LA CROSSE — Onalaska High School senior Manny Putz broke a record that stood for 28 years on Friday, but he didn’t win his race at the WIAA state track and field meet.
He broke another record on Saturday, but did that performance get him a victory?
Because of De Pere junior Grady Lenn — again — it didn’t.
While Putz beat state records in both of his races at the Veterans Memorial Sports Complex, Lenn beat them by a larger margin and completed a Division 1 distance sweep while holding off a wicked charge by Putz at the end of the 3,200-meter run.
The end of the race was exactly the same as Friday’s 1,600 — with Putz frantically trying to pass Lenn over the final 100 meters — and gave everyone in attendance another memorable moment between two future Wisconsin Badgers.
“I know, right??,” Putz said when asked about setting two records by not getting a victory. “It’s bittersweet.”
Lenn completed the 3,200 in 8 minutes, 52.79 seconds, and Putz followed at 8:53.79. Both beat West Allis Hale’s Joshua Truchon’s time of 8:53.87 in 2021.
Lenn’s time of 4:01.79 and Putz’s 4:02.25 in the 1,600 on Friday beat the 4:04.97 run by Madison West’s Gabe Jennings in 1997.
Those numbers, Putz said, are what was important about his weekend.
“Last year, I won the state meet with a 4:12, and this year I’m second with a 4:02,” he said. “I’d rather have this every time than winning with a slower time.”
Putz ran behind Lenn for the entire 1,600 on Friday and changed course on Saturday. He didn’t want to run in the lead — his general philosophy is to run from behind until it’s time for a kick — but Lenn and the rest of the pack let him have it until the start of the seventh lap.
“I didn’t want to do the work for this one,” Lenn said. “I give my props to Manny because leading that long on a 3,200 isn’t easy. I was able to execute a good race plan from sitting in the back a little.”
Putz, who won three individual Division 1 cross country championships, didn’t want the lead but he took it to avoid getting boxed in early. He kept it despite not wanting it.
“I went out strong, really strong,” Putz said. “But once I got the lead, I slowed down but so did everyone else,” Putz said. “No one wanted to pass me, so it was like, ‘Alright, I guess I’m leading.’
“It wasn’t part of the plan, but that’s what running is all about, making the decision as you go, and this was the outcome.”
Like he did on Friday, Putz nearly pulled even with Lenn over the final 50 meters, but Lenn was able to fight off the charge.
Leen had built confidence with a rare win over Putz on Friday and demonstrated that by making it two in a row in a friendly and very competitive rivalry.
“I’m a little surprised, but I knew I had a chance,” Lenn said. “I didn’t think we were going to run that fast today. I thought it would be a little more tactical.
“So to run a fast time and get a win feels pretty good.”
