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Mathiowetz brings home the title for New Ulm

Hilbert also competes for MVL in the 200 prelims

ST. PAUL — The throws just kept getting better and better for New Ulm’s Ben Mathiowetz on Friday morning in the Class AA state wheelchair shot put finals.

That constant improvement not only led Mathiowetz to a personal-best performance but also won him a state championship at Hamline University.

With a throw of 13-feet, 3/4 inches, Mathiowetz shattered his previous best of 12-feet, 1 inches, which he set earlier this year.

Last year at state, Mathiowetz’s title-winning throw in the wheelchair shot put went 11-feet, 10 3/4 inches.

On Friday morning, Mathiowetz got set in the circle for six straight throws. With each and every attempt, the distance of the throws improved little by little before they sailed over 13 feet.

Mathiowetz said that he was looking to come in and set a new personal record and he did just that.

“I’m pretty sure I did good,” Mathiowetz said. “I set a new PR.”

Mathiowetz then thanked his coaches and wrapped things up with three simple words.

“I’m the champion.”

Mathiowetz competes again Saturday morning in the wheelchair discus where he’ll be looking for another personal best and another state title to bring back home. His current best is a throw of 27-feet, 2 inches, which he set at the section tournament last week.

Also representing New Ulm on Friday was Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Shylo Hilbert, who competed in the 200-meter dash prelims. The senior finished ninth in her heat with a time of 27.64. Minneapolis North’s T-Nia Riley had the best prelim time with a finish in 24.76.

RABBITS’ TAYLOR SETS PERSONAL RECORD THIS YEAR, ZEUG TAKES 8TH IN SHOT PUT

Wabasso was represented by four athletes on Friday, with Myles Zeug and Isaac Schmiesing competing in the shot put, and Colton Taylor and Lindsey Bernardy competing in the 400 prelims.

Taylor had a personal best this year with a time of 51.09 on Friday but just missed qualifying for Day 2 after finishing .07 behind ninth-place Carson Kiehne of Lanesboro/Fillmore.

“I think it’s just nerves,” Taylor said. “But I’m not disappointed. It’s a PR for me this year at least. A little fatigue, but all in all I think it’s just the nerves that got me.”

Despite just missing a spot in the finals Saturday, Taylor complimented his head coach Cody Kittelson and said that he was just glad to be there to represent Wabasso.

“I was just glad that I got a chance to be here,” Taylor said. “I was glad that Cody Kittelson, our head coach, came. I’m glad I stuck with it, and he’s been a very big motivation for me.”

Cal Wright of Mora had the best time on Friday in the 400 with a time of 49.37.

Zeug finished eighth in the shot put finals with a throw of 49-10 3/4, while Schmiesing took 15th with a throw of 45 3 3/4. Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale’s Samuel Moore took home the title with a throw of 62-3 1/2, while Mitchell Weber of St. Clair/Immanuel Lutheran finished second with a throw of 61-feet.

Bernardy failed to qualify for finals on Saturday with a time of 1:01.51, good for 15th overall. Robbie Grace of The Blake School finished first in the prelims on Friday with a time of 56.6.

The final Wabasso athlete, Carl Swedzinski, competes Saturday evening in the discus finals.

VICTORINO FINISHES STRONG IN 3,200

Javier Victorino, representing Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, competed in the

3,200-meter run finals on Friday evening. He finished 12th on Friday with a time of 10:01.31.

He finished Section 2A runner-up last Saturday in the 3,200 with a time of 9:47.45 and also set a school record.

The senior arrived at Hamline on Friday with the third best qualifying time overall, behind Matt Steiger of La Crescent (9:23.30) and Owen Keiser of Jordan (9:44.52).

Victorino said it was tough coming into Friday in the third position, but he complimented his competition after the race and said how glad he was to make it to state in his final season with GFW.

“I’m just glad I got to race against very good athletes,” Victorino said after his race. “You wont find them anywhere else, so I’m glad I got a chance to see what they’re like. Making it to state was my biggest goal.

I guess I didn’t have too many goals, but the No. 1 goal was to make it here.”

Taking first in the 3,200 was Matt Steiger of La Crescent with a time of 9:21.87, which was better than his qualifying time coming in to Friday (9:23.30).

GFW freshman Grace Feder competes in the 1,600 on Saturday evening.

SEU’S HAGEN COMPETES

Also competing on Friday from the area was Sleepy Eye Unified’s James

Hagen, who competed in the wheelchair shot put. He finished ninth with a throw of 5-feet. Taking first in the event was Luke Johnston of Medford with a throw of 21- 2 3/4, a Minnesota all-time record at state.

Hagen competes again Saturday in the wheelchair 100 and wheelchair 200.

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