By JIM LUTGENS
Sports Editor
Coach Duey Ferber did not simply ride off into the sunset in his final season at the helm of the NRHEG track and field program.
He had one more championship in him.
Ferber's girls' squad surprised a lot of people by claiming the title in last week's Section 2A South Sub-section meet at United South Central, totaling 125 points to second-place Jackson County Central's 122. Six-time conference champion JWP was third with 103. Twelve teams competed.
"I am so proud of these girls!" said Ferber. "Sub-section champions!"
The Panthers will be well represented in Saturday's Section 2A championship meet as a total of 12 girls advanced from sub-section.
Sub-section champions for NRHEG: Camryn VanMaldeghem, 100, 14.0; Quinn VanMaldeghem, 400, 1:03.65; Evelyn Nydegger, 300 intermediate hurdles, 48.8; Julieann Wobbrock, 3200, 12:29.08; and Kylie Olson, shot put, 34-1.75.
Silver medalists were Nydegger, 100 hurdles and 200, and Chloe Riewer, long jump.
Other section-qualifying marks; 4x200 relay, third (Sierra Misgen, Riewer, Clara Buendorf, Elli Clark; 4x100, third (Gabby Schlaak, Anika Ladlie, Riewer, C.VanMaldeghem; 4x400, third (Misgen, Buendorf, C.VanMaldeghem, Q.VanMaldeghem); Clark, fourth, 300 hurdles and eighth, 100 hurdles; Ladlie, fourth, high jump; Schlaak, fifth, 110 hurdles and eighth, long jump; Q.VanMaldghem, fifth, 800; Malonna Wilson, fifth, discus and sixth, shot put; Misgen, seventh, long jump.
Placing seventh and missing the section cut was the Panthers' 4x800 relay team of Buendorf, Wobbrock, Holly Bartness and Ellen Jeno.
The NRHEG boys finished seventh with 54 points. Maple River won with 106.
The Panthers advanced five athletes to section, led by Will Tuttle who won the 110 high hurdls in 16.75 and the 300 intermediate hurdles in 41.29.
Also qualifying for section; Levin Kitzer, third, 110 hurdles and fourth, 300 hurdles; 4x100 relay, third (Harbor Cromwll, Kitzer, Tuttle, Jaylin Raab); Raab, fifth, long jump; Parker Bunn, sixth, 300 hurdles.
Placing but not advancing: Raab, sixth, 100; 4x200 relay, sixth (Gavin Lewison, Wyatt Tuttle, Colton Conroy, Brenden Schmidt); 4x400 relay, sixth (Bunn, Gavin Sletten, Cromwell, Raab); 4x800 relay, eighth (Lewison, Jacob Karl, Justin Beauvis, Sletten).
"The boys had some nice performances tonight," said Ferber. "Our hurdlers are impressive to watch."
The Section 2A meet starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Mankato West High School. The top two individuals, first-place relays and those meeting qualifying standards advance to state.