WIAA standout performers

Dennis Semrau — 6/01/2008 3:49 pm

LA CROSSE -- The annual WIAA boys and girls state track and field meet is history.

And in another week, so will be Veterans Stadium, which will be razed and rebuilt -- hopefully in time for next year's prep extravaganza.

Looking back at the weekend, here are some of the top performances by individuals who I saw, talked to and blogged about for track fans while dodging thunderstorms and surviving being encased in the media pit underneath the soon-to-be demolished west grandstands.

Using the scenic Grandad's Bluff as appropriate inspiration, you can call this an unofficial Top 10, albeit in alphabetical order, of area star track and field athletes from this year's stellar championship meet.

1 -- Paul Annear, senior, Richland Center: The University of Wisconsin recruit became just the second four-time champion in an individual event in meet history when he won the Division 2 high jump title with a leap of 6 feet, 11 inches. The only other person to accomplish the feat was David Greenwood of Park Falls in the same event from 1976-79. Annear, who tied the Division 2 record in the high jump, won his second straight title in the triple jump on Friday and earned a second straight title in the long jump Saturday. That gave him eight state titles in his prep career.

2 -- Megan Beers, senior, Oregon: Beers, a UW recruit, had a busy weekend that began on Friday by anchoring the Panthers' 3,200 relay to a fourth-place finish and continued on Saturday when she recorded a fifth-place finish in the 1,600 and a fourth-place in the 800.

3 -- Ashley Beutler, senior, Belleville/New Glarus (Sugar River): Also a UW recruit, Beutler won her third straight title in the 1,600 a day after repeating as champion in the 3,200. Beutler set a state record in the 3,200 with a time of 10:33.43. She anchored the 3,200 relay for Sugar River, which finished fourth in the event.

4 -- Becca Buchholtz, senior, East Troy: Buchholtz won her third straight high jump title on Friday and her second straight title in the triple jump on Saturday. She added a sixth-place finish in the long jump for good measure to help the Trojans finish fourth in the Division 2 team standings.

5 -- Shelby Demos, junior, Janesville Parker: Demos shook off ankle injuries that have hampered her prep career to win the high jump title on Friday and finish seventh in the 100-meter high hurdles finals on Saturday.

6 -- Tiffany Jones, senior, Madison Memorial: Jones began her career at state three years ago running a leg on the Spartans' state championship 800 relay team. Her prep track and field career came full circle on Saturday when she won the long jump title, her first individual state title, with a leap of 18 feet, 11.25 inches. Although she finished 10th in the 100 dash on Friday and didn't advance to the finals, she earned a medal for her final track performance when she finished fifth in the 200 dash finals on Saturday.

7 -- Megan Rennhack, senior, Dodgeland: Rennhack won her third straight title in the 300 low hurdles and second in a row in the 100 high hurdles to help the Trojans finished seventh in the Division 3 team standings. Rennhack broke her own Division 3 records in the 300 hurdles (43.75 seconds) and 100 hurdles (14.63). She almost won her third title nearly 20 minutes after the 100 hurdles final when she placed second in the 100 dash final.

8 -- Lindsay Schwartz, senior, Watertown: Schwartz swept the Division 1 girls titles in the 100 high hurdles and 300 low hurdles. She entered the meet as the top seed in the 100s and the fourth seed in the 300s and proceeded to win the prelims in both events.

9 -- Drew Simmons, junior, DeForest: Simmons earned the top seed in the prelims in the 400 dash and proceeded to hold onto it to win his first state title. He also finished sixth in the 200.

10 -- Garrett Vetesnik, senior, Richland Center: Vetesnik provided one of the meet's most inspirational performances, tying for second place in the pole vault at 14 feet. It was just his third competition after coming back from leg and back injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident in April. He won last year's state title with a jump of 14-9 to help the Hornets win the Division 2 team title. His return to competition two weeks ago helped Richland Center tie for second place at state, just four points behind champion Brown Deer.

Honorable mention -- Goes to Lakeside Lutheran senior Tiffany Medenwaldt, who won the Division 2 girls shot put title and was fourth in the discus; to Madison La Follette junior Chris Redman, who won the boys Division 1 high jump title; and to Cambridge junior Shanai Guider, who won the Division 2 girls discus title.

Also keep an eye on this trio:

** Monona Grove sophomore Angela Boushea: Boushea finished third in the shot put and fourth in the discus in the Division 1 meet and is a potential future state champion in the field events.

** Madison Edgewood freshman Eileen Gehring: Gehring finished sixth in the 200 and seventh in the 100 dashes and is a rising star in the running events.

** Cuba City junior Brett Becker: Becker won the 200, was second in the 100 and ran a leg on the fourth-place 400 relay.

MVP (Most Valuable Performer) -- Justin Austin, senior, Brown Deer

All that this University of Kentucky-bound star did was win his third straight title in both the 100 and 200 dashes, and anchor the winning 400 relay to help the Falcons win the state title. Austin finished with a state record nine titles, snapping the mark of eight held by Kimberly's Darrell Jansen. Austin also finished 11th in the long jump but didn't qualify for the finals.

For more state meet coverage, read Dennis Semrau's blog on the event.