Spencer's Zastrow sets Division 3 mark in boys pole vault

LA CROSSE – Noah Zastrow’s celebration for the best attempt in his prep pole vault career began before he even hit the mat on Friday.

The Spencer senior pumped his first after he cleared the bar on his first attempt at 15 feet, 4 inches, setting a Division 3 boys mark during the opening day of the WIAA state track meet at Roger Harring Stadium in La Crosse.

The record attempt came after Zastrow had clinched his first state championship in the event after finishing third in both his freshman and sophomore years and second as a junior.

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“It means everything,” Zastrow said. “It shows that pole vault is a four-year deal. It’s hard to do as a freshman and sophomore but I knew that if I practiced really hard all four years that I would have a chance in my senior year.”

He is the second member of the family to win a WIAA state pole vault title in the past few years as his older sister, Rachel, won the Division 3 title three years ago. Another sister, freshman Hannah, reached the podium on Friday as well as she tied for fourth in the Division 3 girls high jump.

Zastrow was one of two state champions and 14 state placewinners overall among the local Division 2/3  boys and girls qualifiers on the first day of the weekend meet. Antigo's Thomas Nelson just missed a Division 2 boys state championship as he finished second by clearing 13-9

The first local qualifier to reach the podium Friday was a repeat performer.

Rosholt won the Division 3 boys 3,200 meter relay for the second straight year. The Hornets finished in 7:57.69 just .05 seconds off the state record set by Sheboygan Area Lutheran in 2007.

Three members from last year’s team were part of Friday’s program-record performance — Cole Bembenek, Adam Rzentkowski and Sawyer Fleming.  The three were joined by sophomore Cade Bowker, who ran the third leg.

The four snapped the program record by 10 seconds and nearly posted the fastest time ever in Division 3.

“(The state record) was definitely a goal," Rzentkowski, who also finished third in the Division 3 boys 3,200. "But we wanted to go back-to-back (as champions), that was kind of the main thing we were focused on."

Edgar’s Marissa Ellenbecker just missed winning a state championship in her first state meet competition on Friday morning. The Wildcats freshman was edged at the line in the Division 3 girls 1,600 by Ozaukee’s Elise Large as she finished second by .01 seconds.

Iola-Scandinavia’s Erika Kisting, who was the defending state champion in the event, was sixth.

"I pushed it as hard as I could. I knew it was going to be close," said Ellenbecker, who led the race heading into the fourth and final lap and finished in 5 minutes, 7.86 seconds "I could feel people coming behind me. I've had a couple photo finishes like that in the past (during the cross country season in the fall."

Ellenbecker reached the podium again later that afternoon as she was fourth in the 800 and Auburndale junior Kali Karl was fifth.

It was part of a strong day for programs from the Marawood Conference. Newman Catholic junior Julianne Barkholz was third in the Division 3 girls long jump on a day in which she also won her preliminary heats in the 100, 200 and 400. Barkholz is seeded first for the 200 finals on Saturday and is second in both the 100 and 400 finals.

The Marawood Conference also had two state placewinners in the Division 3 discus as Marathon senior Bryce Seubert was third and Assumption junior Ben Veverka was fourth. In additon, Northland Lutheran's David Burgess was fifth in the Division 3 boys triple jump. 

Veverka was seeded eighth in the event, and his throw of 152-2 was roughly 10 feet longer than his qualifying attempt.

"I was nice to get fourth and a (personal record) but I was hoping to get a little farther than that," said Veverka, who was making his first state meet appearance. "I know I can. I just need to tweak some things."

Medford's Osy Ekwueme finished fourth in the Division 2 boys triple jump, two spots higher than he placed in the event last year as a junior. His performance was a strong opening day for the Great Northern Conference as Lakeland won the Division 2 boys 3,200 relay, and Lakeland's Aubrey Anderson was second in the Division 2 girls 800. 

Nekoosa's Miguel Mathias also was a state placewinner in Division 2 as he was fifth in the boys 3,200. 

Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or twjohnson@gannett.com; on Twitter @timmyjo11