Crowning achievements
Washington speedster Johnson wins 100 meters
LA CROSSE - Entering the WIAA state track and field meet this weekend at UW-La Crosse’s Memorial Stadium, the Milwaukee Washington boys team had not had an individual or relay win a state championship in 25 years.
The Purgolders also had not had a runner as fast — and as confident — as Elijah Johnson in that time.
Johnson sped his way to a Division 1 state title in the 100 meters on Saturday by edging Oak Creek’s Cornelius Bright and defending state champion L.O. Johnson of Waunakee with a time of 10.86 seconds.
“Those are some good runners in the race,” Johnson said.
“They really are. They have good sportsmanship, too. But I had to do what I had to do.”
Johnson, a junior, took fifth place in the 100 a year ago but was determined to best that this season.
“I was focused on setting my goals and telling myself I’m going to achieve it,” he said. “Last year I got fifth. It wasn’t happening anymore. My goal was to win state this year.”
By achieving his goal, Johnson became the first Washington boys athlete to place first at state since Daryl Carter won the 110 high hurdles in 1993.
Later in the afternoon, Johnson took second in the 200, finishing behind Muskego senior Justin Kotarak.
Johnson, who earned the top 100 seed time in prelims Friday, admitted to being a bit nervous before the race — well, at least as nervous as someone that confident can be.
“I was kind of nervous during warmups and stuff, but I knew that I had it,” he said. “I like listening to music or do a couple laps or something like that to stay focused.”
What was the music of choice for 2018’s 100 state champion? The hip-hop group Migos, without a close second.
“That’s really the only people I listen to,” Johnson said. “It gets me ready to go out and do my thing.”
Not more than 30 minutes after earning his first gold medal at state, Johnson already had his sights set on 2019.
“I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “Because I’m taking the race next year, too.”
Muskego’s relays dominate: You didn’t need to see the clock to know what the Muskego 800 relay team had just done.
All you had to do was see and hear the Warriors’ RJ Bosshart leap into Kotarak’s arms and yell, “Let’s go!”
The Warriors’ relay of Spencer Reichart, Sam Scholz, Bosshart and Kotarak defended its Division 1 state title in the relay and set a state record with a time of 1:26.82. Later, the same runners won the 400 relay as well.
Muskego won the 800 a year ago and brought back three of the four members from that relay, with Reichart being the new addition.
“That’s been the goal, to go back-toback and get that state record,” Kotarak said. “Last year, we obviously were state champs, but this year we wanted to strive for something bigger and cement ourselves in history.
“Getting the state record cements us.”
A good Knight: There was never much doubt that Kimberly was going to run away with the Division 1 title, which it did with 74 points.
That didn’t stop Oak Creek from delivering an impressive all-around performance.
The Knights took home the runnerup trophy with 45 points, thanks largely to their relays, James Carter in the jumps and Bright in the 100.
Oak Creek’s 1,600 relay of Steven Potter, Sam Phelps, Ryan Harvey-Turner and Ryan Potter capped the meet with a first-place finish after taking fourth in prelims.
“It was glorious, it was beautiful,” said Ryan Potter. “I told (Ryan HarveyTurner and Steven Potter) last season that we have to do something special. Just coming down the home stretch and looking at the screen, it was amazing.”
Carter, following a fourth-place finish in the long jump Friday, sprung a triple jump of 49 feet 2 inches that was just a quarter-inch short of the state record.
Both Bright and the Knights’ 3,200 relay took second place, while Steven Potter rounded out the teams’ scorers by finishing fifth in the 800.
Meet roundup: Rice Lake won the Division 2 meet on the strength of an all-time standout performance from Kenneth Bednarek.
Bednarek wowed the crowd by setting state records in winning the 100, 200 and 400.
Lodi finished in a close second, 5348.
Cambridge won the Division 3 title with 62 points, besting the 43 tallied by both Bangor and Wild Rose.