The second day of the 2014 State meet started with Bilal Suleiman trying to make the finals in the triple jump.  He put in a good effort but was just short of earning more jumps by making finals.  Camron, Leif, and David stepped on the track in the two mile (3200m).  Camron lead for the first mile but couldn't hold and and finished with a great time of 9:31 to finish third.  Leif ran a great race to show he is ready to be the boys leader in the distance's next year with a 7th place finish.  David ran his second fastest time of his career and also showed he will be ready to step on the poduim at next years state meet. 

Six central girls took to the track next for their two mile race.  The three favorites quickly jumped to the lead, Bismarck's Brittany Brownotter, Century's Kelby Anderson, and Central's Karly Ackley.  Alexis, Rachel C, Rachel T, Grace, and Mandy all ran well in the next pack.  I was very proud of Mandy, who ran with her heart, she had been battling a very sore IT since EDC.  With three laps to go Karly took the lead, she and Brittany dropped Kelby and battled over the next two laps.  Brittany showed why she is the defending state champion and put in a great last lap to win, but Karly had a great race to finish 2nd!

Camron returned to track for his last high school race for Central, along with teammate Chris to  run the 800m.  Both of them went out well the first lap and put them in a good position.  Camron ran negative splits to charge over the last 300m and finish 6th overall.  He is the first Central boy to come off the 3200m race and still have the strength to place in the 800m at the state meet.  Chris also finished well to post a new PR and give himself movitation for summer running.

High Jumper Jake Mussman, woke up Saturday morning feeling sick and stated at the hotel until an hour before the start of his event.  Jake battled a group of other high jumpers and responded to the challenge with  PR of 6' 2" to finish 4th in the high jump.  

The first day of the state meet was breezy and warm, 86 degree's.  But Central had several PR's and state placers.  Thomas Devine was the first Knight to compete for the day, and he started out with a 11' 6" PR vault.  Next Terence Adams PR in the shot (47' 10") was just short of making finals.  The first distance runner on the track was Camron Roehl in the mile where he PR with a 4:17.38 to finish second in the mile.  Karly Ackley was the next miler and followed with her own PR of 5:10.46 which was good enough to capture 3rd.  The girls 4x800 of Karly Ackley, Rachel Torrey, Grace Roehl, and Rachel Cox bettered their seeding to finish 7th overall. Grace Finney vaulted to a huge PR of 9' 9" to finish 4th.  

This Saturday will be a big day for the Central distance crew.  They qualified nine different runners for the state meet, a record for GFC distance.  At the beginning of season I knew we had a strong group coming out, but wouldn't have predicted nine of them to qualify for the state meet.

One of the biggest reasons this group has accomplished this feat is how they support each other.  They put the miles in together, they push  and encourage each other in races and demand more in practice from each other when necessary. They have accomplished this with little fan fair.  No newspapers articles talking about how six girls have made it to state.  No TV camera's recording the several meet records and school record they have beaten.  I know as a coach I'm fortunate to have a group that is willing to train hard and have the desire to improve like they do.  

What is also gratifying as a coach, is to know they are not satisfied with just making it to state.  When they step on the track in Bismarck, they will be there to compete, race hard, and have the goal of running faster than they ever have before.  That makes me smile and feel extremely proud of them.  I know they have grown more confident in what they are capable of doing and that they believe in themselves. Not just in running but in everything they decide to try.   But, their confidence won't stop the butterflies from filling my stomach, and their concentration in racing hard, won't stop me from cheering loudly at the first corner as each one of them pass!

I spent most of the Packer Relays watching and cheering on the Field Event athletes, and they put on a great show!  Bilal Suleiman jumped to 20' 10.5" to qualify for the state meet in the long jump.  Houston Morin and James Galan had a good day at the long jump, each turning in PR's.  Bilal and Jake Mussman both returned to the pits to for the triple jump and both came just short of adding those events to the Central qualifiying list.  Bilal finished second and Jake was 4th.  Jake also finished 3rd in the high jump.  In largest vertical jumping event Thomas Devine vaulted to 11' 6", placing 6th, and Justin Chutes 10' height was good enough for 8th.  Terence Adams lead the throwing group to a great day.  Terence PR in the discus (140' 10") and finished second.  Joey Gerszewski also PRed in the discus (108' 3.5").  The Javelin included some freshman, Gage Fordice and Matt Filson,  trying it for the first time and showed that they will be throwing it much more over the next few years. 

On the track, Camron Roehl lead the way with victories in both the 1600 (last 400 in 60 sec) and 3200.  Leif Larsen wasn't far behind him to take second.  But the biggest PR's in the 3200 belonged to David Hettich, 13 seconds, and Walker Matthew with an amazing 52 second PR.  The sprinters Greg Olsen and Seth Hurda used the early 30 mph winds to PR in the 100.  Seth also PR in the 200, along with teammate Matt Miranda.  Other PR's on the track were Julian Cavanugh 1600, Zach Nelson 1600 & 800, Houston Morin 400, Andrew Arnold 110H, Thomas Jordan 110H, Matt Filson 110H, Chris Caraballo 800, Gus Tandberg 800 and Ryan Keogh 800.