SPORTS - Schreiner wins D-3 state pole vault title

SPORTS

By Casey Krautkramer

Athens has become a state pole vaulting juggernaut in the last several years. Ken Kraft coached Cade Ellenbecker, the team’s current co-head boys and girls coach and pole vaulting coach, to a fifth-place tie in the 2018 WIAA Division 3 pole vault. Kraft also coached Gabriella Janke to a state pole vault runners-up finish in 2017 and state championship in 2018. He then coached Caden Decker to win back-to-back state titles in 2021 and 2022. Kraft and Ellenbecker both helped Ryan Peel place third in the state pole vault in 2023 and runner-up last season.

This year it was Athens senior Kyle Schreiner’s turn to win a WIAA Division 3 state pole vaulting championship and he did just that with 14 feet, three inches. He was pleased to bring home first place a gold medal.

“I’ve been struggling with shin issues all year so I’ve been limited at times during practice and really took the last two weeks off to get healthy and be ready to go. Then I really dialed it up for this and I felt good today (Saturday),” he said. “I’m happy. I came here and I didn’t really care what height I got as long as I got first place. I had a couple turns at the school record which is cool but I’m just happy to come home with first place. It means a lot to me.”

Athens senior Malaina Telschow took state runner-up in the pole vault for the second straight season behind Fall Creek senior Alena Sanfelippo who has won three consecutive state pole vault championships. Telschow reached 11 feet, six inches in the pole vault on Friday compared to Sanfelippo’s 11 feet, nine inches. Schreiner commented on what it means for both he and Malaina to finish as the top two pole vaulters win their genders at state this season.

“I think it just shows that our coach, Cade (Ellenbecker), works so hard for us all season,” he said. “I was able to learn behind Cade and Ryan (Peel) in the past which has been very beneficial to me.”

Athens junior Sy’Rih Hartwig took third place in both shot put and discus at state which left her wanting to place higher in both of them next season.

“It was a pretty big accomplishment,” she said. “I wanted more but I’ll take it. This will give me motivation for next year. I’m hoping for more next year in both of them so we’ll see what happens.”

Athens senior Brianna Sheahan broke the school record in the 3,200-meter run at state on Friday with a 12th-place finish in 11:42.55. Bluejays sophomore Ellis Baer then broke her own school record in the 1,600-meter run at state by another five seconds on Saturday with a 15th-place finish in 5:26.17.

Bluejays sophomore Brock Beaty took 19th place in the 110-meter hurdles in 16.44 seconds.