it all while posting a personal record, timed in 9:19.85. That beat his previous mark by about a second.
Obst had entered the meet hoping for a four-second jump.
"David is a little bit disappointed in not finishing first, but he still accomplished a lot," K-M coach Mitchell Noel said. "Now he's got to get back for graduation (Friday) and then come back Saturday and compete in the 1,600."
Obst ran his typically strategic race, going out conservatively before stepping on the gas in the middle of the race.
That was good enough to beat last year's finish of fourth place.
"It was a pretty typical game plan," Noel said. "He executed it well but just fell about four seconds short."
Connecting on the perfect shot put throw is elusive.
Stewartville junior Thomas Lofgren says he has done it just once all season, and that one turned into a personal-best throw of 57-feet-9.
Lofgren was nearly perfect on Friday in the Class 2A state meet. He threw the shot put 55-feet-10 1/2, which helped him earn a third-place medal.
Mankato East's Carter Schwartz won the event with a Class 2A record throw of 61-2 3/4. Lofgren's teammate, sophomore Ryan Erie, finished fourth with a personal-best toss of 54-4 1/4.
"It gets a little bit frustrating trying to get that big throw," Lofgren said. "I've only had one big throw all season. It's just hard to connect on the big one. You have to stay patient."
A year ago, Lofgren came into the meet as the No. 2 seed in the shot put but finished ninth. This time, despite not landing the perfect throw, Lofgren zoomed all the way up to a third-place finish.
He couldn't help but already think ahead to next year.
"One of the guys ahead of me was a senior, so that gives me hope," Lofgren said.
Last year, Stewartville discus thrower Ella Theobald came through with the performance of her life in the Section 1-2A meet.
Theobald threw the discus a stunning 145 feet, 10 inches.
She has been trying to live up to that throw ever since. It's not been easy.
"There is definitely pressure to live up to it," said Theobald, who won the state discus event last year with a throw of 134-7. "There was definitely a lot more pressure this year to live up to that (145-10) and also knowing that I won the state discus event last year."
On Friday, Theobald had a solid performance by her standards, finishing with a best throw of 132 feet. That left her in second place behind Maddison Molacek of Willmar, who ripped off a throw of 143-8, a Class 2A state meet record.
"I tried my best to stay calm and to do my best," said the senior, who next year will throw at South Dakota State University. "I was a little bit upset about finishing second at first. But when I think about it, it is a huge accomplishment."
Theobald wasn't the only Section 1 discus thrower to have success Friday. Winona teammates Alexis Schossow (123-1) and Autumn Wadewitz (122-7) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Stewartville coach Brandon Hoth was feeling great about Theobald and all that she has meant to this team.
"It is how she carries herself," Hoth said. "She is great. There is a lot more to the story than just individual finishes. She helped carry our team so much this year. And what she accomplished today is a pretty good testament to all of the work she's put in."
Stewartville freshman standout Avery Nelson figured to enter the state meet in as many as four events. But a slightly strained hamstring kept her from competing in the sprints at her state-qualifying section meet.
Nelson did qualify for state in the long jump and triple jump. Friday, still not completely healthy, she finished 18th in the long jump with a clearance of 16-10.
It took tying a personal best to get it, but Pine Island junior Ben Edwards was up to it. The Panthers junior star pole vaulter lofted himself 14 feet on Friday to finish third overall at state.
The winning mark was 15 feet by Waseca's William Mansfield.
"Ben was outstanding; we are super proud of him," Pine Island coach Matt Northrop said. "Now this experience will set him up nicely for next year."
Edwards tried a bigger pole to try to clear 14-6 but just missed.
*Class 2A meet record
(Winner, Rochester-area finishers)
3,200 — 1. Charlie Loth (St. Paul Como Park) 9:15.14; 2. David Obst (Kasson-Mantorville) 9:19.85; 8. Kedrick Boucek (Winona) 9:26.56.
Shot put wheelchair — 1. Devin Filzen (Winona) 24-3; 2. Aidan Falcon (Austin) 20-9 3/4.
Shot put — *1. Carter Schwartz (Mankato East) 61-2 3/4; 3. Thomas Lofgren (Stewartville) 55-10 1/2; 4. Ryan Erie (Stewartville) 53-4 1/4.
Pole vault — 1. William Mansfield (Waseca) 15-0; 3. Ben Edwards (Pine Island) 14-0; 11. Jayden Ott (Byron) 13-6; (no height) Jonah Coleman (Kasson-Mantorville).
*Class 2A meet record
(Winner, Rochester-area finishers)
3,200 — *1. Keira Friedrich (St. Peter) 10:28.34; 11. Dayna Baune (Byron) 11:49.54.
High jump — 1. Emma Tuwei (Mankato West) 5-8; 16. Isabelle Russell (Stewartville) 5-0; 17. Alyssa Rippentrop (Red Wing) 5-0.
Discus — 1. Maddison Molacek (Willmar) 143-8; 2. Ella Theobald (Stewartville) 132-0; 3. Alexis Schossow (Winona) 123-1; 4. Autumn Wadewitz (Winona) 122-7.
Long jump — 1. Logan Webster (Minneapolis Southwest) 19-1; 18. Avery Nelson (Stewartville) 16-10; 19. Sophia Richardson (Byron) 16-9 1/4; 32. Lilah Kurke (Byron) 15-5 3/4.
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It didn't quite happen.
The Kasson-Mantorville standout distance runner settled for second place on Friday in the 3,200 at the Class 2A boys track and field state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School.
