Bemidji HS track trio off to state
Bemidji's three qualifiers will begin action at the state track meet today at Hamline.
Selina Gilbertson will be the lone entrant in the girls division, competing in the discus.
She earned her first state trip with a second place finish at the Section 8AA meet last week at Alexandria.
It will be a learning experience for the three sport junior who will be matched against many of the state's top throwers including Grand Rapids' defending state champ Jessica Cagle.. But the experience gained should serve to make her a stronger candidate next season
Cagle set a new all-time state record last year with a winning toss of 162-4. But ninth place was just 115-5.
Gilbertson is the first girl to reach the state since Lexi Gauwitz qualified in 2007.
Boys meet
The boys meet will find Erik Truedson returning from last year but competing in both the 1600 and 3200 this season.
He placed in the 3200 in 2008 to earn one point for the Jacks.
This year he won the 1600 and finished second to Drew Paradis of Alex in the 3200 at the sectional with Paradis second the metric mile.
Truedson ran a 8:38.39at last year's state. He qualified this year at 8:29;08, nine seconds behind Paradis.
But he won the 1600 at 4;24.35, more than a full second ahead of his Alexandria rival. He hopes to improve on both of those times this weekend.
Joe Kingery will compete in the high jump after winning the section at 6-4.
He may have to better that height an inch or two to place at the state where entrants in at he 6-6 to 6-10 range are frequent.
However, while 6-10 won the high jump last year, 6-4 placed sixth with the eighth and ninth place finishers only at 6-2.
Kingery was named the Jacks MVP at Thursday's Awards Day. He competed in 4-5 field events all spring and became proficient in almost all. He is headed to UND next fall for football.
Bemidji scored nine points at last year's state with Nate McGriff finishing fourth in the 400 while the 4 x 8 relay of Jake Sorby, Truedson, Robbie Jenson and Andrew Papke-Larson was eighth I its event.
McGriff led the section qualifiers this year but was injured the following day and was unable to run in Saturday's section finals.