Ipswich girls and boys Region 2B champions

How impressive was Ipswich's Region 2B girls/boys team sweep last Thursday in Gettysburg? Let coach Todd Thorson modestly tell you: "It was a good day for the Ipswich Tigers!

And that had to be somewhat of an understatement! Maybe one of the more significant features of their regional outcomes were that eight brand new Ipswich State B events and/or individual participants were obtained, despite somewhat less than optimum weather conditions. (You need to finish either first or second in a particular event or at the very least, exceed the qualifying standard.) And at that excellent track and field facility several of those qualifying standards were definitely in reach. "The new qualifiers are Paige Mehlberg in high jump, Baylee Kulesa in 3,200, Josh McQuarie in 110 and 300 hurdles, Carter Geditz in 300 hurdles, Carson Simes and Matthew Hettich in the 100-meter dash and Ashley Ptacek in the 800," Thorson says.

And Ipswich really didn't even need to compete in the girls' or the boys' 4x400 finales, because they had already sewed up their respective 2B team titles. The IHS girls indeed almost doubled runner-up Sully Buttes 230 to 132 and the Tiger boys topped the second-place Chargers 177 to 104. They both defended their 2018 2B team titles.

The word "field" in track and field might be just sort of an after thought for some programs. But not here, especially in the girls' division, where Ipswich distributed its 12 Region 2B girls' event championships between the track and around the track. And the boys racked up at least one field event win, that from Maxwell Geditz in the high jump at 6-00. (He was also a first-place 800-meter runner at 2:07.24.) "Yes, field events have been a big part of what we have been doing for the last 10 years," Thorson explained. "We have had several pole vault state champs and have had shot and disc place winners."

Josh McQuarie was indeed a 2B double-event winner, sweeping those hurdles at :16.87 and :46.10, respectively. (That's where teammate Carter Geditz also earned a trip to the State B with his second-place 300-meter clocking of :46.54.) And the Tigers obtained additional crucial placements in enough key field events to help stave off the Sully Buttes boys.

Another highlight of the 2B meet was that the Lady Tigers again won all five relay events on Thursday, including the 4x100 in :52.09, powered by Bailey Hammrich, Taylor Maurer, Halle Heinz and Lily Gaston. The 4x200 was won in 1:52.22, ran by the very same quartet. The girls' 4x400 team was first in 4:41.59 and those runners were Tessa Kilber, Abby Grabowska, Bailey Hammrich and Taylor Maurer. Ipswich's distance relay team finished first at 10:44.65 in the 4x800, comprised of Tessa Kilber, Aleah Steger, Ashley Ptacek and Emily DeRaad. The medley relay event added a 4:35.85 win by the IHS girls Bailey Hammrich, Halle Heinz, Abby Grabowska and Tessa Kilber.

Lily Gaston, meanwhile, was a double field-event winner, bettering her own school record in the triple jump with a 35-08.25 leap. She added a long-jump victory at 16-07.50. And speaking of school records, Taylor Maurer broke her own pole-vault school mark with a new 10-08 2B winning height. Her teammate Mckenzie Evans was second in that at 9-06 and Izabella McQuarie was third at 9-00, though already pre-qualified for state. And that was a total of 24 Region 2B team points in that event alone. And don't forget that Paige Mehlberg winning high jump that was measured at 5-00.

Yes, Ashley Ptacek won the girls' 800-meter run, clocked at 2:37.39 and Aleah Steger did likewise in the 1,600-meter event with her 5:50.98 effort. Baylee Kulesa added that new 3,200-meter run win in 13:26.26 to sweep the three individual girls' distance runs.

Kamryn Heinz placed second in both the shot put and discus, at 36-03.25 and 104-11, respectively.

Meanwhile, the IHS boys got off to their good start with a :11.43 win by Carson Simes in the 100-meter dash finals and yes, Matthew Hettich became Ipswich's second advancer in that event, tying for second with his :11.77 clocking.

The Tiger boys also won the 4x100-meter relay in :46.22, maintained by Ty Kadlec, William Kadlec, Matthew Hettich and Carson Simes.

Ipswich finished second in the 4x200, comprised of Ty Kadlec, Maxwell Geditz, Ben Kulesa and Carson Simes at 1:35.69.

How will all that translate into some memorable IHS moments at the State B? "Yes, we are in the hunt on the girls' side and a top-8 finish on the boys' side," Thorson concluded. 'Hopefully everybody makes it to finals."

More information regarding Ipswich's State B itinerary is listed in a congratulatory page elsewhere in this edition.

The IHS girls were second last year to Deubrook and the boys placed 13th in their team standings won by Freeman.

No matter the eventual outcomes, there will be a welcome home for the IHS thinclads on Monday evening at 6 p.m. in the school theatre.

Other Region 2B placements not mentioned:

GIRLS

100-Meter Dash: 3, Kendra Osborne, :13.65; 4, Avery Sylte, :13.73; 7, Vanessa Diaz, :14.31.

200-Meter Dash: 3, Paige Mehlberg, :30.18; 4, Avery Sylte, :30.42; 5, Kendra Osborne, :30.43.

800-Meter Run: 3, Emily DeRaad, 2:39.55; 7, Madison Geditz, 2:57.74.

1,600-Meter Run: 6, Chloe Jager, 6:51.32; 7, Jailey Hutson, 6:57.45.

3,200-Meter Run: 3, Kari Kanable, 14:04.66.

100-Meter Hurdles: 3, Ashlyn Weig, :17.36.

300-Meter Hurdles: 3, Ashlyn Weig, :52.95.

High Jump: 4, Avery Sylte, 4-05; 5, Gracie Lange, 4-03.

Triple Jump: 4, Izabella McQuarie, 31-03.75; 8, Avery Sylte, 28-10.00.

Discus: 6, Kate Geditz, 88-08; 8, Chesney Olivier, 82-11.

BOYS

100-Meter Dash: 5, Ty Kadlec, :11.84.

200-Meter Dash: 5, William Kadlec, :25.66; 6, Ty Kadlec, :26.11.

1,600-Meter Run: 8, Evan Onken, 5:52.40.

3,200-Meter Run: 5, Taylor Thorson, 12:39.45; 6, Jordan Richardt, 13:09.56, 7, Evan Onken, 13:20.25.

110-Meter Hurdles: 3, Carter Geditz, :19.00.00; 5, Chris Reynolds, :20.19.

300-Meter Hurdles: 7, Chris Reynolds, :50.39.

4x400-Meter Relay: 3, Ipswich, 3:46.95.

4x800-Meter Relay: 4, Ipswich, 9:42.42.

Sprint Medley Relay: 6, Ipswich, 4:18.29.

High Jump: 4, Josh McQuarie, 5-04.00.

Pole Vault: 3, Thomas Goetz, 9-09; 4, Jacob Nierman, 8-09.00.

Long Jump: 3, Dylan Owens, 18-11.25; 7, Chris Reynolds, 16-11.50.

Triple Jump: 3, Josh McQuarie, 37-00.00; 7, Colby Sylte, 31-11.50.

Shot Put: 4, Reece Moehlenbrink, 44-10.25; 6, Carter Heinz, 38-09.75.

Discus: 3, Reece Moehlenbrink, 134-03; 8, Carter Heinz, 117-06.