Kisting fourth in her final race
By Greg Seubert
For Aspen Linjer, it was something totally new.
For Erika Kisting, it was a case of been there, done that.
Linjer, a freshman at Little Wolf High School in Manawa, and Kisting, a recent Iola-Scandinavia High School graduate, were two of several local athletes who made it to the medal podium at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships, held June 1-2 at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
Linjer placed sixth in the girls’ Division 3 100-meter dash, while Kisting, in her fourth trip to state, placed fourth in the girls’ Division 3 1,600-meter run and ninth in the 3,200-meter run.
Kisting, who won both races two years ago as a sophomore, wrapped up her high school career with the Thunderbirds with the 1,600, a race she ran with teammate Jada Beacom, who placed seventh.
“After I crossed the finish line and I looked at my dad, I got a little teared up, but I still have my college career,” she said. “My high school career is done and I’m just proud of how it went.”
Kisting also competed at four WIAA state cross country meets and is heading to UW-Milwaukee, where she will compete in cross country and track.
“Some of my college teammates that I’ll be running with are here today and I got to warm up with them,” she said. “It’s going to be sad leaving all my teammates and coaches, but I’m also really excited. It’s a new chapter in my life and I can start fresh.”
While Kisting left UW-La Crosse for the final time, Linjer is excited about returning next year.
“I’m very excited for next year,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a better year.”
Linjer almost didn’t make it to the 100 final after she placed ninth out of 10 runners in the preliminary heats.
“I was a little freaked out, like, ‘Oh my gosh, I could’ve not made it,’” she said. “I was expecting to not place on the podium today, but I did and it was awesome.”
She made one major change that made a difference for the final.
“I changed my spikes (after the preliminary race) because they were completely flat on the bottom,” she said. “I didn’t realize it until after I ran. Everything you do affects how you run. You really have to look at that stuff.”
Linjer also competed in the 200-meter dash and on the Wolves’ 400-meter relay team in her first season of high school. She never lost a race last year as a middle school runner.
“I like the 100 the best, that’s my favorite one,” she said. “I can hold the pace longer and just accelerate. I’m glad that I did middle school because I kind of understand how things work,” she said. “It’s a little different.”
Linjer usually finished near the top in her races this season.
“I’m naturally fast, but I worked really hard in the weight room with my coaches,” she said. “It helped me improve quite a bit this year. I wouldn’t have broken into the 12s like I did for my PR.”
Linjer also competed in cross country in Manawa and will be back on the running course this fall.
“It’s completely different,” she said. “Cross country builds up your endurance and how long you can hold something. I think it helped a lot.”
In the meantime, Linjer will head back to the weight room.
“I do hope to get a little faster,” she said. “I think I’m just going to keep working hard in the weight room.”
The state meet capped a busy month for Kisting. She attended the WIAA Scholar Athlete Banquet in Wausau before graduating near the top of her class.
“I just stayed focused and realized this is what I have to do,” she said. “I want to go out with my friends, but I’d say, ‘No, I have to stay home and study.’ It’s all about having that mental toughness that even though I want to do this, I have to do this because I know it will be better for me in the future.
“I’m just glad I can make it here,” she added. “I know everybody’s goal is to get on that podium, but to be honest, even if I didn’t, I still would have been proud. I’ve been here all four years. To podium all four years, that’s just something I can be proud of. I’m just going to remember all the fun times I had with my teammates and family. Going to state brings everybody together and you get to have so much fun and create so many memories. That’s really what means the most to me, being able to say I have that family and friends that back me up the whole ride.”
While Linjer trains for her sophomore season, Kisting is ready for the next chapter of her life at UW-Milwaukee.
“I just put my heart and soul in everything I do,” she said. “That’s what you have to do. Every athlete that competes here has that passion and that heart. You have to put in those miles. It teaches you a lesson that if you really want it, you have to put in the time.”
WIAA State Track & Field
Division 3
Boys
Iola-Scandinavia: Joe Makovec, seventh, 3,200-meter run (10:02.29); Will Cady, seventh, long jump (20 feet, 5 3/4 inches).
Wild Rose: Ashton Schwartzman, first, 400-meter dash (49.82); Alec Vandecastle, second, long jump (21 feet, 5 1/2 inches); 800-meter relay team (Tommy Friday, Nolan Jenkinson, David Lauritzen, Alec Vandecastle), second (1:32.2); 1,600-meter relay team (Hayden Schwartzman, Nolan Jenkinson, Tommy Friday, Ashton Schwartzman), second (3:27.62); David Lauritzen, fourth, 100-meter dash (11.61); 3,200-meter relay team (Hayden Schwartzman, Logan Wood, William Dorsett, Tommy Friday), fifth (8:21.36); Caleb Williams, 12th, triple jump (41 feet); 400-meter relay team (Hayden Schwartzman, David Lauritzen, Nolan Jenkinson Alec Vandecastle), 15th, preliminaries (45.18, did not qualify for finals).
Girls
Iola-Scandinavia: Erika Kisting, fourth, 1,600-meter run (5:17.16), and ninth, 3,200-meter run (11:54.21); Jada Beacom, seventh, 1,600-meter run (5:18.57).
Manawa: Aspen Linjer, sixth, 100-meter dash (12.79); Sami Struzynski, 11th, discus (109 feet, 11 inches); Laynie Bessette, 13th, 300-meter hurdles preliminaries (49.34, did not qualify for finals).
Weyauwega-Fremont: Anna Bubolz, 14th, long jump (15 feet, 4 1/4 inches).
Wild Rose: 800-meter relay team (Addy Lauritzen, Briana Lund, Anna Caswell, Olivia Bennot), second (1:47.68); 400-meter relay team (Addy Lauritzen, Olivia Bennot, Anna Caswell, Briana Lund), fourth (51.27); 1,600-meter relay team (MacKenzie Caves, Kiana Julian, Jennifer Jenks, Candice Milne), 10th (4:19.03); Kenzie Heineman, 12th, shot put (35 feet, 1 1/4 inches).
Team champions
Boys
Division 1: Kimberly; Division 2: Rice Lake; Division 3: Cambridge. Area teams: 2. Wild Rose (Division 3).
Girls
Division 1: Milwaukee King; Division 2: Wittenberg-Birnamwood; Division 3: Benton Co-op.
Area teams: 18. Wild Rose (Division 3); T32: Iola-Scandinavia (Division 3); T47: Manawa (Division 3).