Kevin Viren
The Cook County boys’ and girls’ track team traveled to Esko on Wednesday, May 23 to compete in the Section 7A South Subsection track meet held at Esko High School.
Esko won the boys’ meet with 144.5 points. Cook County finished 9th with 42 points in the 13-team field.
Jack Haussner, a junior, ran a personal best, winning the 110 hurdles in 16:32. Jack came back to take second in the 300- meter hurdles running 44.72.
“Right now Jack has the top time in the 110 hurdles in the section,” said head coach Chris Hegg. “I would say he has a better than even chance to go to State in the 100 hurdles this year. He has a distant chance to make it in the 300-meter hurdles. That’s probably not realistic this year, but never say never. You never know. It’s the hurdles and anything can happen.”
After failing to crack 55 seconds in the 400-meter run this season, Viking track coach Chris Hegg asked Leif Anderson to step up to the 800 meters for the subsection track meet. It was a good bet. Anderson ran a 2:08 to place second behind Esko’s Sam Rengo, who won in 2:07:60.
“The field went out slow, in 66 seconds for the first quarter. Leif, who likes to run a tactical race, almost ran a perfect race. He used his 400 meter speed and almost caught Rengo at the end,” said Hegg.
Sophomore Will Surbaugh finished third in the 800, not far behind Anderson. “Will doesn’t think he has any leg speed but he does,” Hegg said. “Will had a nice kick and ran a great race in the 800.”
If Surbaugh was good in the 800, he was better in the 1600 (mile). Will ran a lifetime best in the 1600 meters, clocking 4:41.81, losing by inches to Jacob Gontjes of Duluth Marshall, who crossed the line in 4:41:62.
Kevin Viren, a ninth grader, qualified for the section meet in the 3200 meters (2 mile). “Kevin placed seventh. He almost broke 11 minutes on a hot day. Kevin has been improving steadily through the season. He should break 11 minutes at the section meet if everything goes right for him,” Hegg said.
On the boys’ side, Jron ran a gutsy 3200 meters for a season best, and the relay teams of Connor, Keegan, Doran and Tanner made some of the best exchanges of the season and set a season best in the 4×200.
On the girls’ side:
• Especially notable on the girls’ side were Claire in the 400, said Hegg. Clair ran the 400 meters in 66 seconds and 2:38 for the 800 meters in the relay
• Robin Henrikson competed in both the hurdles races and Malin Anderson competed in the 800-meter race. Payton and Olivia both ran the 100- meter race.
• Lucy Callender placed ninth in the discus and Anna Hay, Anna LaVigne and Louise Ramberg, who was suffering from an injury, all competed well, said Hegg.
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