Trojan boys win Big South track, earn state True Team berth

WORTHINGTON -- Good news just kept coming Saturday for the Worthington High School boys track and field team.

It started that morning when the Trojans learned that they had qualified as a wild card for the state True Team Class AA meet. Later that day while competing on their own Trojan Field in a Big South Conference meet, they achieved first place.

“They just had one of the great days. Every kid stepped up and did their part to get it done,” said an excited co-head coach Cory Smidt Saturday afternoon. “A wonderful day to be a Trojan.”

Submitted photo

Worthington’s boys garnered 153.5 team points to easily surpass Waseca, which had 134.5. Fairmont followed with 132, Marshall 118.5, St. Peter 112 and New Ulm 36.5 (the small-school Big South meet was in Windom Saturday; results for both events are online at www.athletic.net ).

The Trojan boys prevailed in their meet on the basis of several first-place finishes by their most decorated stars, but also because many more points were gathered in other positions.

It was a very good day for junior Abagotte Opiew, who won the 110-meter high hurdles in 15.74 and the triple jump in 43-7. He was second in the long jump.

Opiew continues to work toward setting a new school record in the triple jump. His best distance so far has been 44-2.5, but in order to get his name in the record book he’ll have to reach 44-10.

“I feel good right now,” he said while performing in the event on Saturday, “but I feel I can do a little bit more. I think I can do it. Just got to keep pumping it. My teammates are pushing me every day, making me better in practice.”

The key, Abagotte believes, lies in getting the most out of his second big step -- the “second phase.”

“I think I’ve really got to work on my second phase. I’m just doing some bounding drills now. It increases my phases, makes me more comfortable,” he said.

Abagotte’s brother, Marenono, also had a good day at the Big South meet, placing second in the 300-meter hurdles and third in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Worthington’s outstanding 4x800-meter relay team, which has rarely been tested this spring, again easily won that event in 8:28.83. Ofbeka Morke, Filmon Wolday, Mason Bobb and Mikele Walu were the foursome that ran it.

Walu, Morke and Isaac Kinser finished 2-3-4 for the Trojans in the 800-meter run.

Filmon Wolday won the 1600-meter run in 4:39.98 and Fanuel Wolday won the 3200-meter run in 10:20.35.

In the girls’ team standings, Fairmont finished on top with 188 points. Waseca had 154, followed by Marshall 137.5, St. Peter 92.5, Worthington 69 and New Ulm 46.

Bailey Newman achieved a first for WHS with a 12.92 time in the 100-meter dash. Teammate Emma Singler won the discus with a 101-9 throw.

The Trojan girls also won the 4x100-meter relay with Newyouman Gora, Madi Singler, Pham Gora and Newman (52.53) and the 4x200-meter relay with Newyouman Gora, Jessinia Ybarra Muniz, Pham Gora and Newman (1:51.68).

Worthington will host the Trojan Relays on Tuesday. The state True Team meet will be next Saturday in Stillwater.