LA CROSSE — Onalaska High School sophomore Gabe Mauss competed like a veteran when he placed third in the Division 1 long jump at the WIAA state track and field meet on Friday.
And if he was able to show confidence on the first day of a two-day meet, he should be able to do it on the second.
Mauss did just that with a third-place performance n the Division 1 triple jump on Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex.
His effort of 47 feet, 0.75 inches also played a key role in the Hilltoppers placing fourth as a team in the Division 1 boys standings.
Mauss scored 12 points for Onalaska, which added 16 from senior Manny Putz and six from freshman Wylder Burch in the high jump on Friday for 34 points.
Only De Pere (46), Mequon Homestead (45) and Hartland Arrowhead (44) scored more than the Hilltoppers.
Mauss said the confidence never left him as he went well past the personal best he took to the venue this weekend.
“I wasn’t expecting a 47,” Mauss said. My PR was only a 45, and I thought I could maybe go mid-46, but I got it on my (fourth) jump, and I feel pretty good about it.”
Mauss said he is happy with the progression he has shown through his second season with Onalaska.
“My first (hop) and third (jump) phases really carried me through,” Mauss said. “That and my warmup and mindset were important for sure.”
Sophomore teammate Brendan Chenault also qualified for Saturday’s triple jump, and finished 13th at 44-5.25.
AQUINAS RELAYS, ONYEABOR COMPLEMENT GREGG: While senior Declan Gregg was the big news for the Blugolds with his Division 2 3,200 victory on Saturday, Aquinas had three more solid performances that allowed them to score 27 points and finish sixth among Division 2 boys teams.
Onyeabor provided an individual boost with his fourth-place showing in the triple jump.
Onyeabor went 42-10 and recorded that on his second attempt for good positioning throughout an event with more familiar names (champion Blake Thiry of Prairie du Chien and third-place Luke Baginski of West Salem).
The 800-meter relay team of Isaac Finch, Logan Becker, Caden Schams and Eli Horstman added a fifth-place finish and time of 1:29.58. The same four runners later added another fifth-place performance with a 43.04 in the 400 relay.
The eight points from the relays helped the Blugolds climb past six teams in the standings.
AYED FINDS MEDAL SUCCESS: Holmen sophomore Jakai Ayed qualified for the state track and field meet as a freshman and used that experience to prepare himself for his second go around this weekend.
He responded with fifth-place finishes in the Division 1 110 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
Ayed opened his meet with a seventh-place finish in the long jump on Friday. He also qualified for both hurdle finals, then put himself on the podium for both with times of 14.62 and 39.67, respectively.
“I feel like I could have done better, but I tried my hardest,” Ayed said. “It’s crazy with everyone in the stands cheering. It makes you kind of nervous.
“I got here last year in the 110s, and it was a little easier this year.”
Ayed said he concentrated on form and sticking with the pack in both of his finals.
“In the 110s, I feel like I didn’t get enough speed between the hurdles, and my form just wasn’t that good,” he said. “I feel like my 300s were better (in Friday’s prelims) and could have been better prepared (for the finals).”
Ayed said the finish in the long jump surprised him with how high it was, but the fact that he just missed the podium still provided some added motivation for the second day.
BAGINSKI PROVIDES POSITIVE ENDING TO TOUGH SITUATION: West Salem senior Luke Baginski didn’t know if he’d be able to compete in a spring sport after a football injury on the fall.
A torn labrum jeopardized his final two seasons as a Panther, but he was able to get back on the track by the beginning of the season and back on the baseball field as a designated hitter much sooner than expected.
Baginski then completed his West Salem career with third place in the Division 2 triple jump after sailing 43-2.5. Only Prairie du Chien’s Blake Thiry (47-0) and Mauston’s Tanner Winker (44-1.5) beat Baginski in his final meet.
“My first jumps did not feel great,” he said. “I tried something new, moving my runway back because I knew I needed a lot of speed of I was going to get top six.
“When we moved my runway back up, I felt a lot more confident. I went from 99 feet to 112 feet to try and get a couple more steps.”
Baginski’s scoring jump came on his final attempt and improved his position by five spots from the previous round.
“I never expected to be in this spot,” Baginski said. “My first jump ever was a 33, and I never expected to be on a state podium.
“We had a couple of goals coming into this meet, and the first one was to make finals because I just wanted a shot.
The second goal was to make the podium. I also wanted to break the school record, and I didn’t get that, but I made the podium and that feels good.”
LYGA FOURTH: Arcadia senior Trey Lyga scratched his final two throws, but the 171-2 he recorded on his fourth attempt was good for fourth place in the Division 2 discus.
Lyga positioned himself well and was fourth after opening with a 160-6. Logan senior Jacob Hackbarth passed him by in the third round, but Lyga bounced right back with his scoring throw.
The event was won by Green Bay Notre Dame senior James Flanigan (188-5), who will play football at Notre Dame.
SCHMELING WINS SECOND MEDAL: Onalaska Luther senior Jack Schmeling followed his second-place medal in the Division 3 high jump with sixth place in the discus on Saturday.
The event was early in the day, so rain — even as light as it was — was a bit of a factor for everyone. Schmeling had a best throw of 156-11.
“The conditions, even if they don’t change things much, can change the mental aspect,” the future University of Wisconsin decathlete said. “You don’t feel like you are doing your best.
“I feel like I was lucky to get a 156 out there. My old school record was a 155, so I can’t complain.”
Schmeling also competed against Marathon junior Chris Marcell, who posted a 211-4 to win the event by 50 feet over runner-up Madden Crubel of Fennimore. Marcell also won the shot put on Friday.
Schmeling said he took advantage of the situation to pick Marcell’s brain on some things during the competition.
Marcell’s first attempt was 193-10.
“I wasn’t worried about the 193 because I knew he can throw 220,” Schmeling said. “Everyone knew we were competing for second place, and everyone wanted to see a show. He was giving me some tips. I asked hi what he thought of what I was going with my left hand, and he said to keep it close to my body until the end, and then you whip it.
“He’s such a great guy and very down to earth.”
JUST MISSED: The West Salem boys 3,200 relay team finished seventh on Saturday with a time of 8:03.03. Michael Torrance, Drew Anderson, Philip Gabrielson a
and Brennon Anderson ran with that team as it missed the podium by less than 1 second.
West Salem senior Carter Quackenbush was also 11th in the Division 2 3,200 with his time of 9:37.44. He was in third place after an opening 400 of 1:04.25, but he dropped three spots on the next lap and another on the third.
His final lap was about 5 seconds faster than his seventh.
Melrose-Mindoro sophomore Sheila Johnson got off to a great start in the Division 3 high jump, but she wound up just out of medal contention.
Johnson made her first attempt at 4-8, 4-10 and 5 feet before bowing out with three misses at 5-2, which ended up being the sixth-place height.
