Twice as nice for the ‘Jays
Athens boys win back-to-back state runners-up silver trophies
By Casey Krautkramer
The Athens boys track and field team won back-to-back WIAA Division 3 state runners-up championships last weekend at the Veterans Memorial Stadium Complex in La Crosse. Athens brought home the second place silver state team trophy with only having four boys compete at state again this season.
Athens led all Division 3 teams with 16 points after the opening day of competition on Friday. Senior Aiden Janke won back-to-back state shot put championships to earn 10 team points. Senior Connor Sheahan took third place in the 3,200-meter run to earn six team points.
The team competition got stiffer on Saturday as Shiocton gained steam. Shiocton senior Cade Stingle scored 25 points by himself on Saturday by winning state titles in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles and placing fifth in the 200-meter dash. Shiocton ended up winning the Division 3 state championship with 38 points. Janke won the discus state championship on Saturday to earn 10 team points. Athens junior Ryan Peel took third place in the pole vault to earn six team points. Sheahan placed 10th in the 1,600-meter run on Saturday which didn’t earn team points. Sophomore Kyle Schreiner didn’t place in the pole vault in his first trip to the state tournament this season.
The Athens boys held onto a slim one-point lead with opponents right on its heels. Athens ended up garnering second place with 32 team points. Glenwood City, Iola-Scandinavia and Eau Claire Regis tied for third place with 31 points each.
Athens boys state competitors, clad in bright yellow Bluejays state tour-nament t-shirts, walked onto the UWLa Crosse football field at Veterans Memorial Stadium to get onto the podium to receive their silver state runners- up team trophy for the second straight season.
Janke carried around the state team trophy on the field after the team had its picture taken with the trophy on the podium. He also had gold medals around his neck from winning the shot put and discuss state championships. It was a joyous moment for he and his teammates.
“It feels great,” Janke said. “We came to state and did what we needed to do. I am just so proud of our team.”
Sheahan shared the same sentiment.
“It feels great because I know how much hard work each of my teammates and I put into this season and it’s amazing to see the outcome of our hard work,” he said.
Peel was smiling from ear to ear. “It feels great,” he said. “With our people at state, it’s a great accomplishment to take second place as a team.”
Cheryl Strunk coached the Athens boys and girls last season. This season, Strunk was head coach of the Athens girls while Cade Ellenbecker and Karla Erickson were co-head Athens boys coaches. Strunk is happy to see the boys have success at state again this year.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “It’s pretty good for a team that doesn’t have a track to run on.”
Strunk is referencing that Athens High School hasn’t been able to have a home track meet since April of 2018 because the track is too dangerous to use because of its large cracks in the running lanes. Athens School District’s capital referendum failed in November of 2022 that would’ve included a brand new track. Ellenbecker also coaches the Bluejays boys and girls pole vaulters and Dakota Zillmer coaches the boys and girls shot and discus throwers. Korey Rottscheit coaches the boys and girls runners. Ellenbecker realizes it’s not easy for a small school district like Athens to build a new track.
“The community was in a tough spot,” he said. “Money can’t just get thrown at a new track but these kids worked their butts off and they worked with what they had during practice. Our track conditions aren’t ideal to run and jump on but we made it work and these four boys worked hard from the get go thinking they could repeat as state runners-up. We of course in the back of our minds wanted to win a first place trophy, but they competed well and did what was needed to bring home another state trophy so you can’t be disappointed.”
Erickson feels fortunate to be coaching in a great Athens track program.
“I think it’s pretty incredible that such a small team can repeat winning a state runners-up trophy, I mean it’s not easy to do it once let alone twice in a row which is pretty neat,” she said.
