Pine Island ninth at state True Team

Pine Island finished ninth out of nine teams on Saturday in the True Team state boys track meet at Stillwater High School.

Still, the Panthers came away with a solid experience, as Pine Island had reached the meet for the first time in school history.

"Overall it was a great experience for our kids," Pine Island coach Matt Northrop said. "It was very fun to be a part of that elite group that is at the True Team meet. There are some really good athletes to see there."

The meet was delayed several times by lightning, with the event shutting down for 20 minutes following each strike.

Expectedly, the Panthers did their best work in the sprints. Seth Friedrich was second in the 100 (11.72), second in the 200 (23.36) and 10th in the 400 (54.79). Teammate Trevor Akason was third in the 100 (12.12), fourth in the 200 (23.68) and seventh in the 400 (53.74). Pine Island also got a seventh place from 1,600 runner Jason Flemke (4:59.54).

STATE CLASS A TRUE TEAM

• At Stillwater High School

Team scores

Pipestone 387.5, Morris 376, Blue Earth Area 352.5, Esko 341, Jackson County Central 326.5, Roseau 295, Hawley/Ulen-Hitterdahl 295, Rush City 290.5, Pine Island 264.

First place, Pine Island top 10

Running events

100 hurdles — 1. Shandon Jones (Pipe) 16.19. 100 —1. Nate Mattson (HUH) 11.45, 2. Seth Friedrich (PI) 11.72, 3. Trevor Akason (PI) 12.12. 1,600 —1. Stefan Lemke (M) 4:29.77, 7. Jason Flemke (PI) 4:59.54. 400 —1. Lincoln Arnold (M) 50.04, 7. Trevor Akason (PI) 53.74, 10. Seth Friedrich (PI) 54.79. 300 hurdles —1. Nathan Carr (BE) 40.13. 800 —1. Justin Cook (JCC) 2:01.12, 9. Paul Kohner (PI) 2:12.66. 200 —1. Nate Mattson (HUH) 22.87, 2. Seth Friedrich (PI) 23.36, 4. Trevor Akason (PI) 23.68. 3,200 —1. Josh Wurdemann (RC) 10:24.23, 9. Jason Flemke (PI) 11:01.86.

Field events

Long jump — 1. Shandon Jones (Pipe) 20-10, 3. Seth Friedrich (PI) 19-9, 10. Will Walter (PI) 18-3 3/4. Triple jump —1. Shandon Jones (Pipe) 41-5, 10. Jason Flemke (PI) 36-7 3/4. High jump —1. Eric Stark (Pipe) 5-10. Pole vault —1. Jake Zebedee (BE) 12-6, 10. Cody Glabe (PI) 9-6. Shot put —1. Eric Stark (Pipe) 55-5 3/4, 9. Ted Ohm (PI) 40-9 1/4. Discus —1. Eric Stark (Pipe) 153-2.

Relays

3,200 — JCC 8:30.20, 5. Pine Island 8:53.52. 800 —1. Morris 1:34.53, 8. Pine Island 1:40.75. 400 —1. Blue Earth 45.88, 8. Pine Island 47.83. 1,600 —1. Morris 3:32.00, 9. Pine Island 3:50.55.