by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Thief River Falls girls track and field team will be represented by four athletes at the 2025 MSHSL Track and Field State Championships.
Kayla Peterson placed second in the 400-meter dash to qualify for the state track meet. Gwen Wojciechowski placed third in the 100-meter dash but ran the state qualifying time. She also placed second in the 200-meter dash to qualify for the state track meet. The girls 4×200 relay of Kenzie Reynolds, Kayla Peterson, Janaya Albers and Wojciechowski dropped 4.5 seconds off their season best to place third but ran the state qualifying time.
The Prowlers had three more medal stand finishes. Madelyn David had a PR in triple jump to make the podium and place seventh overall. The girls 4×100 relay of Bella Dicken, Janaya Albers, Lila Dalager and Jordyn Skjerven placed 9th overall with a PR; and the girls 4×400 relay of Reynolds, Elory Mossestad, Livia Harbott and Peterson ran a PR to place fifth overall.
Overall, the Thief River Falls girls team finished eighth in the 12-team section field.
“I cannot express how proud I am of our whole team,” said Co-Head Coach Katie Nelson. “A majority of events were PR performances on Wednesday and Saturday. We have a very tough section but our athletes put in the hard work and it paid off. A big goal of mine is to send at least one event to the state meet and this year I am sending four for the girls.
“Gwen ran very well and has been putting the work in for the last year to get her times down. She dropped her 100 time by half a second since last year and her 200 time by almost a full second. She was feeling really good in both prelims and sections and was excited about the prospect of her first state appearance. She will have a busy schedule at the state meet with the 100, 200 and anchoring the 4×2.
“Kayla also has been working for the last year to improve her times with the hopes of qualifying for state in the 400 as she missed qualifying last year by less than .30s and one place. All year she has been running well but has not had many to push her until sections. Her goal was to get under a minute, and she shattered that goal and dropped her PR by a full second. I look forward to seeing what she can accomplish at the state meet.
“Every year the 4×200 has state in the back of their minds. Our times haven’t been spectacular this year, but I had full confidence they would place high and run a PR. They exceeded my expectations by dropping 4.5 seconds and running under the state qualifying standard to advance to state. This year I have a young team overall and all four on the relay will be returning next year so you will be seeing much more of these girls.”
The Thief River Falls Boys Track and Field Team placed 11th overall, with athletes reaching the medal stand in five standard events.
William MacLean ran a PR to place fourth overall in the 400-meter dash. Everett Nelson ran a PR to place fifth overall in the 400-meter dash. Curtis Griffin ran a PR to place third overall in the 1600-meter run and he also broke the Thief River Falls school record which was set in 1983.
The boys 4×200 relay of Everett Nelson, Tallon Vorderbruggen, Jaxson Tanner and Will MacLean placed seventh overall; and the the boys 4×400 relay of Everett Nelson, Colin MacLean, Briley Olsonawski and Will MacLean took fifth overall and broke the old 4×400 school record that was set in 2007.
The Thief River Falls boys team will be represented at state in a pair of wheelchair events by seventh grader Clayton Rudi. Rudi won both the shot put and discus wheelchair events, which were contested during the Section 8AA Preliminaries on Wednesday, May 28 at Rocori High School.
The 2025 MSHSL Track and Field State Championships will be held June 10-12 at St. Michael-Albertville High School. The Class AA prelims will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 11, with finals beginning the following morning at 9 a.m.
Team Scores
• Girls – 1. Alexandria 175.5; 2. Rocori 105; 3. Perham 79; 4. Willmar 66; 5. Fergus Falls 55.5; 6. Pequot Lakes 54; 7. Albany 36; 8. Thief River Falls 34; 9. New London-Spicer 33; 10. Detroit Lakes 27; 11. Little Falls 25; 12. East Grand Forks 12.
• Boys – 1. Alexandria 146.5; 2. Detroit Lakes 87.5; 3. East Grand Forks 77; 4. Perham 71; 5. Willmar 63; 6. Rocori 61; 7. Fergus Falls 46; 8. Pequot Lakes 39.5; 9. Albany 34; 10. Little Falls 33.5; 11. Thief River Falls 28; 12. New London-Spicer 17.
State Qualifiers/
TRF Places-Girls
100 Meters Finals – 1. Kate Van Erp, Rocori, 12.29; 2. Kaija Schenider, Alexandria, 12.44; 3. Gwen Wojciechowski, Thief River Falls, 12.53.
