LA CROSSE – Menomonie High School’s Lauren McCalla captured two state titles Friday on the opening day of the WIAA Boys and Girls State Track and Field Championship at UW-La Crosse’s Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, then was part of a championship relay team the next day. In the overall team standings, the Mustangs finished fourth, the best finish for the girls program in state history.

McCalla, who captured a state cross country title last fall, tripled her state cache by running away with the Division 1 1600-meter title to start the day, then captured another gold medal shortly after when she took the 800-meter crown. Both titles eluded her last spring when she finished as runner-up in each event.

The University of Washington recruit was pushed, but led throughout both races. In the 1600, McCalla finished in a state record time of 4-minutes, 38.54-seconds. McCalla had a nearly two second lead after the first lap, then held off a surging freshman in Karstin McCabe from Whitefish Bay halfway through, taking a nearly three second lead. After 1200-meters, McCalla’s lead was four seconds and she won by more than six seconds. McCabe was runner-up at 4:44.98.

McCalla tallied her second gold medal of the morning in the 800, finishing in a time of 2:08.68. She built a nearly one second lead after the first lap and finished with a two-plus second win over runner-up Lola Schwartz of Kettle Moraine who clocked a 2:11.42. Sophomore Bree Barfknecht finished 22nd in the 800 in a time of 2:24.12.

McCalla made it a trifecta on the second day of the meet when she anchored the first place 4×800-meter relay, teaming with Barfknecht, Lauren Ohman and Addison Schuler. When McCalla took the baton, the Mustangs were in third place. The senior jolted to the lead after her first 400-meter lap, then polished off the race with a two-plus second win, recording a time of 9:04.13. Slinger High School was second (9:06.30) and Appleton North was third (9:11.30).

McCalla became the first Mustang girls track athlete to win a state title, with the two other Mustang titles coming in the field events. Stefani Fridenfels won the triple jump in 2012 and Diane Slinden set a state record by winning the discus in 1997. The 4×800-relay team became the first MHS girls team to win a state relay title.

Sophomore Mia Lambrigtsen finished 23rd in the 100-meter dash in a time of 13.08. Bennett Schmitt finished 13th in the 3200m (11:16.18); Isabel Sorensen was 17th in the triple jump (34-feet, 6-inches); and Ellie Arndt was 18th in the discus (112-0).

The Menomonie 4×800-meter relay team of Owen Pelzel, Evan Olson, Luke Ray and Noah Winder finished 10th in a time of 7:58.66. Homestead won the event (7:43.00).

Baseball Heading to Sectionals for First Time in a While
The Menomonie baseball team has been getting solid pitching during regional action, winning the regional crown without allowing any runs. Bailey Casey pitched a 2-0 shutout June 2 over New Richmond and Max Erickson followed two days later with a 1-0 win over host Chippewa Falls June 4.

Casey was perfect through four innings and allowed three hits to get the complete game 2-0 win. Casey struck out six batters and didn’t allow a Marshfield runner past first base. Menomonie scored single runs in the first and third innings and Casey made the runs stand up. Taylor Mars and Landon Middlestadt drove in runs. Oliver Lugo scored two runs.

In the regional championship, Lugo played a huge factor. Batting from the top position, Lugo worked his way on with a two-out single in the third inning, then stole second. Lugo came around to score the only run of the game on Max Yaeger‘s single.

Meanwhile, Erickson was delivering and the Menomonie defenders did their jobs. Erickson recorded three strikeouts, but allowed only one runner past second, that coming in the sixth. Chippewa lead-off hitter Gavin Thompson reached on a single, then advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Connor Kolinski moved Thompson to third with a single. Erickson then notched his final strikeout of the game for the second out and ended the inning with a groundout to second.

Chippewa pulled out the stops in the bottom of the seventh when the lead-off batter laid down a bunt down the first base line, but he was thrown out by catcher Andrew Hoff. The baseball gods were with the Mustangs as shortstop Charlie Mikesell snagged a fly ball despite colliding with a teammate and the game ended on an infield pop out.

The game was a pitching dual between Erickson and the Cardinals’ Sam Bresina. Bresina went six innings, allowing two hits and recorded five strikeouts. Erickson went the distance, allowing two hits.

Menomonie advances to sectional action Tuesday, June 9 at Chippewa Falls’ Casper Park. Menomonie will face Stevens Point at 1 p.m. Hudson and River Falls will square off to the open the day at 10:30 a.m. The winners will meet at 4 p.m. for the chance to advance to the WIAA State Baseball Championship June 15-18 in Grand Chute.

All three Chippewa Falls Sectional games will be live streamed by Zaleski Sports.

Boys Tennis Team Ends Season at State
The Menomonie boys tennis team saw their season come to an end in the first round of the WIAA Boys Tennis Championship, June 4 at Nielsen Sports Center in Madison.

In singles, Harrison Davis bowed out to Camden Oppener, 6-0, 6-1. The doubles team of Jacob Rue and Davin Ellis lost to Hugo Boyden/Drew Schneider of Whitefish Bay, 6-0, 6-2.