Local track athletes vying for gold in La Crosse this weekend

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Spencer's Noah Zastrow enters this weekend as the top-qualifying individual in the Division 3 boys pole vault for the WIAA state track meet this weekend. The senior finished second in the event at state last year.

WAUSAU – Spencer’s Noah Zastrow has been one of the top boys pole vaulters in the state the past four years and set the bar higher for himself each season.

He finished third in the event in the Division 3 competition at the WIAA state track meet in both his freshman and sophomore years. Last spring, he placed second at state.

Now he gets his final opportunity to win a high school track championship.

The senior will compete in the pole vault for the final time of his prep career Friday morning at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in La Crosse on the first day of the state track meet.

Zastrow enters the meet with the top-seeded qualifying height in the Division 3 field at 14 feet, 7 inches. That is more than a foot ahead of the next individual in the 16-qualifier field.

Zastrow also is one of the individuals to watch among the local qualifiers for the weekend meet, which completes Saturday.

Here is a closer look at the names and numbers that stand out heading into the state competition.

Wausau West's Brooke Jaworski, right, was part of three state championships and two state records as a freshman during the WIAA statte track meet last June.

Five to watch

Brooke Jaworski, Wausau West: The Warriors sophomore had a breakout performance in La Crosse last June. She won the Division 1 200 and 400 meters and also was part of the Warriors 1,600 relay which finished first as well. Jaworski has the top-seeded time in the 400 this weekend and is second in the 200. Jaworski and Caitlin Deaton are the two returning members of the state-championship relay team, which is seeded fourth in the Division 1 field.

Erika Kisting, Iola-Scandinavia: The Thunderbirds junior is the defending champion in both the Division 3 girls 1,600 and 3,200. Kisting has the top-seeded time in the 3,200 field at 11 minutes. 30.96 seconds She also is the second-fastest qualifier in the 1,600 field at 5:19.54, just over four seconds behind the time of Ozaukee junior Elise Large.

Iola-Scandinavia's Erika Kisting is trying for a second straight title in the Division 3 girls 1,600 and 3,200 during the WIAA state track meet this weekend.

Chris Snook, Pittsville. The Panthers sprinter is among the fastest boys competitors in Division 3 this weekend. He has the top-qualifying time in the 100 meters for Friday's preliminaries in 11.16 seconds and in the 400 in 50.84. The sophomore also has posted the third-fastest qualifying mark in the 200 at 22.96.

Noah Zastrow, Spencer: The Rockets senior is the favorite in the Division 3 boys pole vault, which is just one of four events he will compete in over the weekend. Zastrow also is seeded fourth in the 110 meter hurdles and will also compete in the 300 hurdles and the long jump.

Julianne Barkholz, Newman Catholic: The Cardinals junior has the fastest-qualifying time in the Division 3 girls 200 at 25.93 after finishing seventh in the event last year. She also is seeded third in the 400 and fourth in the 100 and will compete in the long jump.

By the numbers

58: The number of local boys and girls individual entries and relays who qualified for state in the same event last year in Divisions 1-3. The number breaks down as 32 girls individual events and relays and 25 for the boys.

53.80: The qualifying time of West's Brooke Jaworski for the Division 1 girls 400. The time was set in a sectional meet at D.C. Everest last week and broke the state record of 54.33 she set in the state finals last June.

41: This fact is courtesy of Paul Tilleman of wisconsintrackonline.com: the number represents the total amount of individual and relay champions the Edgar girls track team has had over the previous 46 years of the state girls track meet. Edgar leads all girls programs in the state, regardless of division. On paper, Macey Wirkus might be the team’s best bet to add to the list this weekend. The Wildcats senior is seeded first in both the Division 3 triple jump and the 300 meter hurdles.

9: The number of entries the Spencer boys team has qualified for the state meet, which ranks as the second most in the Division 3 field. All nine of Spencer’s entries are in individual events. The Edgar girls also have nine entries, which ties Benton/Scales Mound for the second-most in Division 3. Edgar qualified in seven individual events and two relays.

9: The number of returning local individuals or relays who won a state championship last season: The individuals are Brooke Jaworski (Division 1 girls 200 and 400), Iola-Scandinavia’s Erika Kisting (Division 3 1,600 and 3,200), Spencer’s Johanna Ellefson (Division 3 girls pole vault). The relays are: Wausau West (Division 1 girls 1,600), Wittenberg-Birnamwood (Division 2 girls 1,600), Newman Catholic (Division 3 boys 400) and Rosholt (Division 3 boys 3,200)

4: The number of returning runners for Wittenberg-Birnamwood girls 1,600 relay from last year. The team of juniors Paige Norrbom, Kylie Linke, Emily Norrbom and Maddy Pietz set a Division 2 state meet record of 3:56.66 last year in the finals, breaking their own mark the group set in the preliminaries the day before. Wittenberg-Birnamwood enters the weekend seeded second in the event with a qualifying time of 4:02.25

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

WIAA STATE TRACK

What: The 122nd boys state track meet and the 47th girls meet.

When: Competition begins at 9:30 a.m. Friday and 10:30 a.m. Saturday

Where: Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Tickets: $8 for each session or $12 for the weekend