Track and field: Packers advance four to state meet

Published 6:20 pm Saturday, June 1, 2013

Austin's Carolyn Hackel runs in the 100-meter dash finals at Lakeville Saturday. -- Josh Berhow/Faribault Daily News

Austin’s Carolyn Hackel runs in the 100-meter dash finals at Lakeville Saturday. — Josh Berhow/Faribault Daily News

LAKEVILLE — The Austin track and field team advanced four athletes at the Section 1AA meet in Lakeville Saturday.

Austin seniors Omot Okello, Jake Hagen Erickson, Abby Snater and sophomore Carolyn Hackel all qualified for the Class ‘AA’ state meet, which will be held at Hamline University next Friday and Saturday at 9 a.m.

Austin’s Omot Okello runs through the 110-meter high hurdles during the Section 1AA Championships on Saturday at Lakeville South High School. Okello finished second in 15.88 seconds to qualify for state. -- Josh Berhow/Faribault Daily News

Austin’s Omot Okello runs through the 110-meter high hurdles during the Section 1AA Championships on Saturday at Lakeville South High School. Okello finished second in 15.88 seconds to qualify for state. — Josh Berhow/Faribault Daily News

Okello took first in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 40.20 seconds and second 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.88 seconds to advance to state in both events.

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Okello went to state in the 300-meter hurdles last season.

“Omot did what we expected him to do,” Austin head coach Tony Einertson said. “He did well and he’s still got a little more in both races.”

Austin senior Jake Hagen-Erickson earned his first career trip to state in the long jump as he hit a season’s best distance of 21 feet, 1.25 inches in the finals. He edged out Langeland Logan of Owatonna by 1.25 inches.

“It’s a pretty big deal for Jake,” Einertson said. “We knew he had a good chance and he put up a great effort. It was fun to watch him get so excited when he knew he’d made it to state.”

Snater got back to state for the first time since she was a sophomore when she took first in the pole vault with a season’s best height of 11-feet, three-inches.

Hackel took first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 26.05 seconds second on the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.78 seconds to advance to state in both events.

Austin junior Andrew Hagan finished fourth in the discus with a distance of 146 feet and three inches.

Austin sophomore Kendall Hackensmith ran a season’s best time of

BOYS RESULTS

4 x 800-meter relay: Andrew Baker, Alec Estrada, Micah Kelly, Mason Wollersheim (seventh, 8:30.43); 4 x 200-meter relay: Jake Hagen-Erickson, Gabe Gerstner, Conner Sheehan, Ryan Synoground (eighth, 1:34.88); 1600-meter run: Quinn Brunner (10th, 4:41.27); 4 x 100-meter relay: Omot Okello, Gabe Gerstner, Devin Klapperick, Jake Hagen-Erickson (10th, 46.10); 110-meter hurdles: Omot Okello (second, 15.88); 300-meter hurdles: Omot Okello (first, 40.20); 4 x 400-meter relay: Mason Wollersheim, Ryan Synoground, Andrew Baker, Conner Sheehan (15th, 3:44.64); high jump: Zach Coffey (11th, 5-8); long jump: Jake Hagen-Erickson (second, 21-1.25); discus: Andrew Hagan (fourth, 146-3)

GIRLS RESULTS

4 x 800-meter relay: Haley Splinter, Ochudo Cham, Paiton Schwab, Karyn Potach (11th, 10:27.43); 100-meter dash: Carolyn Hackel (second, 12.78); 4 x 200-meter relay: Emily McAlister, AnnaLena Kehm, Sydney Marsh, Kendall Hackensmith (14th, 1:59.03); 300-meter hurdles: Kendall Hackensmith (fifth, 48.44); 1600-meter run: Madison Overby (10th, 5:30.24); 4 x 100-meter relay: Rachel Quandt, Carolyn Hackel, Carley Grunewald, Haley Tigner (ninth, 52.20); 400-meter dash: Haley Splinter (ninth, 1:02.06); 200-meter dash: Carolyn Hackel (first, 26.05); 4 x 400-meter relay: Madison Overby, Kendall Hackensmith, Merideth Fritz, Karyn Potach (14th, 4:30.04); triple jump: Abby Snater (11th, 32-6.50); shot put: Amber Hansen (17th, 30-11.25); pole vault: Abby Snater (second, 11-3)