No one was within hollering distance of Tyler Erickson when he crossed the finish line in both the 1600-meter and the 800-meter in Janesville on Monday.
In the mile (above), Erickson’s 4:59.66 finish was over 48 seconds better than the silver-place runner. There were 15 competing.
In the 800, his 2:09.43 time was over 12 seconds faster than the second-place runner. There were 16 athletes competing.
Both Erickson and Crusader head coach Dale Compton wish that he had more competition to help prod him along.
“A lot of these littler meets are like practices for us,” Erickson said. “We’re just trying to get a workout in.”
Erickson’s favorite race is the mile, and he hopes to achieve a sub 4:40 finish before he graduates this spring. His PR of 4:50 happened as a sophomore.
While he thinks missing the season last year might have hurt his times a little, he is just glad to be back on the track this season. Next fall, he will reunite with former teammate Mitchell Johnstone (CHS 2020) as he heads off to compete in cross-country and track at Winona State.
Compton said Erickson has learned so much from his cross-country and track teammates in the past, and now, as one of five Crusader seniors, he is carrying the torch.
“The younger guys really look up to him, especially the cross-country guys. He’s been around. He knows how to do it right. He knows how to warm up. He knows what he’s supposed to do.”
While most of the meets the Crusaders have competed in this season have been triangulars, six teams participated at Janesville. Along with Mankato-Loyola-Cleveland, were JWP, Kenyon-Wanamingo, LCWM-Nicollet, Madelia-Truman and Minnesota Valley Lutheran.
In order to keep under the maximum athletes allowed, the meet was split into two, first the girls and then the boys.
JWP won the girls meet. The Crusaders finished last. LCWM-Nicollet won the boys meet. The Crusaders were fifth.
Also running the mile on the JWP track, freshman Nathan Strobel’s finished in 5:48.07 for ninth place (photo below).
Other CHS students who took to the track this year are eighth graders Savanah Meyer, Mackenzie Smith and TJ Waldron and seventh graders Elijah Mons and Mason Kluntz.
Teacher Bree Meyer is the assistant varsity coach while Sydnee Germscheid (CHS 2020) is the junior high coach.
The Clipper varsity returns to Janesville next Tuesday for the conference meet. The junior high team will compete in Winthrop on Thursday.
Below are the results in the other meets so far this season.
Monday, April 12, Sleepy Eye varsity meet
Erickson: 2nd in the 1600 (5:06.49), 1st in the 4x400 (4:00.66)
Strobel: 8th in the 800 (2:45.67)
Meyer: 5th in the 400 (74.69)
Smith: 200
Thursday, April 15, LCWM varsity meet
Erickson: 1st in the 4x800 (9:38.10)
Strobel: 8th in the 400 (69.00), 5th in the triple jump (27-11)
Meyer: 2nd in the 4x800, 2nd in the 4x200 (2:14.78), 5th in the triple jump (26-06)
Smith: 2nd in the 4x100 (61.03), 2nd in the 4x200 (2:14.78), 9th in the long jump (11.02)
Saturday, April 17, JWP junior high meet
Meyer: 2nd in the 4x100 (100.95), 2nd in the Sprint Medley (2:20.58), 2nd in the triple jump (25-01.50)
Smith: 2nd in the 4x100 (100.95), 2nd in the sprint medley, 2:20.58, 8th in the long jump (11.06.75)
Waldron: 5th in the 800 (3:01.75), 4th in the 1600 (6:21.83)
Kluntz: 1st in the 4x100 (1:02.11), 4x200m (2:22.32), 3rd in the sprint medley (2:36.37), 8th in the long jump (9-07.75)
Mons: 4x200 (2:22.32), 3rd in the sprint medley (2:36.37), 6th in the triple jump (23-03.00)
Monday, April 19, Blooming Prairie junior high meet
Waldron: 3rd in the 1600 (6:33.89)
Kluntz: 7th in the 200 (38.68), 5th in the 400 (1:26.75)
Mons: 1st in the 800 (3:04.01)
Friday, April 23, Belle Plaine junior high meet
Meyer: 2nd in the 1600 (6:19.50), 6th in the triple jump (23-11)
Smith: 3rd in the 200 (32.6), 6th in the long jump (10.8)
Waldron: 5th in the 1600 (6:18.9), 5th in the 800 (2:57.57)
Kluntz: 7th in the 800 (3:24.57), 9th in the long jump (9.10)
Mons: 6th in the 800 (3:01.15), 4th in the triple jump (23-02)
Friday, April 23, LCWM varsity meet
Erickson: 1st in the 1600 (4:59.57), 1st in the 800 (2:10.98)
Strobel: 12th in the 1600 (5:56.91), 4th in the triple jump (31-0)
Thursday, April 29, JWP varsity meet
Results pending