Carlson, Urman, Syverson and Benck seeded first

The Prescott girls track team’s 4×100 and 4×200 relay teams will have a target on their backs when competition gets underway at Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of UW-La Crosse.

They’re used to that.

“We’ve been up on top all year. We’re hoping to make it happen when it matters,” said Coach Emily Calabrese.

Prescott’s teams both have the best seed time going into the state competition. They won the championship events at the WIAA Sectional Meet Thursday in Osceola, setting facilities records in both events, to go along with their Prescott High records.

The same core four runners make up each team. The 4×100 group is Grace Carlson, Jessie Urman, Abby Syverson and Tori Benck, all seniors. Their time of 49.65 is well-ahead of the second- place seed time of Fox Valley Lutheran at 50.48.

“We’re been hoping to break 50 seconds for years, and we finally did it at the sectional meet,” said Calabrese.

The coach recalled the two Prescott relays being on top in 2019 but being edged out of the championship at state.

“I’ve been absolutely thrilled with how they’ve performed this year,” she said. “Everyone has had their eyes on Prescott track for four years. It’s nothing that my girls aren’t used to. It’s second nature to them now when we practice. Four years ago when we were at La Crosse, we were terrified and trembling. Now, it’s part of our season. It’s what we do.”

Alternates on that 4×100 team are two freshmen, Kennedy Braun and Kianna Severson.

In the 4×200, Syverson, Urman, Carlson and Benck have a seed time of 1:44.11. Madison Edgewood is second at 1:44.86. Junior Maddie Matzek and Braun are the two alternates on that grouping.

Syverson will also compete in the 200-meter dash, where she comes into the state competition seeded seventh with a run of 26.19.

Carlson also will compete in the 100-meter dash, where she is seeded ninth with a run of 12.75.

The Prescott boys’ team will be represented by its 4×200 meter relay team which advanced from the regional meet. Making up that team that is seeded 15th in the event are juniors Grant Stanton, Andrew Lee, Kyle Budworth and Aiden Russell, with senior Damion Huppert as an alternate.

Russell also qualified for state in the high jump, with a posting a jump of 5-11, and he’s seeded 16th in that event.

Photo from Prescott School District Facebook page