REGIONAL — The Ely girls track and field team will be well represented at the Class A state meet after standout performances at the Section 7A championships held May 27 at Griggs Field on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus.
Sophomore sprint standout Violet Udovich led the charge in emphatic fashion, sweeping the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter dash titles to earn three individual berths in the state meet.
Udovich left little doubt in the 100, racing to a winning time of 11.79 seconds while Chisholm’s Zoe Plombon finished a distant second at 12.53. Udovich was equally dominant in the 200, crossing in 25.19, more than a full second ahead of Crosby-Ironton’s Lucy Lewandowski at 26.35.
She capped her day with another decisive victory in the 400, posting a 56.87 while Moose Lake-Willow River’s Khloey Schmidt was runner-up in 1:00.83.
Udovich is one of only two Class A qualifiers to break the 12-second barrier in the 100 this season.
The Timberwolves added three more state qualifiers across the hurdles, throws, and field events.
Lydia Shultz claimed the section title in the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 3 inches, edging Moose Lake-Willow River’s Addi Metz, who finished second at 5-2.
In the discus, Kaylin Visser earned a state berth with a runner-up throw of 110 feet, 11 inches. Esko’s Maya Johnson won the event with a throw of 128-0.
Isabella Macho rounded out Ely’s qualifiers by taking second in the 300-meter hurdles in 49.52. Marshall’s Candice Ndomb won the race in 44.75.
The Timberwolves placed third in the team standings behind Esko and Crosby-Ironton.
Ely also qualified its boys 4x800 relay team for state after Otto Devine, Wyatt Devine, Oliver Hohenstein, and Blake Houde placed second in 8:34.88 behind Cromwell-Wright’s winning time of 8:32.48.
Ely’s qualifiers were scheduled to compete this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Class A state meet at St. Michael-Albertville High School.