AURORA — The Ely girls track and field team claimed the Section 7A North Subsectional Championship last Thursday at Mesabi East, piling up 132 points to finish 30.5 points ahead of runner-up Chisholm in the 12-team meet. The Ely boys turned in a solid performance as well, placing fifth overall.
The meet marked the first step on the road toward the state track and field meet, with qualifying athletes advancing to the Section 7A meet in Duluth on Wednesday, where state berths were to be decided.
Sophomore sprint standout Violet Udovich led the way for the Wolves girls, earning three individual subsection titles. Udovich won the 100-meter dash in 12.26 seconds, captured the 200 meters in 25.11, and added another first-place finish in the 400 meters with a personal-best time of 54.95 seconds.
Lydia Shultz also turned in a strong day for Ely, highlighted by a first-place effort in the high jump after clearing 5-4. Shultz added a second-place finish in the 400 meters in a personal-best 1:00.61.
The Wolves also got a win from Isabella Macho in the 300-meter hurdles, where she crossed in a personal-best 49.40 seconds. Kaylin Visser dominated the discus competition, taking first with a personal-best throw of 121-10, while Addison Forsman added a third-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 14-9.75.
Ely’s relay teams also played a major role in the subsection title run. The 4x400 relay team of Shultz, Macho, Mattie Lindsay, and Molly Brophy captured first place in 4:22.73, while the 4x800 relay squad of Lindsay, Elsa Ellerbroek, Macho, and Brophy placed second in 10:32.57.
On the boys side, Ely was especially strong in the distance events.
Blake Houde finished second in the 1600 meters in 4:59.81, while Oliver Hohenstein placed third in the 800 meters with a personal-best time of 2:09.91.
The Wolves relay teams also produced strong results. The 4x400 relay team of Otto Devine, Wyatt Devine, Oliver Hohenstein, and Brooks Brenny earned a subsection championship with a winning time of 3:47.69. Ely added another title in the 4x800 relay, where O. Devine, W. Devine, O. Hohenstein, and Houde finished first in 8:44.30.
Ely’s 4x100 relay team of Jack Rintala, Emory Hohenstein, Noah Axlesson, and Summit Smith also advanced with a fourth-place finish in 51.28.
7A Sectional Qualifiers
Girls
100 meters: Violet Udovich, 1st, 12.26
200 meters: Udovich, 1st, 25.11; Miriam Messerschmidt, 3rd, 28.86
400 meters: Udovich, 1st, 54.95; Lydia Shultz, 2nd, 1:00.61
1600 meters: Katy Brophy, 7th, 5:58.61
3200 meters: Payson Kundinger, 7th, 13:37.47
100-meter hurdles: Annika Eastham, 7th, 18.69
300-meter hurdles: Isabella Macho, 1st, 49.40; Mattie Lindsay, 5th, 51.84
Discus: Kaylin Visser, 1st, 121-10; Kylie Mosher, 4th, 102-09
High jump: Shultz, 1st, 5-04
Long jump: Addison Forsman, 3rd, 14-09.75; L. Shultz, 4th, 14-09.50
Triple jump: Forsman, 5th, 30-10.00
4x400 relay: 1st, 4:22.73, L. Shultz, Macho, Lindsay, Molly Brophy
4x800 relay: 2nd, 10:32.57, Lindsay, Elsa Ellerbroek, Macho, Brophy
Boys
400 meters: Brooks Brenny, 6th, 57.37
800 meters: Oliver Hohenstein, 3rd, 2:09.91; Wyatt Devine, 4th, 2:10.30
1600 meters: Blake Houde, 2nd, 4:59.81; Oren Solum, 4th, 5:02.85; Grady Anderson, 7th, 5:09.61
3200 meters: Solum, 7th, 11:27.67
110-meter hurdles: Toivo Forsman, 4th, 19.81
Discus: Emmett Boes, 7th, 104-08
4x100 relay: 4th, 51.28, Jack Rintala, Emory Hohenstein, Noah Axlesson, Summit Smith
4x400 relay: 1st, 3:47.69, Otto Devine, W. Devine, O. Hohenstein, Brenny
4x800 relay: 1st, 8:44.30, O. Devine, W. Devine, O. Hohenstein, Houde