Girls Track: Another banner season

State champion Nadia Lorencz (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Last spring the Tigers ranked fourth in the Class AA state meet with 34 points, scoring top five finishes in four different events. This year they did even better.

Talented junior Nadia Lorenz won state titles in the long jump and 100-meter hurdles to lead the Tiger state contingent to a school-best 40 points and a tie for fourth place in the team standings.

In addition Farmington posted its best-ever finish at both the Missota Conference (second) and Section 1AA Championships (third).

"The year was a great success," coach Tom Hart said. "I don't think I could ask for more from the ladies than what I got. They worked hard all season and the results at the end of the year were awesome."

Hart and his staff awarded 36 varsity letters at the team's post-season banquet with eight of them going to seniors: Jessica Arey, Abby Haugen, Stephanie Hernandez, Bekah Lippert, Elizabeth Okikiolu, Alyssa Parco, Laura Steege and Katyla Watne.

Eleven more letters went to members of the junior class, including Megan Butje, Shelby Doherty, Alex Frost, Courtney Johnston, Maria Kiminski, Callie Kittelson, Kelsey  Lindell, Andrea Nielsen, Jennifer Redepenning, Taylor Schmaltz and Lorencz.

A large number of sophomores and freshmen also earned varsity monograms, including tenth-graders Kathryn Beckett, Kelli Elmer, Izzie Ferm, Aly Grebner, Maricia Pacheco and Lexy Smerekar and ninth-graders Sydney Bockelman, Sarah Cummings, Megan Graham, Alicia Hett, Tori Jacoby, Alexis Johnson, Destiny Schmitz, Jordan Walls, Maricella Pacheco, MacKenzie Vermeire and Jennifer Miller.

Tri-MVP Alyssa Parco (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The team's Big Three of Lorencz, Parco and Ferm put together a phenomenal season. In addition to her two gold medals, Lorencz took fourth in the triple jump at state. She dominated competition in all three events all season.

Parco went unbeaten in the 300-meter hurdles until a fall in the state preliminaries ended her season in that event. Ferm won the conference and section 400-meter run and placed at state in both the 400 and triple jump.

The 4x400 relay team of Parco, Graham, Hett and Ferm won both the conference and section championships and took sixth in the event at state.

Hart named the Big Three as Tri-MVP's with Graham tabbed as the team's Most Improved Athlete. Cummings won the Tiger Award for attitude and work ethic.

"I think Alyssa's fall at state is one of the few disappointments that stands out," Hart said. "She was set to make a run at a state championship...It was also unfortunate that we lost another state meet runner when Maria Kiminski went down with a leg injury."

Tri-MVP Izzie Ferm (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Hart said he will miss his graduating seniors but is optimistic about his chances next year and beyond.

"Our freshmen finished second at the conference meet and we'll return many other contributors from this year," he said.

"We need to continue to have large numbers of athletes in our program. That will give us the depth we need to contribute with surrounding schools....We'll also need to stay healthy because that is key to making a serious run for any championship."











Season-Best Performances
4x800 relay: Vermeire, Frost, Cummings, Pacheco, 10:36.6
100-meter hurdles: Lorencz, 14.36
100-meter dash: Parco, 12.54
4x200 meter relay: Parco, Graham, Miller, Ferm, 1:48.1
1600-meter run: Hett, 5:33.3
4x100 relay: Parco, Ferm, Graham, Hett, 51.41
400-meter dash: Ferm, 58.12
300-meter hurdles: Parco, 44.10
800-meter run: Hett, 2:30.5
200-meter dash: Ferm, 25.94
3200-meter run: Pacheco, 12:23.9
4x400 relay: Parco, Hett, Graham, Ferm, 3:58.5
High jump: Lorecz, 5-2
Long jump: Lorencz, 18-6
Triple jump: Lorencz, 37-6.75
Pole vault: Lorencz, 9-6
Shot put: Grebner, 33-4.5
Discus: Grebner, 93-2