D.C. Everest’s Mlodik wins two medals, Newman’s Galang picks up another at opening day of WIAA State Track Meet

Wausau Pilot & Review

LA CROSSE – D.C. Everest’s Sara Mlodik won a pair of state medals and Newman Catholic’s Sidney Galang picked up another on the opening day of the 2023 WIAA State Track & Field Championships on Friday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Mlodik finished second in the Division 1 girls 1,600 meters in 4:50.83 and fifth in the girls 800 in 2:15.71 to earn a pair of state meet medals on Friday. The top six in each finals event earns a spot on the final podium and a state medal.

Galang tied for fourth in the Division 3 girls pole vault with a vault of 10 feet to earn a medal for Newman Catholic.

A pair of Newman athletes also qualified for Saturday’s finals in their respective events with top-10 finishes. Mel Severson was eighth in the D-3 girls 400 in 59.51 seconds and Nolyn Lindner was eighth in the boys 400 in 51.62 to advance.

D.C. Everest’s Blake Postler is moving on in both of his Division 1 boys hurdle events as he won qualifying in the 300 in 38.25 seconds and was sixth in the 110 meters in 14.83.

Megan Zemke also moved on in the girls 100 hurdles for D.C. Everest, taking eighth in prelims in 15.12 seconds.

No other local athletes qualified for finals or earned state medals on Friday.

For Newman Catholic in the Division 3 portion of the meet, Natalie Brenner took 16^th in the girls triple jump (31-1.25), the girls 800 relay team of Evie Bates, Mallory Rozwadowski, Galang and Severson finished 16^th in 1:52.38, and Bates was 15^th in the 300 hurdles (48.68).

In Division 1 finals, D.C. Everest’s Cole Stevens was seventh (166-4) and Wausau East’s Marcus Gruszynski took 18^th (141-4) in the boys discus, Arlin Sangster of D.C. Everest was 15^th in the boys triple jump (43-2), Keaton Oettinger of Everest was 10^th in the boys pole vault (14-0) while teammate Matt Nielsen did not compete, and Wausau East’s Lily Clifford finished 12^th in the girls shot put (37-0.5).

Those from the area that failed to qualify for Saturday’s finals were Wausau West’s Garett Gauger in the boys 110 hurdles (16^th, 15.61), the boys 400 relay teams from Wausau West comprised of Ray Reineck, Carter Amerson, Rhys Burnett and Gauger (12^th, 43.10) and the D.C. Everest squad of Thor Fowler, Jacob Lorge, Nielsen and Sangster (14^th, 43.69), the D.C. Everest girls 400 relay team of Isabelle Jaipuri, Elaina Kamke, Neah Zimmermann and Ellia Roble (13^th, 50.34), and Megan Zemke of D.C. Everest in the girls 300 hurdles (13^th, 47.66).

Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday as a number of other local athletes will also compete in finals events. The schedule has been changed due to a long rain delay during Division 1 competition Friday night, with the Division 1 track finals pushed back until after the D-2 and D-3 races are completed. All Division 1 field events will begin at their scheduled times.

In addition to those who qualified on Friday, Stevens (boys shot put) and Mlodik (girls 3,200) will compete in Division 1 finals for D.C. Everest.

Bates will compete in the Division 3 girls high jump and Severson in the D-3 girls long jump for Newman Catholic.

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