Chanhassen's Caldwell pulls off another 100, 200 double

Jedah Caldwell can relax. Her legacy as one of Minnesota's great high school track and field sprinters is secure.

Caldwell punctuated a stellar prep career by defending her 100- and 200-meter titles at the Class 2A state meet Saturday at Hamline University.

Continued success created some burden. Parents, friends and peers expected great things. Caldwell did, too. She spent much of the season believing each race she ran should be faster than the one before.

"She was occasionally frustrated when that didn't always happen," Storm coach Chris Schriever said. "But she realized that those faster times are there for her to run at some point."

Taking a more patient approach, Caldwell got her desired results. She set record marks in the 100 (11.67 seconds) and 200 (23.59) earlier this spring.

"There was a lot on my shoulders," she said. "A lot of people were gunning for me. But it gave me the motivation to do well.

"I'm happy with my legacy in Minnesota," said Caldwell, who will compete at Kansas. "I want people to break my records. I want that to be their drive, their goal."

Team champs: Alexandria and Wayzata

Caldwell's efforts were not enough to give Chanhassen the team title. Alexandria (44.25 points) edged the Storm (44) for its first state title. On the boys' side, Wayzata (75 points) became the first repeat champion since Mounds View in 2006-07. Senior Jaret Carpenter helped by winning Saturday's 1,600 and taking the distance running triple crown. He won the cross-country title last fall and Friday's 3,200.

Guts and glory for sprinter McClellon

Hamstring pain slowed but couldn't stop Robbinsdale Armstrong senior Evan McClellon. The pain of regret, he figured, would have been worse.

A year ago, McClellon took second in both the 100 and 200. He planned to sweep those events this spring until hamstring pain shot through his left leg during Friday's preliminaries. McClellon withdrew from the 200 and 4 x 200 relay but kept hope alive for his signature race.

McClellon, Minnesota's record holder in the 100, won his first state title in the event in a time of 10.51 seconds.

"I felt my hamstring reject me getting off the blocks," McClellon said. "But when I saw guys in front of me, I started pushing myself to catch up. I wanted to do my best even if I hurt myself."

Edina breaks 9-minute barrier in 4 x 800

Saturday's meet started with a historic 4 x 800 relay. Edina's foursome of Tate Sweeney, Maria Rickman, Amanda Mosborg and Emily Kompelien won with a time of 8 minutes, 59.69 seconds — the state's first sub-9 minute performance by a female relay team.

The Hornets outran rival Minnetonka, winners of the past four Class 2A state titles. Rightfully favored after beating the Skippers in three previous meetings this season, the Hornets remained wary.

"We said, 'If Minnetonka passes you, don't freak out,' " said Mosborg, who put the advice to good use when she got passed on the first of her two-lap leg. She fought back to regain the lead and Edina never trailed again.

Top hurdlers call it a draw

The state's top hurdlers, Thief River Falls' Meleah Biermaier and Karina Joiner of East Ridge, each earned a state title and a state record.

Joiner could not match her state record 100 time of 13.92 set in Friday's preliminaries. But she defended her title with a mark of 14.01 seconds.

Joiner seemed poised for a sweep after taking the top time into the 300 finals. Biermaier, the champion as an eighth-grader and again last season, had other plans.

"I told myself, 'This is your race,'" she said. "I had to go out and run scared, I guess."

It worked. Biermaier won her third state title, lowering her state record to 41.35 seconds.

"She's a competitor and I knew she'd come out and run an insane time," Joiner said.

Other notable champions

Seniors Ruby Stauber of Wayzata and Bethany Hasz of Alexandria defended their state titles in the 800 and 1,600, respectively. Rochester Century senior Andrianna Jacobs captured her fourth consecutive pole vault title. On the boys' side, Elk River senior Lucas Trapp repeated as 800 champion. And St. Michael-Albertville senior Isaiah Weston won two events, the 110 hurdles and long jump.