Oskaloosa Girls Shine at District Meet: Eight Head to State Championships
The Oskaloosa girls’ track and field team showcased strong performances at the highly competitive District meet held in Solon, earning four automatic qualifiers for the upcoming State Track and Field meet at Drake Stadium. The team, under the guidance of Coach Betsy Luck, also set personal records and season bests across various events.
Ryleigh Wilken led the charge, securing a district championship in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet 2 inches. “Ryleigh Wilken came home with a district championship in the high jump,” noted Coach Luck, celebrating the achievement.
Another standout, Tierney Carter, demonstrated resilience and stamina by placing second in both the open 400 meters and the 800 meters. Coach Luck praised her efforts, describing them as “two very gutsy performances.” Emmalee Wells-Stout also made her mark by finishing second in the 400-meter hurdles, displaying “great closing speed after the final hurdle,” according to Luck.
The team not only excelled in individual events but also in relays. The Shuttle Hurdle Relay team, consisting of Blommers, Van Veldhuizen, Wells-Stout, and Quang, along with the 4×200 team of Sheets, Bonnett, Phillips, and McCain, both set season best times.
With five personal records broken—by Tierney in the 400 meters, Emmalee in the 400 hurdles, Sarah Phillips and Alice Carminati in the 200-meter dash, and Kennedy Wright in the 100-meter dash—the team has demonstrated significant improvement and peak performance at the right moment.
The Oskaloosa team now waits in anticipation to see if other events will qualify for the state meet. Coach Luck assured that updates will be provided as soon as additional qualifiers are announced, underscoring the team’s hope for more good news.
Coach Luck expressed gratitude for the community’s ongoing support, saying, “Thank you everyone for all of their support of this team this year.” As they prepare for the state meet, the Oskaloosa girls’ track and field team looks to build on their successes and strive for excellence at Drake Stadium.
Additional:
Adding to their successful outing at the District meet, the Oskaloosa girls’ track and field team has now qualified for eight events at the State meet, with the competition spread over three exciting days.
The action kicks off on Thursday, May 16, with the team’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay at 9:00 AM. It features Sadie Blommers, Lydia VanVeldhuizen, Emmalee Wells-Stout, and Hannah Quang, with Kennedy Wright and Hannah VanArkel as alternates. Following that, Ryleigh Wilken will compete in the high jump at 11:30 AM, and Tierney Carter will race in the 400-meter dash final at 1:20 PM.
On Friday, May 17, Hannah Quang will take on the 100-meter hurdles at 10:20 AM. The 400-meter hurdles at 12:00 PM will see Emmalee Wells-Stout and Evelyn Adam vying for top honors. The day will continue with the 4×400 relay at 1:20 PM, with a strong lineup including Ryleigh Wilken, Emmalee Wells-Stout, Evelyn Adam, and Tierney Carter, supported by alternates Miley McCain, Lydia VanVeldhuizen, and Hannah Quang.
The meet concludes on Saturday, May 18, with Tierney Carter returning to the track for the 800-meter run at 10:30 AM.
