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Dominating the State Spots

By Tom Schardin, 06/06/17, 1:45PM CDT

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The Prior Lake boys track team completed its spring slam for the second straight year, winning the Section 3AA title June 1 at Concordia University in St. Paul.

For the second straight year, the Lakers won South Suburban Conference Relays, the Section 3AAA True Team, the SSC Championships and the Section 3AA crown. That's one of the legacies of this strong senior class.

The Lakers will have 10 athletes at the state meet, including three of its four relays. The Class AA competition is June 9-10 at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Representing the Lakers will be seniors Colin Dwyer, Noah Torvik, Ian O'Connor, Zachary Kulstad, Connor Smith, Devon Noer and Kevin Holcombe, juniors Mitch Wangler and Daniel Wee and sophomore Keaton Schroeder.

Prior Lake won the section title with 152 points, which was well ahead of runner-up Rosemount (112) and third-place Burnsville (72) in the 15-team field.

"We have a great senior class and they really have been able to lift our program from good to great," said Lakers coach Ken Klamm. "It was very rewarding to see them earn so many state berths at sections. This group of guys are never satisfied and will be looking to make their mark at the state meet."

Prior Lake won five events at sections, including two relays. The team also set four new school records. The top-two finishers in each event automatically qualify for state. The other way to get there is meeting the state qualifying mark.

Kulstad set a new school record in winning the 400 meters with a time of 49.23. The old mark was 49.81 set in 2012 by Stephen Bruha. Wangler won the 110 hurdles with a school-record time of 14.49, breaking the old mark of 14.79 set in 2013 by Tyler Duff.

Holcombe claimed the 300 hurdles with school-record time of 39.85, breaking the old mark of 40.00 that was set in 1981.

The 4x800 team of Dwyer, Torvik, Smith and Wee took second (7:53.08), breaking the school record of 7:57.01 set in 2011.

Prior Lake's winning relays included Schroeder, Wee, O'Connor and Kulstad in the 4x200 (1:29.86) and Kulstad, Dywer, Torvik and O'Connor in the 4x400 (3:23.44).

Dwyer also made the state field in the 800 taking second (1:55.78), while Schroeder was runner-up in the 200 (22.72). O'Connor was second in the high jump (6-4).

In the prelims May 30, Noer made the state field with a second-place finish in the pole vault (12-6).

There were also some very close calls for the Lakers. Schroeder was third in the 100 meters (11.44) by .01 and missing the state cut by .37. Wangler was third in the 300 hurdles (40.23) by .17 and missing the state cut (39.21) but just over a second.

Senior Tyler Knutson had three top-seven finishes for Prior Lake. He was third in the triple jump (41-05), fourth in the long jump (20-9 3/4) and seventh in the 110 hurdles (16.00). Senior Trevon Comp was fourth in the pole vault (12-0).

Eighth-grader Gabe Smit was fourth in the 1,600 (4:29.70), while Smith sixth in the 3,200 (9:57.16). Torvik ended up fifth in the 800 (2:00.04), while senior Babatunde Jinadu was sixth in the 400 (50.92).

Senior Carter Collins was fourth in the 100 (11.49), missing the runner-up spot by .06. Junior Jordan Wakeman ended up seventh in the 300 hurdles (42.71).

In the throws, senior Jacob Gustin was eighth in the shot put (45-0) for the Lakers, while junior Jack Greives was seventh in the discus (140-04) and senior James O'Neal was ninth (137-00).

Holcombe was also seventh in the triple jump (40-8 3/4), while senior Nicholas Kartschoke was ninth in the 3,200 (10:09.75).

Prior Lake's 4x100 relay team of Knutson, Johnson, ninth-grader Dylan Bair and junior Jordan Johnson was fourth (44.64).

Other finishes for the Lakers: Wangler in the triple jump (14th, 39-02), senior Ryan Parrish in the shot put (12th, 42-0 3/4), senior Daniel Olson in the pole vault (T13th, 10-0), Wakeman in the 110 hurdles (12th, 16.66), Jordan Johnson in the 100 (11th, 11.38), senior Owen Kilanowski in the 1,600 (15th, 4:44.84), Holcombe in the high jump (T10th, 5-10), Bair in the long jump (10th, 20-3 1/4) and sophomore Jarod Henderson in the discus (11th, 130-00).

Other team finishes at sections: Eastview (4th, 71), Eagan (5th, 66), Apple Valley (6th, 45), Henry Sibley (7th, 41), Simley (8th, 35), Holy Angels and Bloomington Jefferson (9th, 26), Bloomington Kennedy (11th, 21), Park (12th, 17.5), St. Thomas Academy (13th, 9) and Richfield (14th, 7.5).

For more photos of the Lakers, click here.

For complete prelim results, click here.