Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Serving Proudly As The Voice Of Valley County Since 1913
Wyatt Pattison, of Hinsdale, competes in the pole vault at the Class C Divisional track meet last week. He finished with a vault of 10' 6" and finished in sixth place.
Class C coaches wear many hats. They are coaches first, but also play the role of parent, counselor, referee, physical therapist, and more. Sometimes they have to fake it 'til they make it.
There was a little of that this season for Ryen Falkenstern, of Nashua, and Lisa Beus, of Hinsdale. Falkenstern initially was going to be the track and field coach just for the lady Porcupines. He stepped up for the boys' team when things didn't work out with the prospective coach for them. This is Beus' first year in Hinsdale, and she found herself coaching kids to do things she wasn't all that familiar with – throwing and jumping.
"I'm a hurdler", she said, "but I've had some help from a former coach from Saco and one from Glasgow, as well as Kirk Capdeville when he is able," Beus said.
Despite these minor roadblocks, Falkenstern and Beus have managed to qualify several athletes for the State Class C meet.
For Nashua, Falkenstern will have five tracksters at State along with both boys relay teams.
"Overall, they did very well", he said. "We were looking at the outside trying to get in and that's what we did. Ryan Padden was about half afraid to give 100 percent all year because he had been injured, but he really stepped it up at district and divisionals. He's a good runner."
State qualifiers are: Taylor Laumeyer in the shot put with a throw of 28' – 11"; Faith Keys in the discus with a throw of 88' – 1"; Ryan Padden in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.40; Ryan Scanlan in the discus with a throw of 120' – 0". Lane Nickels qualified in three events: the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.50, the 800 meter run with a time of 2:00.08, and the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:49.10. The boys 4x100 relay qualified with a time of 47.00 and the 4x400 with a time of 3:43.70.
"We haven't really run that group of boys together before, so they did pretty good", said Falkenstern of the relay teams.
Other members of the Nashua track team are Nicole Williams, Nolan Viste, Ryleigh Delich, Chase Williams, Dalton Kautz, Zoe Glasoe, Hayley Nybakken, and Taylor Padden.
For Hinsdale, good solid performances from a strong senior team made the difference. Coach Beus describes Dallas Capdeville as a good all around athlete.It shows. Capdeville qualified in 5 events: the high jump with a height of 5' – 10", the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 16.70, the 300 meter hurdles with a time of 42.30, the shot put with a throw of 40' – 3/4". He brought home a first place win in the pole vault (which Beus describes as Capdeville's true love) with a height of 12' – 6". Lukas Johnson qualified to compete at State in the shot put with a PR (personal record) of 42' – 7 1/2" and the discus with a throw of 118' – 7".
"He has a strong work ethic and was awarded the 110 percent award at our athletic banquet", Beus said of Johnson. "He can place at state if he just throws a little farther."
In the 3200-meter run, Brett Johnson qualified with a time of 11:04.00 and Wyatt Pattison qualified in the javelin with a throw of 143' – 6". Kyle Albus is the sixth senior on the team. Although he didn't make it to state in his events,
"He's been a good fifth man for us" said Beus, "He would fill in where we needed him and made those points for the team. He will be going with us to the state meet."
For the Lady Raiders, Courtney Capdeville will represent the team in two events: the high jump (with a height of 4" - 6"), and the pole vault where she also received a PR and a first place with height of 8' – 9". The team is rounded out by Wrangler Jones, Casity Boucher, Jade Jones, Cache Younkin, and foreign exchange student Shawn Hyun.
Our "veteran" coach in the Class C area is John Wetsit of Frazer. In the eight years he has been coaching, he said, "This is the first time I've had someone qualify for state in all three of their events."
Daniel Horsman is the lone athlete that will be representing Frazer at the state track meet. He placed third in the high jump with a height of 5' – 10", fourth in the 800 meter run with a time of 2:10.40, and third in the triple jump with a distance of 39' – 3 ½". Wetsit explained that although Horsman will have to improve quite a bit in the triple jump and the 800 meter run to place at state, he is "just on the cusp" of making all state in the high jump.
The Class C kids head out this weekend for the state Class C meet in Laurel.
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