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Lachowitzer led the field in the 3,200-meter dash at the Class 2A state high school track and field meet, but Wasinger was as close as you can get without being totally intrusive.
For one lap — the one that counts the most — it was all Wasinger. The Cotter senior passed Lachowitzer with 50 meters to go on the seventh lap and though he looked back a few times, he never had to.
Wasinger defended his 3,200 state title on a windy Friday at Hamline University, finishing with a new Cotter record of 9 minutes, 22.42 seconds. His old record was 9:22.87. Lachowitzer finished in 9:28.81.
“There are only a few strategies to use when it’s windy like this,” Wasinger said. “I kind of held back. I felt like passing a couple times, but tried to run smart.
“You have to get right on him or it doesn’t do anything against the wind.”
Wasinger had his lead leg in sync with Lachowitzer’s trailing leg for nearly the entire race.
“That’s just racing,” said Lachowitzer, a Perham senior who will run for the University of Minnesota next season. “I would have liked for him to take the wind, but I didn’t know what he would do, if he would slow down or pick it up. I figured the best way for me was to grind for as long as I could.”
Lachowitzer fully expected Wasinger to do what he did. He just wasn’t sure when.
“Last year, he passed me with two laps to go,” Lachowitzer said. “I knew Donny had a good kick.”
Wasinger was reserved upon winning his second-consecutive title.
“I still have another race,” Wasinger said. “It’s not time to celebrate yet. One more race before I take off this Cotter uniform for good.”
While Wasinger is finishing up his last season at Cotter, Lexi Burnikel wrapped up her first trip to state.
The Cotter sophomore, who holds the school record with a 16-6 in the long jump, finished with a 15-11¼, and did not make the finals. Eighth grader Laure Olson from Hawley/Ulen-Hitterdahl, won with a 17-¼.
