Staff photo by Jake Calhoun GFW's Samuel Stresemann kicks it into high gear after the first lap of the boys' 800-meter race on Friday at the Class A Minnesota state track and field meet at Hamline University in St. Paul. Stresemann reclaimed his old school record in the event and advanced to Saturday's finals.

ST. PAUL — Samuel Stresemann has a lot to be happy about after his race on Friday.

The senior of Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop reclaimed the school record in the 800-meter run and advanced to the finals in the event at the Class A Minnesota state track and field meet on Friday at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Stresemann, who also qualified for Saturday’s 1600-meter run, began the race toward the rear end of the pack before kicking into high gear at the tail end of the first 400 and staying in second or third place for the second 400.

“My favorite phrase when I see everybody [going all out in the first lap] is ‘Where’s the fire?’ I think everyone was just really excited,” Stresemann said. “And we still came through in the first 400 with, like, a 56, so that was really fast. So what I do is I try to go out and catch them and then stay with them and then kick.”

Stresemann previously owned the school record in the 800 until then-senior Angelo Metzger beat it last year with a fifth-place finish in the state finals with a 1:58.36. On Friday, Stresemann’s 1:57.93 ensured him the record again.

Now that Stresemann knows he will be running the 1600 before the 800 finals in the projected 91-degree heat, approaching with the right mindset will be key.

“I’ve just got to make sure I recover correctly, but that was a really good race today,” Stresemann said.

Wabasso’s Colton Taylor qualified almost by the skin of his teeth in the boys’ 400-meter prelims, finishing ninth for the final spot in Saturday’s finals. His time of 50.93 beat 10th-place finisher Matt Notch (Eden Valley-Watkins/Kimball), who ran a 51.08.

“I did OK, I mean it wasn’t my best race, but I just got nervous and I wanted to stick with the top,” Taylor said. “I think I just pushed myself too hard and tomorrow I just need to run smarter than I did today.”

Taylor was the leadoff runner for the Wabasso boys’ 4×100-meter relay team that finished 16th out of 17 teams. The team also included former two-time 100-meter dash state qualifier Mitchell Fulton as well as Cooper Taylor and Myles Zeug.

Fulton, who barely missed earning a third-straight state berth in the 100 due to a nagging hamstring, is turning his attention to the upcoming college football season at Morningside College (Iowa) so Taylor said the focus was to not go too hard for his benefit.

“We knew we weren’t the best coming in but we knew we could perform,” Taylor said. “Due to Mitchell’s hamstring — he’s got a bit of an injured hamstring — it didn’t affect us really, but he’s got college football coming up, so he didn’t want him to really push too hard and strain himself.”

Zeug competed in the boys’ shot put finals on Friday, finishing 12th overall and missing the medal stand.

In one of the first events of the day, Logan Tesch of Sibley East qualified for the finals in the 110-meter high hurdles with a sixth-place finish in the prelims. He will also compete in the long jump on Saturday.

Comfrey/Cedar Mountain/Springfield’s Brennen Schaefer placed third overall in the wheelchair shot put as a Category 2 competitor. Both Category 1 (strictly lower-body disabilities) and Category 2 (both upper- and lower-body disabilities) had three competitors apiece in Class A.

In the morning’s Class AA session, New Ulm sophomore Ben Mathiowetz placed first in the wheelchair shot put competition.

Mathiowetz improved upon his throw of 8-6.25 at last year’s state meet with a throw of 11-10.75 on Friday for his first state title in the event. He was the lone competitor in the event and will compete in the wheelchair discus finals on Saturday.

MVL/NUC girls advance to 4×100 finals

The Minnesota Valley Lutheran/New Ulm Cathedral short-distance relay teams had both a good and not-so-good showing during Day 1’s prelims.

In the first race, the 4×200-meter relay team had difficulty with exchanges and ultimately disqualified itself as a result.

“We all got a little excited and took off a little too fast,” sophomore Hannah Marzinske said. “Because it’s such a high-paced race and the runners beside you are running so fast, you have get [the exchange] off fast too.”

However, the 4×100-meter relay team — consisting of three of the four same girls from the 4×200 team — ran a solid race in placing sixth, which ensures it a spot in Saturday’s finals.

“I’m really happy, it’s been my dream since forever, so I’m happy,” junior Shylo Hilbert said after the 4×100.

Hilbert was the leadoff for both teams with junior Ingrid Anderson, Marzinske and senior Brittany Sanders following in the 4×100. Lexi Fosburgh ran the second leg of the 4×200 with the other members reprising their positions.

Comfrey/Cedar Mountain/Springfield also competed in the girls’ 4×100 but missed qualifying, finishing 11th overall in the prelims. This marks the end of the high school career of senior Vishe’ Rabb, the anchor of the team who finished second overall in the 400 last year and has qualified for state three-straight years.

Anjolic Salfer of Wabasso finished 17th overall in the girls’ 200 with a time of 27.57.