As coaching duties can keep her mom Bree Meyer busy, Charlotte Meyer’s dad, Bob Meyer, is often the one who prepares the family meals.
So, it was his tortellini with pesto sauce that the seventh grader loaded up on the night before the Section 2A track meet, which was held at Mankato West on Saturday.
Along with a good night’s sleep, the pasta was a recipe for success as Meyer led the grueling 3200 from the starting gun to when she crossed the finish line 11:28.84 later. The second-place runner wasn’t within shouting distance.
Meyer will be one of a handful of Cleveland/Mankato Loyola Crusaders who make the trip to the state meet this week.
Second place was 49 seconds back, and Meyer said it was hard to keep a brisk pace when there was no one around to challenge her, especially in the heat. But she dials in.
“I just try my best and try not to get last.”
For all events, the first and second place finishers earn a trip to state. They can also make state if they meet a qualified mark.
Completing the 200 in 26.73, Ava Hahn, a junior, took third place and just missed the qualifying time by 0.29 seconds. The winning time was 25.96, and the silver medalist was 0.08 seconds behind.
While perhaps disappointing, it was an impressive effort for Hahn in her first year competing in track, and she was pleased with her performance.
The 800 was a similar situation for Hahn's classmate Savannah Meyer. With a 2:24.62 finish, she missed the qualifying time by about 2.3 seconds. The winning time among the 16 runners was 2:22.35, and the second-place runner finished in 2:24.20. Meyer, who was not feeling her best but still ran her second fastest time, had gone to state in that event last year and in the 1600 two years ago.
Other Crusaders going to state are Maddie Huiras with gold finishes in both the 100 hurdles and the 300 hurdles, Soren Kelly with a second-place finish in the boys 3200 and Chase Kijenksi with a second-place finish in the 300 hurdles.
The girls 4x800 team of Charlotte Meyer, Izzy Endres, Lily Phillips and Savannah Meyer took third place in the 4x800 with a 10:07.09 finish. They were nine seconds behind the second-place team. The winning time was 9:51.84.
The girls 4x400 team of Huiras, Savannah Meyer, Maddie Cooney and Hahn took fifth place with a 4:16.06. The winning time was 4:06.50.
Lily Phillps was 10th in the 1600. Giesel McCabe was 13th in the 3200.
With a 11:25.96 finish, TJ Waldron, a junior, was 15th in the 3200, up a notch from his finish in the 3200 at sections a year ago and 34 seconds faster.
Andrew Tieva was 12th in the 800, and Sam Vetter was seventh in the 1600. Nathan Strobel was 13th in the 1600 with a time of 4:57.60.
The boys 4x800 team of Vetter, Kyle Zimmerman, Strobel and Kelly took third with an 8:21.82. The winning time was 8:16.50.
It was the last high school competition for Strobel, but he has been accepted at Augustana (Sioux Falls, SD) with an academic scholarship and a chance to join the running programs.
The state meet will be held at St. Michel-Albertville High School. The Class A 3200 is slated for 6:38 pm on Thursday. Other Class A finals start at 3:30 on Thursday.
The school record in the 3200 is 11:25.3, and Meyer's goal is to break that on Thursday.
Above: Charlotte Meyer was way out front in the 3200.
