Jaworski, Fierek highlight Day 2 of state meet
LA CROSSE - Brooke Jaworski came into the weekend already holding a school and Wisconsin Valley Conference record in the girls 400 meters.
The Wausau West freshman added a few more marks to a notable list of accomplishments Saturday during the WIAA state track meet.
And they are the most impressive ones yet.
Jaworski won the Division 1 400 in 54.33 seconds, or .49 seconds faster than the state record set by Monona Grove's Gabby Beauvais last year.
"I just trusted myself, I was confident and I just ran as hard as I could," Jaworski said.
That was just the start of the day for Jaworski, who also won the 200 in 24.77 and ended the meet by running the anchor leg of the Warriors 1,600 relay team that won the state title and also set a state record with a time of 3:50.75. Milwaukee Riverside set the previous mark of 3:52.82 in 2013.
"It feels awesome to come out here knowing that we just created this team less than a month ago and the bond we were able to make and how the outcome ended up," said Alyssa Faucett, who ran the third leg of the relay that also included Ana Presa and Caitlin Deaton.
The West girls finished tied for third as a team in Division 1.
Jaworski entered the 400 race with the top-seeded time for the finals after posting a time of 54.96 in Friday's preliminaries.
She upped the pace in the finals and also put on a burst over the in final 200 and finished a full second ahead of Hamilton's Bianca Stubler, who posted a time of 55.38
"I wanted to hit my 25.7 (second) mark at the 200 and hold it because I knew there was going to be girls with me. It was a very good field this year," Jaworski said. "Then I just left it open and let it open (in the final 200) - just fly to the finish."
Athens senior Autumn Wickman, who won the Division 3 girls 400 title Saturday, was amazed and appreciated Jaworski's performance.
"She is only a freshman and is breaking state records," said Wickman, who is a preferred walk-on with the Wisconsin women's track team. "Once I go off to college I will probably be looking and seeing how well she does. She's a phenomenal athlete."
Fierek defends hurdles title
Konner Fierek's prep career as a hurdler couldn't have ended much better Saturday morning.
The D.C. Everest senior captured a second straight Division 1 championship in the boys 110 meter hurdles in 14.40 seconds. Fierek, who edged Oregon's Alexander Duff by .05 seconds, broke his school mark of 14.51 that he set in a sectional meet last week.
Wauwatosa West's Christian Jackson was third in 14.53.
"It's definitely bittersweet because it's the last time I'm going to be running on a high school track and I'm more than grateful to end it on a note like that," said Fierek, who is headed to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on a track scholarship. "I can't even explain the feeling. I felt it last year and I feel it now."
Fierek said he felt the same pre-race butterflies as he did a year ago as well.
"This year there just was a lot of pressure, but I turned that into adrenaline and ran my best race," Fierek said. "I definitely owe it to all the other guys like Jackson and Duff and (Menomonee Falls' Bryce) McMurty. Everybody in that heat pretty much. Yesterday was a battle too (in the preliminaries) just to stay alive and make the finals. In the finals here, it was who wanted it more. That's what it came down too. Everybody did an amazing job and I'm grateful to have those guys pushing me and they have been pushing me for the past three years."
Local Divsiion 1 state place-winners
Fierek was also part of the Evergreens 800 relay team that finished fifth overall in 1:28.24. The Evergreens team also included Alex Prohaska, Nick Kohnorst and Alex Pagel. Everest's 400 relay team just missed the podium, finishing seventh in 42.88.
Wausau West's Matt Hass finished sixth in the 400 wheelchair in 1:31.41.
Other Division 1 performances:
- Wausau West's Alyssa Faucett finished 13th in the girls long jump with a leap of 17-0.75. Faucett also was 10th in the 200 in 25.82.
- D.C. Everest's Rachel Huffcutt finished 14th in the girls high jump as she cleared 5-0.
- West's John Cihlar finished tied for 16th in the boys pole vault as he cleared 13-0.
- Merrill's Jared Ollhoff was 20th in the boys triple jump with a leap of 41-6.2
- D.C. Everest's Anthony Anderson finished 15th in the boys 3,200 in 9:34.34. Wausau East's Axel Treinen was 20th in 9:47.57.
Tim Johnson: 715-845-0731, or timothy.johnson@gannettwisconsin.com; on Twitter@timmyjo11