Waupaca senior competes in 3,200
By Greg Seubert
Two trips to state made Forrest Ziebell’s senior year at Waupaca High School one he won’t forget anytime soon.
It started in October with his first trip to the WIAA State Cross Country Championships in Wisconsin Rapids, where he placed 71st in the Division 2 race.
It ended May 31 at the WIAA State Track & Field Championships in La Crosse with an 11th-place finish in the Division 2 3,200-meter run.
Ziebell qualified for his first trip to the state track meet with his fastest time – 9:53.41 – at the Freedom Sectional.
“I wanted to make sure I didn’t end my season there,” he said. “I’m glad I had my coaches and teammates supporting me all the way.”
Besides competing in cross country and track, Ziebell was also a member of the Comets’ boys’ soccer team that won a regional championship on the same day he qualified for the state cross country meet.
“To qualify for state and win a regional title was probably the best day of my life,” he said.
Heat was a factor in the 3,200, which Ziebell completed in 10:13.89.
“I saw a couple of guys from the sectional I competed at have rough races and some of the frontrunners didn’t run as fast as they had in the past,” he said.
Making it to the state track meet was one of Ziebell’s goal.
“After I got my confidence up from making it to state in cross country, I knew I had a chance in track as well,” he said.