100 Meters Prelims – 5. Gwen Wojciechowski 12.55; 17. Jordyn Skjerven 13.56;
200 Meters Finals – 1. Kate Van Erp, Rocori, 25.58; 2. Gwen Wojciechowski, Thief River Falls, 25.62.
200 Meters Prelims – 3. Gwen Wojciechowski 26.05; 19. Kenzie Reynolds 28.23.
400 Meters Finals – 1. Alison Krasky, Alexandria, 58.61; 2. Kayla Peterson, Thief River Falls, 58.98.
400 Meters Prelims – 2. Kayla Peterson 1:00.38; 10.Livia Harbott 1:03.50.
800 Meters Finals – 1. Kasey Soderholm, Alexandria, 2:13.41; 2. Lauren Eilers, Willmar, 2:16.15.
800 Meters Prelims – 10. Elory Mossestad 2:24.69; 19. Livia Harbott 2:30.95.
1600 Meters Finals – 1. Lauren Eilers, Willmar, 4:56.25; 2. Kasey Soderholm, Alexandria, 5:01.64; 12. Elory Mossestad 5:36.83; 18. Evelyn Griffin 5:57.87; 32. Samantha Zoller 7:10.39.
3200 Meters Finals – 1. Malin Youngberg, Little Falls, 11:09.38; 2. Joanna Kjolhaug, Alexandria, 11:17.09; 20. Evelyn Griffin 12:53.16.
100 Hurdles Finals – 1. Kennedy Detloff, Perham, 15.53; 2. Addison Gulbranson, Alexandria, 15.86.
100 Hurdles Prelims – 20. Alyssa Foster 18.84; 26. Ella Giffin 20.35.
300 Hurdles Finals – 1. Erin Eilers, Willmar, 45.44; 2. Chelsea Willenbring, Rocori, 46.20.
300 Hurdles Prelims – 22. Ella Giffen 54.98; 26. Alyssa Foster 56.56;
4×100 Relay Varsity – 1. Alexandria 48.83; 2. Pequot Lakes 48.83; 9. Thief River Falls (Bella Dicken, Janaya Albers, Lila Dalager, Jordyn Skjerven) 51.99.
4×200 Relay Finals – 1. Alexandria 1:43.40; 2. Pequot Lakes 1:44.28; 3. Thief River Falls (Kenzie Reynolds, Kayla Peterson, Janaya Albers, Gwen Wojciechowski) 1:45.08.
4×400 Relay Finals – 1. Alexandria 4:01.98; 2. Perham 4:03.05; 5. Thief River Falls (Kenzie Reynolds, Elory Mossestad, Livia Harbott, Kayla Peterson) 4:12.43.
4×800 – 1. Fergus Falls 9:27.57; 2. Alexandria 9:33.41.
Shot Put Finals – 1. Lydia Oldenkamp, Alexandria, 39-10.75; 2. Brianna Schneider, Rocori, 38-03.25; 22. Natalia Zoller 26-06.00; 23. Lila Dalager 26-02.75; 28. Brianne Ellison 25-01.00.
Discus Finals – 1. Brianna Schneider, Rocori, 127-01; 2. Brook Zierden, Fergus Falls, 125-09; 26. Brianne Ellison 71-04; 28. Bella Dicken 68-01; 35. Kennedi Kalinowski 41-10.
High Jump Finals – 1. Danica Pederson, New London Spicer, 5-05.00; 2. Hailee Stich, Albany, 5-03.00; 13. Kelsey Baltes 4-09.00; No height – Nora Bruggeman.
Pole Vault Finals – 1. Gracie Morris, Perham, 10-06.00; 2. Alonna Moench, Detroit Lakes, 10-06.00; No height – Samantha Zoller.
Long Jump Finals – 1. Kaija Schneider, Alexandria, 17-08.75; 2. Sophia Hennen, Rocori, 17-06.00; 23. Madelyn David 14-10.75; 30.Alyssa Foster 12-02.50.
Triple Jump Finals – 1. Kate Van Erp, Rocori, 37-05.75; 2. Alison Krasky, Alexandria, 34-11.50; 7. Madelyn David 33-08.00.
