The Mound Westonka Track and Field Team ended its season with a fourth-place team finish and four All-State athletes, which adds more accolades to the team's best season in school history. The accomplishments from the 2023 season include Wright County Conference Champions, True Team Champions, a girls' 10th place finish at True Team State and Section 6AA Runner-Up title, and a boys’ 4th place finish in the Class AA Track and Field State Meet. In addition to these team milestones, 10 school records were broken, many dating as far back as 1975.
Fifteen athletes qualified for the State Track and Field meet held in St. Michael Albertville on June 9 and 10. In addition to the boys' team placing 4th, four athletes placed in the finals earning All-State Honors: Sam Dioszhegy finished 6th in the shot put, Reese Kapser finished 4th in 300 hurdles, Jack Markstrom finished 2nd in 400m, and Payton Kasper placed 5th in 110 hurdles, 4th in pole vault, and 2nd in 300 hurdles. Kasper will continue his track and field career as a D1 athlete at The University of Kansas in the fall.
Kasper, a former gymnast, joined the track team with a passion for pole vault, but quickly developed into a multi-event phenom. He broke four records this season in pole vault, 110 hurdles, 300 hurdles, and as a member of the 4X400 relay. The team of Kasper, Jack Markstrom, Luke Markstrom, and Brendon Sexton set a new school record of 3:24.08 breaking a long-standing MWHS record from 1975 and also setting a Section 6AA record. Additionally, Jack Marstrom set a new school record in the 400m at state, crossing the line at 48.52 seconds. Markstrom also anchored the 4X200 relay (Brett Barkowitz, Owen McCue, Luke Markstrom, J.Markstrom) which set a new school record last Friday in the state meet prelims.
The Girls' team has also earned historic success and smashed records. Claiming the conference title for the first time since 2007, these athletes have had an incredible season. Leading the record-breaking is Reese Kasper whose time of 44.52 at state broke the record from 2009. Kasper was also the Section 6AA Champion in this event and the anchor for the 4X200 relay team (Micah Boyce, Alicia Hatelstad, Reese Kasper, Avery Olson) who set a new school and 6AA Section Record with a time of 1:45.98 and placed 10th in the state meet. In the field events, Samantha Christensen set a new triple jump record of 34’11” and Lexi Rehman broke the long jump record by setting a new MWHS record of 17’2.” Head Coach Sara Schwartz was also selected as the 6AA Section Coach of the Year.
The 2023 season is one for the history book and the team’s legacy and these records will be on display at Mound Westonka later this summer. The team is planning an unveiling and celebration of the new record board.