He did it all while posting a personal record, timed in 9:19.85. That beat his previous mark by about a second.
Obst had entered the meet hoping for a four-second jump.
"David is a little bit disappointed in not finishing first, but he still accomplished a lot," K-M coach Mitchell Noel said. "Now he's got to get back for graduation (Friday) and then come back Saturday and compete in the 1,600."
Obst ran his typically strategic race, going out conservatively before stepping on the gas in the middle of the race.
That was good enough to beat last year's finish of fourth place.
"It was a pretty typical game plan," Noel said. "He executed it well but just fell about four seconds short."
Connecting on the perfect shot put throw is elusive.
Stewartville junior Thomas Lofgren says he has done it just once all season, and that one turned into a personal-best throw of 57-feet-9.
Lofgren was nearly perfect on Friday in the Class 2A state meet. He threw the shot put 55-feet-10 1/2, which helped him earn a third-place medal.
Mankato East's Carter Schwartz won the event with a Class 2A record throw of 61-2 3/4. Lofgren's teammate, sophomore Ryan Erie, finished fourth with a personal-best toss of 54-4 1/4.
"It gets a little bit frustrating trying to get that big throw," Lofgren said. "I've only had one big throw all season. It's just hard to connect on the big one. You have to stay patient."
A year ago, Lofgren came into the meet as the No. 2 seed in the shot put but finished ninth. This time, despite not landing the perfect throw, Lofgren zoomed all the way up to a third-place finish.
He couldn't help but already think ahead to next year.
"One of the guys ahead of me was a senior, so that gives me hope," Lofgren said.
Last year, Stewartville discus thrower Ella Theobald came through with the performance of her life in the Section 1-2A meet.
Theobald threw the discus a stunning 145 feet, 10 inches.
She has been trying to live up to that throw ever since. It's not been easy.
"There is definitely pressure to live up to it," said Theobald, who won the state discus event last year with a throw of 134-7. "There was definitely a lot more pressure this year to live up to that (145-10) and also knowing that I won the state discus event last year."
On Friday, Theobald had a solid performance by her standards, finishing with a best throw of 132 feet. That left her in second place behind Maddison Molacek of Willmar, who ripped off a throw of 143-8, a Class 2A state meet record.
"I tried my best to stay calm and to do my best," said the senior, who next year will throw at South Dakota State University. "I was a little bit upset about finishing second at first. But when I think about it, it is a huge accomplishment."
Theobald wasn't the only Section 1 discus thrower to have success Friday. Winona teammates Alexis Schossow (123-1) and Autumn Wadewitz (122-7) finished third and fourth, respectively.
Stewartville coach Brandon Hoth was feeling great about Theobald and all that she has meant to this team.
"It is how she carries herself," Hoth said. "She is great. There is a lot more to the story than just individual finishes. She helped carry our team so much this year. And what she accomplished today is a pretty good testament to all of the work she's put in."
Stewartville freshman standout Avery Nelson figured to enter the state meet in as many as four events. But a slightly strained hamstring kept her from competing in the sprints at her state-qualifying section meet.
Nelson did qualify for state in the long jump and triple jump. Friday, still not completely healthy, she finished 18th in the long jump with a clearance of 16-10.
It took tying a personal best to get it, but Pine Island junior Ben Edwards was up to it. The Panthers junior star pole vaulter lofted himself 14 feet on Friday to finish third overall at state.
The winning mark was 15 feet by Waseca's William Mansfield.
"Ben was outstanding; we are super proud of him," Pine Island coach Matt Northrop said. "Now this experience will set him up nicely for next year."
Edwards tried a bigger pole to try to clear 14-6 but just missed.
*Class 2A meet record
(Winner, Rochester-area finishers)
3,200 — 1. Charlie Loth (St. Paul Como Park) 9:15.14; 2. David Obst (Kasson-Mantorville) 9:19.85; 8. Kedrick Boucek (Winona) 9:26.56.
Shot put wheelchair — 1. Devin Filzen (Winona) 24-3; 2. Aidan Falcon (Austin) 20-9 3/4.
Shot put — *1. Carter Schwartz (Mankato East) 61-2 3/4; 3. Thomas Lofgren (Stewartville) 55-10 1/2; 4. Ryan Erie (Stewartville) 53-4 1/4.
Pole vault — 1. William Mansfield (Waseca) 15-0; 3. Ben Edwards (Pine Island) 14-0; 11. Jayden Ott (Byron) 13-6; (no height) Jonah Coleman (Kasson-Mantorville).
*Class 2A meet record
(Winner, Rochester-area finishers)
3,200 — *1. Keira Friedrich (St. Peter) 10:28.34; 11. Dayna Baune (Byron) 11:49.54.
High jump — 1. Emma Tuwei (Mankato West) 5-8; 16. Isabelle Russell (Stewartville) 5-0; 17. Alyssa Rippentrop (Red Wing) 5-0.
Discus — 1. Maddison Molacek (Willmar) 143-8; 2. Ella Theobald (Stewartville) 132-0; 3. Alexis Schossow (Winona) 123-1; 4. Autumn Wadewitz (Winona) 122-7.
Long jump — 1. Logan Webster (Minneapolis Southwest) 19-1; 18. Avery Nelson (Stewartville) 16-10; 19. Sophia Richardson (Byron) 16-9 1/4; 32. Lilah Kurke (Byron) 15-5 3/4.
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