2016 Big '8' Conference Championships
Friday, May 13, 2016 at Beloit Memorial. Results
Big '8' conference schools Beloit Memorial, Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Madison East, Madison La Follette, Madison Memorial, Madison West, Middleton, Sun Prairie, and Verona Area competed at Jacobson Field on the campus of host school Beloit Memorial.
Coach Cory Christnovich and his Middleton Cardinals won the meet with 146 points followed by Beloit Memorial, Sun Prairie, and Madison Memorial.
Multiple winners were Samantha Valentine [Middleton, 800m, 1600m], Lauren Smith [Middleton, 100m HH, 200m], and the Verona Area 4x1, 4x2, and 4x4 relay teams.. Verona Wildcat runners in all 3 relays were Lexi Alt, Kylie Schmaltz, Emilia Lichty, and anchor Sie'anna Mitchell.
Middleton's Samantha Valentine broke the third oldest Big 8 record when she recorded a 4:57.85 to break the previous record of 5:01.0 [HHT] set in 1980 by Katie Ishmael of Madison Memorial.
The meet weather forecast was for 100% rain. The forecast was right on the money. However the atlhetes never broke stride and competed well despite the cool rainy conditions
Wisconsin Track Online Feature For 2016
Left and right: Bates College recruit Samantha Valentine left no doubt as to her intentions as she aggressively attacked the rain soaked track posting a record breaking 4:57.85 to win the 2016 1600m Big '8' title.
Above Madison Memorial 1600m runners L-R: Carly Huggins 5th] and Ellen Meurling [6th].
Above 1600m runners L-R: Peyton Sippy [Janesville Craig, 4th], Trista Pringle [Sun Prairie, 2nd], McKensey Van Wie [Sun Prairie, 3rd], and champion and new record holder Samantha Valentine from Middleton.
Above right: Betsy Hathaway [Middleton, 5th] and Payton Siehr [Sun Prairie, 6th].
Above finals of the 100m dash L-R: Ariauna Robinson [Janesville Parker, 8th], Julana Davis-Webb [Madison Memorial, 4th], Tyra Turner [Madison La Follette, 3rd], and Shynia Summerville [Beloit Memorial, 2nd].
Center: 100m Champion Jaliyah Elliott [Beloit Memorial, 12.54].
The Wildcat 4x1, 4x2, and 4x4 teams consisted of the same runners. Verona Area posted wins with times of 51.24, 1:46.34, and 4:08.42
Relay runners above L-R:
Lexi Alt, Kylie Schmaltz, Emelia Lichty, and anchor Sie'anna Mitchell
Above: Lauren Smith a senior from Middleton posted a 14.91 to win the 100m HH event. The photo above is from the finals. Smith's time moved her to the top of the D1 HR list for tha event as of Friday, May 13.
Above 100m HH athletes in the prelims L-R: Yolonda Johnson [Beloit Memorial, 3rd], Bree Porter [Janesville Parker, 2nd], and Sara Gaab [Middleton, 5th]. In the 300m LH event Johnson was 2nd and Gaab 4th.
Above: 100m prelims showing Eva Laun-Smith [Beloit Memorial, 4th].
Right: 300m champion Adela Diaz a sophomore from Beloit Memorial posted a 46.73. Diaz is pictured in the 100m HH prelims. She finished 5th in the 100m HH finals.
Left: 200m champion Lauren Smith [Middleton, 25.93]. Note ~ 200m dash photos from the prelims.
Above 200m dash athletes L-R: Riley Larson [Madison East, 5th], Shynia Summerville [Beloit Memorial, 2nd], and Yaliyah Elliott [Beloit Memorial, 3rd].
Above 400m loing dash athletes L-R: Grace Meister a ninth grader from Janesville Craig [2nd], Jaliyajh Elliott [Beloit Memorial, 3rd], and champion Briana Mitchell a UW-Milwaukee recruit from Sun Prairie [59.28]
Above dash athletes L-R: Hailee Milton [Middleton, 6th in the 200m], Briana Mitchell [Sun Prairie, 4th in the 200m], Hadley Braaten [Middleton, 4th in the 400m], and Juliana Castillo [Middleton, 6th in the 400m]. Middleton's Milena Martin finished 5th in the 400m long dash [not pictured].
Above 800m runners L-R: Champion Samantha Valentine [Middleton, 2:18.22], Michaela Nelson [Sun Prairie, 4th], Grace Meister [Janesville Craig, 5th], and Valentine.
Above 800m runners L-R: Hannah Fibikar [Madison La Follette, 3rd], Michaela Nelson [Sun Prairie, 4th], Sydney Peterson [Madison Memorial, 2nd], and Vivian Hacker [Madison West, 6th].
Above left: 4x8 anchor Sydney Peterson from Madison Memorial. Madison Memorial won the 4x8 in 9:49.05. This was a 'PR' for the Spartan distance quartet.
Madison Memorial 4x8 relay runners above L-R:
Caroline Bergman, Corra Griffin, Malia Sissen, and anchor Sydney Peterson
Above, left and right: 4x8 runners
Above 4x200 relay runners L-R: Kirsten O'Leary [Janesville Parker] and Verona Area runners Emelia Lichty, Kylie Schmaltz, and Sie'anna Mitchell
Final Exchange: The Verona Area [Wildcats] relay team won the 4x1
Above Madison East 4x1 relay ruuners L-R: Lea Krasniqi and anchor Parker Buske
Left: Winning 4x1 relay anchor Sieanna Mirchell [Verona Area].
Janesville Parker ninth grader Julia Hartwig set a new 'PR' by 2' 03 inches when she launched the shot put 41' 01 to become the 2016 Big '8' SP Champion. Hartwig is pictured in the discus event in which she finished 6th. The Big '8' record in the SP was set by Janesville Parker thrower Lynn Klipstine [41' 08 in 1989].
University of Montana recruit Holly Houston won her specialty for the third year in a row. Throwing in a steady rain she had a best throw of 138' 01. She won the Big '8' discus championship in 2014 and 2015 with throws of 122' 02 and 134' 00.
Above throw athletes in the discus L-R: Harley Nielsen [Janesville Craig, 2nd], Maddie Meglic [Janesville Parker, 3rd], Kiara Cruz [Madison La Follette, 4th], and Adahja Weathers [Sun Prairie, 2nd in the SP and 11th in the discus].
Left: LJ champion Tyra Turner [Madison La Follette, 17' 05.00].
Above: Middleton's Lauren Smith was 2nd in the LJ event.
Above LJ athletes L-R: Eva Laun-Smith [Beloit Memorial, 3rd], Julana Davis-Webb [Madisonb Memorial, 4th], Europe Christoffel [Verona Area, 5th], and Madeline Pflasterer-Jenn [Middleton, 6th].
Left: TJ champion Eva Laun-Smith [Beloit Memorial, 36' 06 - photo from the LJ]
Right: Kiara Lee [Madison La Follette was 2nd in the TJ [photo from the LJ]
Above HJ athletes L-R: Kersten Edwards [Janesville Craig, 4th] and Ally Kundinger [Verona Area, 3rd].
Left: Kailey Olson from Verona Area was 2nd in the HJ [4' 10].
Right: HJ champion Raevin Peek [Beloit Memorial [4' 10].