State Qualifiers/
TRF Places-Boys
100 Meters Finals – 1. Daniel Jackson, Alexandria, 10.87; 2. Andrew Bartnes, Detroit Lakes, 11.04.
100 Meters Prelims – 21. Tallon Vorderbruggen 12.17; 29. Jaxson Tanner 12.63.
200 Meters Finals – 1. Evan Kludt, Alexandria, 22.27; 2. Grant Tylutki, Rocori, 22.47.
200 Meters Prelims – 21. Tallon Vorderbruggen 24.82; 29. Michael Rowe 25.92.
400 Meters Finals – 1. Elliot Kent, Alexandria, 49.05; 2. Jez Jones, East Grand Forks, 49.70; 4. William MacLean 51.46; 5. Everett Nelson 52.61.
400 Meters Prelims – 4. William MacLean 52.56; 6. Everett Nelson 53.10; 12. Briley Olsonawski 53.78.
800 Meters Finals – 1. Bjorn Anderson, Perham, 1:56.42; 2. Jaden Miller, Fergus Falls, 1:57.56.
800 Meters Prelims – 16. Colin MacLean 2:08.06; 24. Tobias Sobotta 2:15.50.
1600 Meters Finals – 1. Bjorn Anderson, Perham, 4:18.10; 2. Sully Anez, Willmar, 4:18.64; 3. Curtis Griffin 4:28.49; 25. Tobias Sobotta 5:13.84; 26. Lincoln Davis 5:15.19.
3200 Meters Finals – 1. Sully Anez, Willmar, 9:29.95; 2. Brody Sieben, Rocori, 9:54.24; 4. Curtis Griffin 10:02.31; 17. Lincoln Davis 11:08.90.
110 Hurdles Finals – 1. Otto Anderson, Alexandria, 14.77; 2. Billy Thompson, Detroit Lakes, 15.89.
110m Hurdles Prelims – 19. Ian Hruby 18.81.
300 Hurdles Finals – 1. Otto Anderson, Alexandria, 39.56; 2. Owen Sportel, Willmar, 41.04.
300m Hurdles Prelims – 14. Ian Hruby 47.02.
4×100 Relay Finals – 1. Alexandria 42.00; 2. Detroit Lakes, 43.54; 12. Thief River Falls (Jaxson Tanner, Kolton Almhjeld, Michael Rowe, Briley Olsonawski) 47.61.
4×200 Relay Finals – 1. Alexandria 1:27.67; 2. Albany 1:31.99; 7. Thief River Falls (Everett Nelson, Tallon Vorderbruggen, Jaxson Tanner, William MacLean) 1:36.57.
4×400 Relay Finals – 1. Perham 3:22.59; 2. East Grand Forks 3:23.24; 5. Thief River Falls (Everett Nelson, Colin MacLean, Briley Olsonawski, William MacLean) 3:30.54.
4×800 Finals – 1. Fergus Falls 7:58.51; 2. Perham 7:58.91.
Shot Put Finals – 1. Ryan Brinkman, Detroit Lakes, 51-10.00; 2. Messi Kalenda, East Grand Forks, 51-04.00; 18. Joey Bruggeman 39-02.00; 30.Parker Kasprowicz 33-11.25; 31. Kolton Almhjeld 32-06.00.
Shot Put Wheelchair Finals – 1. Clayton Rudi, Thief River Falls, 9-03.00.
Discus Finals – 1. Mavrik Martine,East Grand Forks, 149-00; 2. Messi Kalenda, East Grand Forks 147-08; 12. Joey Bruggeman 115-00; 19. Parker Kasprowicz 107-10; 27. Kolton Ahlmjeld 88-03.
Discus Wheelchair Finals – 1. Clayton Rudi, Thief River Falls, 20-06.75.
High Jump Finals – 1. Oliver McKenna, Pequot Lakes, 6-03.00; 2. Keegan Eibensteinder, Albany 6-01.00; 15. Everett Nelson 5-07.00.
Pole Vault Finals – 1. Kobi Cameron, Little Falls, 13-05.00; 2. Rocori, Alexander Chirhart, 12-11.00; No height – Lincoln Davis, Keaton Tillett.
Long Jump Finals – 1. Evan Kludt, Alexandria, 22-08.50; 2. Grant Tytlutki, Rocori, 22-03.50; 28. Tallon Vorderbruggen 15-01.75.
Triple Jump Finals – 1. Darius Lockett, Fergus Falls, 45.0475; 2. Jez Jones, East Grand Forks, 43-07.50; 24. Caleb Mauch 32-11.00; 25. Keaton Tillett 32-09.00.