Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Junior Freese eyes school records, state berth
 Lanesboro/Fillmore Central's Yvonne Freese throws the discus for 112 feet, 10 inches to take first place at the Rushford-Peterson track and field meet in Rushford. (photo by Katie Derus/Winona Daily News) |
RUSHFORD, Minn. — She has some lofty goals, but the way Yvonne Freese is going, they should be no problem.
The junior thrower for the Lanesboro/Fillmore Central track and field team hasn’t been to state. Not yet.
That’s the plan. Part of it, anyway.
The other part is to leave Lanesboro No. 1 in the record books in the shot put and discus.
“They’re realistic goals if I can stay focused,” she said.
A third of the plan was completed last week when Freese broke Jodi Haugen’s shot put record with a distance of 38 feet, 2½ inches.
“It was hilarious,” L/FC coach Justin Rein said. “She was jumping around and screaming. She knew what the old record was (37-5).”
Nobody else did, however, probably wondering why Freese was going crazy, but she didn’t care.
“She has some pretty aggressive goals,” Rein said. “But she’s an athlete that, when she wants something, she’ll go out and get it done.
“She came in knowing a lot, which is helpful, because we can just focus on the little details. She’s still learning technique. She’s getting really good throws and still hardly uses her legs.”
Tuesday, Freese again swept throwing events at a meet, going 35-2¼ in the shot and a 112-10 in the discus at the Rushford-Peterson Meet.
No records that time for the junior, but they’re probably coming. The weather hasn’t really helped her much.
“It’s hard when it’s cold and raining all the time,” she said. “You can’t get those repetitions indoors. You’re practicing inside or just lifting weights. It isn’t the same.”
Freese increased her distance from last year by three feet in the shot. In the disc, she’s got a ways to go to catch Haugen. Freese’s best is 116-5 and Haugen’s school record is 125-7.
“It’s going to be tough,” Freese admitted. “When it comes, I hope to keep improving. I don’t want just one throw and have the record. I want to keep improving my distances.”
Freese’s teammate, Dan Sjarpe won the shot put on the boys side at the R-P Meet with a 50-8. Jordan Jarland took the triple jump (41-4), Ethan Hall won the 300-meter hurdles (32.99 seconds) and the L/FC boys 4x200 relay team won in 1:33.57.
Cotter got seven wins in the unscored meet, including two each from the Wasingers and Lexi Burnikel. Donny Wasinger won the 1,600 (4:25.28) and the 3,200 (9:38.35), while Sara Wasinger won the 400 (1:02.11) and the 800 (2:27.8).
“It’s fun watching them, they really encourage each other as brother and sister,” Cotter coach Dave Forney said.
Burnikel won the high jump (4-10) and long jump (15-8¼) and Patrick Bowlin took the 400 (53.46).
R-P/Houston got three wins. Kristen Ostrem won the 1,600 (5:30.7), Bailey Vitse took the 100 (13.5 seconds) and Rachel Ruberg won the 3,200 (13:04.32).
Lewiston-Altura’s Tanner Ties won the pole vault (13-2). Sam Wermager won a pair for Caledonia/Spring Grove, getting the 300 hurdles (50.47) and the triple jump (32-11¼). C/SG boys won the 400 relay (44.97).
La Crescent got wins from Jordan Humpal in the 110 hurdles (16.72) and Shannon Stever in the pole vault
(11-0). The Lancers girls 400 relay team also won (52.52).
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