ALL-AREA GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD TEAM
Addison Hoof (Lester Prairie)
Those who watched Hoof speed past defenders on the fast break during basketball season shouldn’t be surprised at her success on the track this year. She swept every 400 meter dash she participated in this year leading up to the state meet — and she took an impressive fifth place on the biggest stage. Remember, she’s just an eighth-grader.
If not for a false start in the section 200 meter dash, it’s likely she would have qualified for state in that event too, but her numbers throughout the year in those sprints were equally good. She set a PR in the 200 at the sub-section meet with a 26.65 time.
Her best 400 time came at sub-sections as well, recording a 58.45 for first place in that event.
Brooke Baumann (HLWW)
The junior hurdler came out of Section 5A with a top-two time in the 300s, then posted a PR of 47.65 to take seventh in the state meet. She won the event three times this season, and had a strong run in the 100 hurdles as well.
A member of the 4×400 relay team, Baumann’s jumping ability wasn’t the only valuable part of her track prowess. The relay team took fourth at the section meet, just barely missing state qualifications.
Grace Jostock (Delano)
Jostock’s endurance was even-keel all season, often running both the 1600 and 3200 races in the same day. That takes a special kind of physical shape and mental bandwidth, and she had it every time, finishing no worse than third in the 1600 and no worse than fifth in the 3200.
She came in third place in the 1600 at the Section 2AA championships, coming very close to a state berth.
Cherish Jorgensen (Dassel-Cokato)
If Kezia Lee’s success in hurdles wasn’t enough for you, Jorgensen kept it up right behind her. The various top five finishes in 100 and 300 hurdles helped D-C’s team scores greatly and also showed that she’s ready to take the mantle as a senior next season.
Jorgensen finished outside the top four twice in 15 total hurdle races this season. Her consistency right behind Lee made for some fun intrasquad competition. She also put up personal bests at the section meets in both 100 and 300 hurdles.
Ellie Horn (HLWW)
Horn’s strength in throwing events this season made her a force to be reckoned with. She finished either first or second in the discus at every meet this season, setting a personal best of 114’2” at the Section 5A meet and taking 10th in state.
Her shot put scores were also right around the top five in each meet this season, coming up sixth at sections.
Anika Jilek (Mayer Lutheran)
There’s a pattern of elite jumpers on this All-Area list, and it would be a mistake to not put Jilek with them. She finished in the top two of the 300 hurdles each time she participated this season, and was fifth with a season-best 51.89 seconds at the Section 2A meet.
She won the long jump at sub-sections with a 15’1” jump and placed 11th at the section meet in that event. Her triple jumps were routinely in the top seven scores during MRC meets.
Rebecca Fasching (HLWW)
On the other side of Laker throwing events, Fasching was at the top of her game all season in shot put. She won four meets in the event and put up a personal best 34’11” at the section championships, which was good enough for a state appearance.
She also posted several top 10 landings in discus throughout the season.
Jessa Heimerl (Lester Prairie)
Just a freshman, Heimerl gave some stellar performances by the end of the season in several diverse events. She won multiple MCAA high jump meets and made it to the section championship where she placed fourth with a 5’0” height. She won three 1600 meter runs this season and was always in the top five of 100 meter hurdles in conference action.
Anja Gilbert (Watertown-Mayer)
Though she had to miss the Section 2A meet because of the ACT, Gilbert’s season did not go to waste. She won three hurdle events over the course of the year and placed top-five in nearly all the rest of them. She was also on pace to show well at the triple jump, where she hadn’t placed lower than fourth all year.
Erica Kazin (Delano)
Another distance runner that was always in the mix, Kazin kept great pace with teammate Grace Jostock and they often finished 1-2 in conference meets for 1600 or 3200 meter races.
Kazin’s lowest finishes came at the Section 2AA meet in both the mile and two-mile, but she dropped 11 seconds at the 3200 in sections for a personal best. She’s a freshman with a bright future ahead on the track.
Laina Aho (Dassel-Cokato)
The Chargers were super deep in hurdles this year and Aho was a big part of that depth. She finished in the top-five every time she competed in the 100 hurdles, but had to scratch from the section championships which would have been a fun race to watch. Her PR of 17.13 came in the final race she ran this season. But don’t worry, that depth returns next season as she’s a freshman as well.
Julia Carns (Mayer Lutheran)
Carbs was as versatile as they come this season, competing regularly in the 100 meter dash, high jump and 4×100 relay. Her 100 dash finishes were always in the top-10, and she won a pair of high jump meets as well, culminating in a 10th-place spot at the sub-section meet. The Crusader 4×100 relay was impressive this season, taking no worse than second in the regular season and finishing seventh at the Section 2A championships.
Adia LaFromboise (Delano)
As another elite hurdler is added to the All-Area list, LaFromboise’s resume speaks for itself. She finished top four in every 100 hurdle race (including three victories) leading up to sections, where she took sixth. Her 300 hurdles performances were very similar, winning once and finishing top five four other times.
Maris Heun (Watertown-Mayer)
It’s the year of jumpers. Heun was all over the place as a hurdler, high jumper, triple jumper and long jumper for the Royals this spring, taking second place in three of the four events at one point. She set a personal best in every one of these events as well, including a 32’8” triple jump that qualified for the Section 2A meet.