TRACK

WIAA state track: West's Jaworski wins two titles, DCE's Schuster first in pole vault

Tim Johnson
USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Wausau West's Brooke Jaworski competes in the Division 1 girls 300 meter hurdles during the finals of the WIAA state track and field meet Saturday, June 2, 2018, at Veterans Memorial Stadium in La Crosse.

LA CROSSE - Two local athletes combined to win three individual championships during the final day of the WIAA state track meet on Saturday. One has made an appearance on top of the podium a regular occurrence, while the other had an inaugural opportunity. 

Wausau West junior Brooke Jaworski captured the girls 400 for a third consecutive year and also cruised to the title in 300 hurdles in a record-breaking performance. Then there is D.C. Everest's Kaleb Schuster, who saved perhaps his best performance for the final event of his prep track career. 

The Evergreens senior won the boys pole vault as he cleared 15 feet on his second attempt at the height. 

"It's crazy," said Schuster, who entered the state meet as the top-seeded individual in the field  "Obviously it's something that I have been dreaming about ever since I started pole vaulting. To have it actually happen, I don't know if its really sunk in yet. It's kind of a surreal feeling."

Kaleb
Schuster

Schuster won the event when Plymouth's Jaxson Schermacher and Oconomowoc's Cody Tuftee, who finished second and third, respectively, both failed on three attempts to clear 15 feet. Schuster then raised the bar to 15-6, or three inches higher than what his personal best is. 

"Obviously I didn't make it but my first attempt was really close," Schuster said. 

The state title comes a year after he finished 11th in the event in the state meet, a disappointing performance that fueled his determination for the postseason run this spring. He also won the title on what will be his home track for the next few years as he will compete for the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse track team. 

D.C. Everest's Zach Mueller competes in the Division 1 boys discus competition on the second day of the WIAA state track and field meet in La Crosse.

"When (Everest) got to host the sectional meet it was cool because I got to vault at my home stadium," Schuster said. "Then I was joking that I was going to get to vault at my home stadium here in La Crosse. It is awesome. (La Crosse) is a great school and they have a tradition of amazing vaulters. I can't wait to join that."

Jaworski has made herself at home at Veterans Memorial Stadium as well. She won the 400 in 54.75 seconds, the third straight year she has won the event. 

"It's a very humbling experience," said Jaworski, who finished a second ahead of runner-up Ali Dorn of Monona Grove. 

She then had one of the eye-popping performances of Saturday afternoon as she won the 300 hurdles in 41.40, topping the state mark of 41.62, which she set in Friday's preliminaries. 

The state mark for the event coming into the weekend had been 43.04 set by Milwaukee Riverside's Valerie Thames in 2013. The top three individuals in Saturday's final eclipsed that mark as Divine Savior Holy Angels Jadin O'Brien finished second in 42.56 and Oregon's Alexis Jackson was third in 42.80.

"There was a lot of experienced runners and they are all amazing," Jaworski said. "I'm proud to be able to run with those ladies."

Jaworski also reached the podium with a pair of fifth-place finishes on Saturday as well — in the high jump and also in the 1,600 relay as she teamed with her sister, Rachel, along with, Isabella D'Burke and Shelby Samz in the event. 

D.C. Everest senior Zach Mueller also reached the podium as he was third in the boys discus with an attempt of 178-6. It came a day after he finished second in the shot put. 

The Stevens Point Area Senior High team of Blake Mikowski, Monty Flatoff, Chad Franz and Liam Belson eighth in the boys 3,200 and earned points as a state placewinner. The Panthers team of Trent Hamerski, Colton Kizewski, Alex Karpinski and Nolan Metz placed eighth as well.