Athens boys track and field seeking more success at D-3 state tourney
Three out of the four Athens varsity boys track and field athletes who helped the Bluejays win the WIAA Division 3 state runners-up trophy last year are back this season. This gives the Athens boys hope to either possibly replicate last season’s finish at the state championships or even win the school’s first track and field state title since 2005.
The Athens boys did graduate a major contributor from last year’s state runners-up team, however, in Caden Decker, who captured back-toback pole vault state championships. The Athens boys do return state participants Aiden Janke, Ryan Peel and Connor Sheahan, who are all seniors this season.
Janke won the Division 3 shot put state championship last season with 54 feet, 8-1/2 inches which broke his own school record. Janke also placed fourth in the discus, which is his most difficult event, with a personal record of 153 feet, eight inches.
Peel took second place at state in the pole vault last season with 13 feet behind his teammate Decker. Sheahan placed seventh at state last season in the one-mile run in four minutes, 31.35 seconds, finishing only one second shy of breaking the school record. Sheahan also placed 10th in the two-mile run in nine minutes, 47.69 seconds while breaking Athens alum Johnathon Nowacki’s school record.
Cade Ellenbecker and Karla Erickson served as Athens boys and girls track assistant coaches last season underneath longtime head coach Cheryl Strunk. This season, however, Struck is only coaching the Athens girls while Ellenbecker and Erickson are co-head coaching the boys. Assistant coach Korey Rottscheit primarily works with the Athens boys and girls distance runners, since he’s the school’s head cross country coach in the fall. Assistant coach Dakota Zillmer works with the boys and girls shot put and discus throwers.
“The cool thing about track is we view ourselves as one big team so everyone helps everyone out, no matter the gender,” Ellenbecker said.
Athens is fortunate to have Janke and Sheahan return this season because both of them signed letters of intent this winter to compete on college track and field squads next year. Janke will be a thrower at Division 1 UW-Milwaukee and Sheahan will run distance at Division 2 UW-Parkside in Kenosha.
“Not often does a school the size of Athens come along upon two individuals in the same class both signing to compete at the next level in the same sport,” Ellenbecker said. “However, we are lucky to have that with Connor and Aiden. Connor and Aiden both hope to build off last year’s success and have an even bigger year. One thing that really sticks out to me this year for both of them is that they have taken even more of a leadership role, not only vocally but by example as well. Not only do they simply ‘want’ to be the best, they ‘work’ to be the best by often being the last ones to leave practice and never missing a workout” “Aiden is off to a hot start already this season by hitting a personal record in the discus and starting out around where he left off last year in the shot put. Connor is also looking very good by also starting off where he left off last year. Both of them hope to build off the hard work they put in and have their best years yet.”
Coach Ellenbecker also had a glowing amount of praise for Peel, who is also a sprinter.
“With two senior pole vaulters graduating last year, Ryan has taken a huge step in becoming a leader amongst the now very young pole vaulting squad,” he said. “Ryan is very hungry for success and he has his eyes set on another run at state.”
Other top returning Athens boys are seniors Blake Hein, shot put and discus thrower; Nathan Wolf, distance runner and Connor Komarek, sprinter and high jumper. Junior distance runners Andy Schaer and Drew Haines are also top returners this season.
“These five returners have also stepped up their leadership roles and hope to find success,” Ellenbecker said. “They all have a lot of potential and hope to make an impact for the team as the season goes on.”
Sophomore Kyle Schreiner, pole vaulter and sprinter, is one of the top newcomers to the Athens’ boys track and field squad this spring.
“Last year, Kyle was fairly overshadowed by the success of pole vaulters Aiden Guralski, Caden Decker and Ryan Peel which forced Kyle to not be able to compete in many meets due to the limit of three varsity athletes per event,” Ellenbecker said. “With Guralski and Decker now graduated, Kyle hopes to fill some big shoes and take full advantage of his time to shine.”
The team’s other top newcomers this season are sophomore Austin Dean, long and triple jumper and sprinter; freshman Evin Passehl, pole vaulter, long jumper and sprinter; and Riley Schultz-Becker, pole vaulter and sprinter.
“These three are showing great potential and they are already making an impact on the varsity team,” Ellenbecker said.
The Athens boys track and field squad last won a conference championship in 2009, when the Marawood was split into the North and South divisions. Now it’s one large conference consisting of 12 teams in track and field. The Stratford boys won the Marawood Conference title last season.
“Anything can happen, however, it may be tough to win the conference championship because although we have a very talented group of boys, one thing we lack is numbers,” Ellenbecker said. “We have a few events where we don’t even have any individuals competing. Often times at conference meets, it doesn’t always come down to how many first and second-place finishers you have but what schools have the numbers and depth to fill up the third through eighth-place spots. With that being said, we will definitely still take a run at it, compete to the best of our ability and see what happens.”
Coach Ellenbecker echoed similar thoughts on if he feels the Athens boys can win the Division 3 state championship this season.
“Anything can happen,” he said. “Winning state is definitely one of our goals, but we are more focused on the present and becoming the best athletes that we can possibly be. Last year, we came into the state tournament with the mentality of ‘if we simply compete to our best ability and not worry about where we sit and how everyone else is doing, that is when we will see success.’ Track is a sport where anyone can have either a good or bad day.
We are focused on going into every meet competing to our best ability and at the end seeing where we sit.”
Athens girls track and field
Coach Strunk has many top returning Athens girls track and field athletes this season including sophomore distance runner Breanna Sheahan and senior triple jumper Katlyn Schreiner who both competed in sectionals last season.
“Both of them have grown stronger and smarter in competitions and are setting a great example on what it takes to get better which includes working hard on all aspects of training and keeping an even stronger positive attitude,” Strunk said.
Senior Alonna Haines, who mainly throws discus and sophomore pole vaulter Malaina Telschow are other top returning girl track and field athletes for the Bluejays this spring. Coach Strunk said both of them were new to their events last year but they have made considerable progress.
Strunk said sophomore Aleah Frahm, middle distance runner and sprinter, is another top returner who has “grown not only in experience but she has learned to beat her injuries with smarter prep/recovery and good ‘ole perseverance.”
Senior Addyson Zettler, middle distance runner, sprinter and thrower, is yet another top returning Athens girl this season.
“Addyson has been a great role model not only for Aleah but for all underclassmen due to her ‘never quit’ attitude and her always encouraging others to get better,” Strunk said.
She said Faith Nowak and Jennifer Espinoza are the team’s “silent” talent.
“They have the potential just waiting to get out and what I especially love is to show them what they can do,” Strunk said.
Freshman Ava Ford, a pole vaulter and sprinter, is one of the three top newcomers to the Athens girls varsity squad this season.
“She vaults with Malaina and we haven’t quite figured out if they ‘share’ what height they win at or if they are using each other as competitors,” Strunk said. “Either way, they work well together and Ava is just starting to show her talent in pole vaulting and sprinting.”
Freshman Isabella Zastrow, a hurdler and distance runner, is another newcomer to the varsity squad this spring.
“She has a different combination of events yet this is exactly what we would expect from Bella, because she will try anything at least once and then do it again to see if she can do better at it,” Strunk said. “She is a great role model for sure!”
Freshman Sy’ Rih Hartwig is another top up-and-comer for the Bluejays.
“Sy’ Rih also loves trying every event and she does it with great gusto and to the best of her ability which she always tries to improve on,” Strunk said. “So far her biggest talent is her throwing ability, mainly shot put so far, but her contribution in sprints and jumps has been an asset to our team.”
