OHS Girls Track crushes the competition
Sophmore Carsyn Brady racing down the track to first place in the 1600m race.
May 19, 2022
The Owatonna Girls Track and Field team has had a successful season thus far with huge team accomplishments and individual successes. The team has had a packed season with 10 varsity meets so far with several top placements and finishes. Midway through the season, the team had six athletes qualify to compete in the Hamline Elite Meet hosted annually at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, which gathers Minnesota’s finest athletes to compete. The Owatonna girls team had a 4×100 meter relay and a coed 4×400 meter relay qualify for the Hamline Elite Meet.
Even though much of track and field is made up of individual events, the team of 80 continues to commit time into working hard and pushing one another. Senior captain Hillary Haarstad said, “My best advice to underclassmen and athletes wanting to join track would be to get out of your comfort zone and try different events. Track and field is a great sport to test your capabilities in a variety of areas, so don’t be afraid to try new things.” With lots of young talent, the future looks bright for girls track.
A recent win for both the girls and boys teams was at the Mayo Dick Norman Invitational where both teams took home first place. This meet was unique in that it was true team scoring where every athlete’s performances added up to the team score. The top three athletes from each team were able to compete and achieve new Honor Roll performances and personal and season bests.
Right now, the team focuses on their next three big meets. Girls Head Track and Field Coach Debby Gleason said, “As we move towards the end of the season we would like to be in the top four for the Big 9 Conference Championship. We’re also aiming to get as many individuals and relays qualified for the State Meet as possible.” Thursday, May 19 is senior night and a preview to Big 9 hosted at OHS. The meet will start at 4:30 p.m. and will include athletes from Northfield, Owatonna and Red Wing.
