The 'Melting Pot': The 400m Run

The Honor Roll takes a look at the 400m event at the seven week mark of the season



Finals of the D2 400m dash event at the 2007 WIAA State Track and Field Meet [L-R]: Lauren Unser [West Salem, 2nd, 57.74], champion Angela Kaufmann [Bonduel, 57.41], Diedre Dillman [Prairie du Chien, 3rd, 57.99], Emilie Kay [Platteville, 5th, 58.64], Janelle Bagneski [Lake Mills, 6th, 58.66] and Keelie Finnel [Mischicot, 4th, 58.14]. All athletes above except for Kaufmann who graduated return for the 2008 season.
Some coaches refer to the 400m event as a 'melting pot' event. Is the event a dash or is it a run? The 400m event is where speed meets endurance and endurance meets speed. If you talk to runners they often refer to the race as a 'Gut Race.' And runners who push the limits can relate to that description.

On the left is Diedre Dillman a senior from Prairie du Chien who was the week 7 400m event leader [58.25] on the Wisconsin Girls High School Honor Roll list at the Wisconsin Sports Networks website. Dillman who is the two time 800m defending champion in D2 has displayed endurance and speed this season as she is #2 on the 800m list for all divisions as well as the leader on the 400m list for all divisions.

The top D1 400m runner and #2 on the HR 400m list is senior Sharay Hale [R] from Milwaukee Riverside Unversity [58.39].


Versatile Jami Hill a junior from Onalaska is #3 [58.50], La Crosse Logan sophomore Stephanie Henry is #4 [58.83], while Manitowoc Lincoln's [above right, red jersey] Mackenzie Virnoche a sophomore is #5 [59.50].

Coulee Conference track and field athletes Maya Vazquez [59.55] a sophomore from the Arcadia Raiders and junior Lauren Unser [59.64] from the West Salem Panthers are ranked 6th and 7th on the all-division 400m HR lists for week 7. Unser won the Silver Medal in the D2 400m at last years State Meet [57.74]. Below: Niagara junior Jamie Vandenberg [59.77] and Green Bay Preble junior Steph Stock [59.94] are listed at 8 and 9 on the week 7 HR 400m list. Above right: Senior Keelie Finnel of Mishicot finished in 4th [58.14] in the D2 400m at the 2007 State Meet.


Above [L-R]: Platteville Sophomore Emilie Kay, Wauwatosa East senior Emily Schudrowitz, , senior Stephanie Grant from the Waukesha West Wolverines, and Madison Memorial senior Lauren Rock. Below left: Sophomore Samara White from Milwaukee Vincent. Below right: Megan Beers a senior at Oregon and Katie Duggleby a junior from McFarland [white jersey].


Above [L-R]: Senior Jena Wise of Beaver Dam, Oshkosh North ninth grader Liz Beyer, sophomore Emilie Kay from Platteville, senior Janelle Bagneski from Lake Mills, and Sarah Thune a junior from Walworth Big Foot. .
Left: D3 400m runners in the finals of the 400m dash at the 2007 State Meet [L-R]: Gretchen Homan a sophomore from Catholic Central, Lexie Schaffer a sophomore from Hilbert and senior Callie Halama from Independence-Gilmanton. Homan finished thrid, Schaffer was seventh and Halama finished eighth in the 2007 400m dash which was won by Jamie Vandenberg of Niagara.

Below [L-R]: Rachel Koehn a senior from Florence, Megan Rennhack a senior from Dodgeland, Chelsey Simon a sophomore from Whitehall, and junior Jaide Hietpas from Green Bay Notre Dame.

Rennhack ran in the 200m, 100m HH and 300m LH at the 2007 State Meet while Simon won the 100m D3 event and placed second in the 200m D3 dash at the 2007 State Meet.

Rennhack and Simon both have one of the top ten times in the D2-D3 HR 400m list after week 7. Hietpas who suffered a torn ACL in basketball hopes to return to action this season. Read the Green Bay Press Gazette article on Jaide.