Boys Track and Field: Irish win True Team title

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As the Rosemount boys track and field team went through last season, the lineup was shaped in a manner that would allow the Irish to be at their best in the season-ending meets.

With so much top-flight talent, Rosemount excelled in meets that rewarded top finishes. That was never more clear than when the Irish won the end of the season state title.

This year, Rosemount again features several top individual athletes, but coach Jay Hatleli knows his overall team has its strengths as well.

“We’re a little different type team than last year,” Hatleli said. “We are a little more geared to the True Team format. We are demonstrating some real depth. That wasn’t quite the situation last year.”

The True Team format worked in the Irish’s favor on Tuesday as they won the True Team section meet at Apple Valley.

Rosemount scored 910 points to easily outdistance second-place Farmington’s 746 points.

“It was a good showing,” Hatleli said. “We knew we had a good team, but we also understood Farmington has a good team. We felt we had a shot to win it if we performed well enough, and that happened last night.

“All the way across the board we had solid performances from the one through three guys in every event.”

Austin Eliason won the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

Christian Willman and Goaner Deng placed 2-3 in the 400.

“Goaner Deng really came up big for us in the 400,” Hatleli said.

Chris Massey won the 1,600 with Jonathan Sampers placing fourth and Ben Carlson finishing sixth.

Massey added a win in the 3,200 with Abasher Abasher placing fifth and Nathan Rock came in seventh.

Tanner Zabel was second in the 110 hurdles, while Zach Vraa placed second in the 300 hurdles.

Rosemount’s team of Ben Koeppen, Chris Mergens, Abasher, and Chandler Dye won the 4x800 relay.

The Irish finished second in three other relays.

Eliason was second in the long jump.

Brandt Berghuis won the discus, while placing second in the shot put.

Andy Malicki was second in the shot put.

Tags: track and field, sports, rosemount