2023 Track and Field State Meet Day 1 Recap
Posted: Thursday, June 8, 2023 - 11:54 PM
Nevis senior Jade Rypkema took another step toward finishing her sterling high school career with a crescendo by winning the Class A 3,200-meter championship on Thursday, June 8 at St. Michael-Albertville High School, the first day of the three-day Minnesota State High School League’s Track and Field State Meet.
Rypkema, who has signed to run at Gonzaga University, has not lost a Minnesota race during her senior season, a streak that continued with a repeat championship of the 3,200-meter crown for the third consecutive season. She blitzed the field in a time of 10 minutes, 35.02 seconds to defeat longtime rival, Murray County Central senior Amanda Overgaauw, by 19 seconds. Staples-Motley freshman Audrey Brownell was third in 11:11.26.
On Friday, Rypkema will attempt to successfully defend her championship in the 1,600 as well. She has the fastest qualifying time at 4:55.52.
In the fall, Rypkema won the League’s Class A championship at the Cross Country State Meet at St. Olaf. This spring, she won the 3,200 at the Hamline Elite Meet, an invitational of Minnesota’s top track participants.
Following the completion of the Class A girls 3,200-meter run, it was the boys’ turn.
Perham sophomore Bjorn Anderson was first to the line in a winning time of 9:22.44. Nova Classical Academy senior Henry Karelitz was runner-up in 9:28.91 and Cromwell-Wright senior Noah Foster was third in 9:29.60.
In the Class AAA 3,200-meter race earlier in the day, Wayzata freshman Madelyn Gullickson edged Mounds View senior Taylor Isabel by just more than a second. Gullickson finished in 10:39.55 while Isabel was close behind in 10:40.77. Shortly afterward, Robbinsdale Armstrong senior Noah Breker had a record-setting performance in the 3,200 with a winning time of 8:51.44. Minneapolis Washburn senior Aidan Jones was three seconds back in 8:54.48.
Complete information and results can be found on the boys and girls track activity pages.
Boys: www.mshsl.org/boystrackandfield
Girls: www.mshsl.org/girlstrackandfield
Nevis senior Jade Rypkema won the Class A 3,200-meter championship for the third consecutive year on Thursday, June 8 at St. Michael-Albertville High School. Photo by Jason Wachter, MSHSL
