G-E-T’s Repaal qualifies for state in discus throw
G-E-T sophomore Chase Repaal advanced past both regionals and sectional competitions to book his spot at state as part of the field in the Division 2 boys’ discus. (Times photograph by Zach Rastall)
Still just a sophomore, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau’s Chase Repaal has plenty ahead of him in his track and field career. But he took his next big leap as a thrower by punching his ticket to compete at this year’s state meet to cap off his time as an underclassman.
Repaal was the headliner for Trempealeau County teams at last Friday’s WIAA Division 2 sectional meet in Rice Lake, becoming the lone state qualifier for either G-E-T or Arcadia.
Repaal’s top toss of 148 feet in the boys’ discus was good enough for fourth place overall — six inches ahead of Somerset junior Brock Thiel — to nab him the final state qualifying spot in the event.
Repaal’s fellow sophomore Jayden Thill was the top performer for the G-E-T girls, placing sixth overall in a highly competitive triple jump. G-E-T head coach Paul Gold noted that, while Thill’s top leap of 34 feet, 10.5 inches on Friday didn’t advance her past sectionals, it would have been good enough for 11th place in the D2 competition at state last year.
Gold also highlighted the Red Hawks’ boys 1,600-meter relay team of juniors Sawyer Foust, AJ Earney, Andrew Lebakken and senior Carter Giemza, who placed seventh with their season personal record of 3:29.61. Gold noted it stung not having one of the team’s top sprinters, junior Mikah Vail, available for the postseason due to injury.
Arcadia senior Jerson Sanchez ended his Raider career by placing sixth (15.89) in the boys’ 110-meter hurdles while junior David Escalera took eighth (41.31) in the 300-meter hurdles. Senior Malania Tullius was eighth (8-6) for the Raiders in the girls’ pole vault.
Additionally, the Arcadia relay team of junior Trevor Pronschinske, Sanchez, senior Alec Conrad and Escalera posted a time of 3:28.09 to finish in sixth in the 1,600-meter relay.
The Osceola boys and the Bloomers girls claimed the team sectional titles in Rice Lake.
Repaal will compete in D2 boys’ discus competition on Friday afternoon at the state meet, which will be held at the Veterans Memorial Stadium Complex in La Crosse.
G-E-T regional
In a regional meet last Tuesday in Galesville that started with sweltering heat that gave way to clouds and then even a little rain as the evening wore on, the Red Hawks sent 13 qualifiers onto sectionals while Arcadia finished with nine.
Junior Adrian Bautista won the boys’ 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:45.74. Third-place finishers for the Red Hawk boys were Repaal (139-5) in the discus and junior Isaiah Carroll (11.48) in the 100-meter dash. Junior Wyatt Dooyen placed fourth (5-2) in the high jump.
The G-E-T girls had junior Josie Rupple in second (35-1.5) in the shot put, Thill in second (35-1) in the triple jump, sophomore Caydie Thompson in second (109-7) in the discus and freshman Kinley Giemza in third (16-0.5) in the long jump.
Their relay team of Giemza, junior Claire Breidenbach, senior Clara Schulze and Thill posted a winning time of 1:47.78 in the 800-meter relay.
The Arcadia boys were led by a trio of winners: Pronschinske (40-3) in the triple jump, Sanchez (15.94) in the 110-meter hurdles and Escalera (42.56) in the 300-meter hurdles. Pronschinske was also third (17-8.5) in the long jump.
Junior Jose Guardado placed third (16.18) in the 110-meter hurdles while senior teammates Conrad (2:04.75) and Matthew Badillo (2:06.42) came in third and fourth, respectively, in the 800-meter run.
Tullius placed third (8-6) in the girls’ pole vault.
West Salem won the team regional titles for both the boys and girls.
