High school spring sports in Pierce County are officially underway, even if the first meet was indoors. Prescott and Ellsworth boys’ and girls' track competed in the Middle Border Conference Indoor Meet at UW-River Falls on Friday. Ellsworth senior thrower, Maleah Petersen, placed fifth at the state meet last spring for the Panthers in the discus. Petersen recently committed to UW-River Falls to throw for the Falcons next year. 

"I'm so excited," said Petersen. "The whole coaching staff (at UWRF) has been so welcoming. I'm also excited for my senior season. When I hit my PR (personal record) last year in the shot, I was gliding and this year I'm spinning, so to come out and get a 33 (feet) for the first meet felt pretty good."

Petersen took first place in the shot put on Friday with a throw of 33' 2". Her peach-colored nails remained intact on the afternoon. 

"I definitely like the nails," said Petersen.

Another first-place finish for the Panthers came in the boys' 4x800-meter relay. The team of Noah Matzek, Ben Baker, Kennan McEathron, and Trae Christianson finished with a time of 9:44.91, almost 16 seconds faster than second place Amery.

The most dominating event of the day for Prescott was in the boys' 400-meter race. Senior Jack Kreager placed first (55.48), senior Will Packard was second (55.68), sophomore Wyatt Budworth was fourth (56.54) and junior Wyatt Wrisky was sixth (57.65).

Ellsworth's Keegan Stahlke finished fourth in the boys’ 400-meter (56.34).

Prescott's Packard had himself a day. Donning a mustache and mullet, the UW-La Crosse football-signee finished third in the triple jump (38' 4") and along with Andrew Russell, Gavin Miller, and Jack Kreager, was a part of the Cardinal 4x400-meter relay team that finished second (3:45.47).

The Cardinal girls' 4x400-meter relay team also finished second with a time of 4:32.88. That squad featured Addyson Allsop, Natalee Huppert, Blakelie Schommer, and Amanda Miller.

Miller also finished fourth place in the girls' triple jump (30' 11") for Prescott.

Prescott notched two first-place finishes in the field events with senior Izzy Metz winning the girls' high jump at 4' 11". Cardinal senior and UW-River Falls' track signee Ethan West took home first place honors in the boys' pole vault (12' 6"). West also placed fourth in the 55-meter sprint with a time of 6.75.

Fellow Cardinal Andrew Russell won the boys' 55-meter with a time of 6.63. Ellsworth's Brady Mitchell finished eighth in the 55 (6.83) and fourth in the boys' 200-meter race (24.31). Mitchell was also a part of the Panther boys' 4x200-meter relay that finished second (1:40.80). Joining Mitchell on the 200-meter relay team was Knox Hines, Omar Coulson, and Michael Holst. 

Ellsworth's Lexi Marks and Prescott's Charlette Kellogg tied for third in the girls' 55-meter race with a time of 7.92. The same two, Marks and Kellogg, were going at it again in the girls' 200-meter race. The Cardinals' Kellogg finished fifth with a time of 29.24. The Panthers' Marks was seventh in the girls' 200 meters (29.78).

Marks was a part of the Ellsworth girls' 4x200m relay team that finished third along with Ava Birkel, Julia Boyle, and Isabelle Peterson (2:00.10).

Prescott freshman Kyla Gotzinger finished fifth in the girls' 800-meter race (2:45.12). Her senior teammate, Sydney Herr, finished seventh (2:49.99).

The Cardinal trio of sophomore Kyra Dix (6:04.30), junior Amber Van Loon (6:24.70), and sophomore Emma Schmitz (6:24.80) finished fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively, in the girls' 1,600-meter race.

Prescott sophomore Steven Craft finished fifth in the boys' 55-meter hurdles (10.66). David Regnier, a 6’4” 280-pound lineman playing football for St. Thomas next year, placed fifth in the boys’ shot put (43’ 8”). The Cardinals’ Wyatt Budworth placed third in the boys’ long jump (19’ 5.25”).

Tracking the schedule:

Ellsworth will compete in the UW-Eau Claire Indoor Invitational on Thursday, March 27 beginning at 4 p.m.

Prescott will travel to Menomonie to compete in the UW-Stout Indoor Invitational on Saturday, March 29 beginning at 9 a.m.