RECORD PACE — Tyler Schlaak, right, hands off to John Cole during the 4x800-meter relay at Blooming Prairie Tuesday, April 28. The relay team broke the NRHEG school record. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
A couple weeks ago, NRHEG boys’ track and field coach Duey Ferber hinted that we could be looking at a school record in the not too distant future.
Now we know why.
The 4x800-meter relay foursome of Tyler Schlaak, John Cole, Nate Krause and Josh Flemming accomplished the feat at the Blooming Prairie True Team meet on Tuesday, April 28, winning with a time of 8:37.33. It broke the old mark of 8:42 set in 2004 by Tim Rysavy, Matt Reiter, John Coffield and Brian Boss.
The Panthers finished third as a team, missing second by two points. Mankato Loyola/Cleveland won with 770.5 points, followed by Maple River with 686, NRHEG 684, Blooming Prairie 541.5, Medford 502.5 and Bethlehem Academy 373.“It was a nice meet for our boys,” said Ferber. “We had lots of PR’s.”
The Panthers had three other firsts: Cole, 3200, 10:42.72; Keith Maxon, discus, 139-2; and the 4x400 relay team of Schlaak, Cole, Krause and Flemming.
Kevin Kalis was second in the shot put and discus.
Other NRHEG places: Schlaak, third, 800 and sixth, triple jump; Maxon, third, shot put; Brady Agrimson, third, high jump; 4x200 relay, third (Aaron Seath, Zach Mely, Noah Sletten, Karter Sletten); 4x100 relay, fourth (Seath, Mealy, Sletten, Sletten); Agrimson, fifth, 110 high hurdles; Noah Sletten, fifth, 100 and sixth, long jump; Todd Erickson, fifth, discus and sixth, shot put; Flemming, sixth, 800.
The Panthers were third among five squads and the Blue Earth Invitational Friday, April 24 with 73.5 points. LCWM/Nicollet won with 100.
Firsts were by Schlaak, 800, 2:13.0; Kalis, shot put, 43-4; and Maxon, discus, 125-4.
Others: Kalis, second, discus; Noah Sletten, second, long jump and third, 100; 4x800 relay, second; Flemming, third, 800; Cole, third, 3200; 4x400 relay, third; Agro Gushwa, third, high jump; 4x200 relay, fourth; Jacob Schuller, fourth, 1600; Mely, fourth, 200; Maxon, fourth, shot put; Zeke Erickson, fourth, discus; Schlaak, fourth, triple jump; Jarret Utpadel, fifth, 400; Todd Erickson, fifth, discus; Peyton Castle, fifth, high jump.
“Tough conditions took their toll on our times and distances,” said Ferber. “Our older guys are really leading us this year. We are trying to fine tune for Section True Team.”