Minnesota High jump state record-holder repeats as champ in a jump-off

Repeating as the Class 2A girls' high jump champion required Blaine junior Madison Schmidt to do something new.

Win a jump-off.

With the bar set at 5 feet, 10 inches, Schmidt and Benilde-St. Margaret's senior Madison Johnson went to overtime on Friday, day one of the track and field state meet at Hamline University.

Johnson's attempt failed but Schmidt went up and over for the victory.

"The jump-off was actually kind of fun," Schmidt said. "Lots of pressure but a good experience."

Good things came Schmidt's way all spring. Earlier in the season her jump of 6 feet made her Minnesota's career record holder. And her height Friday tied the meet record set in 1986 by Rochester John Marshall's Linda Barsness.

Another Linda, Schmidt's mother, won the 1984 state high jump title (5-6) for Tower-Soudan.

Correct count

A year ago, Buffalo senior Isaac Basten miscounted the number of laps in the 3,200-meter race and never activated his finishing kick.

"Everybody started sprinting the last 100 meters and I was like, 'Geez, these guys are going pretty fast,' " said Basten, who finished ninth.

Basten used a potent kick Friday to surge past leader Acer Iverson of Roseville as the seventh of eight laps ended.

"Once I made that move, it kind of hit me like 'Wow, I might be a state champion right here,' " said Basten, who won the event on the same track at the Hamline Elite Meet. "But then it was, 'Stop thinking about that and finish the race first.' "

Basten's time of 9 minutes, 9.96 seconds bested Iverson (9:12.50), the Class 2A cross-country champion last fall.

New team, same result

When Lauren Peterson won the 3,200 title in 2017, she ran for Farmington. A family move during this school year brought her to Rosemount, and Peterson won the 3,200 once again.

She led start to finish and her time of 10:38.03 beat Stillwater sophomore Analee Weaver (10:40.19) and Minneapolis Washburn senior Emily Covert (10:52.28). Covert, the defending champion, was running just her second race of an injury-shortened season.

"I wanted to come back and win it this year and I'm really glad I got it today," Peterson said. "I used to sit back with the chase pack but as I've gotten older, I've just practiced pushing the pace."

Cold comfort

Preparing to defend his shot put title meant Rosemount's Max Otterdahl subjected himself to a cold morning shower, just like last year.

"That woke me right up," Otterdahl said.

One key difference this year: He wasn't nagged by an upper hamstring injury. Healthy and confident, Otterdahl repeated as champion with a mark of 64 feet, four inches.

He goes for the throwing sweep Saturday as the top seed in the discus competition.

Fighting back

Hopkins lowered its previous state record in the 4x200 preliminaries (1:25.66) but was later disqualified in the 4x100 after a botched baton exchange.

The Royals own the state 4x100 record. Despite missing a chance to run in the finals each relay member showed character in ensuing preliminary races.

Jackson posted the top 300 hurdles time (38.41). Champion and Sam Leervig ran legs of the first-place 4x400 (3:22.14) and Joe Fahnbulleh paced the 200.

"It's kind of sad," said Fahnbulleh, who anchored both sprint relays. "But right now, in the moment, you're here on business."

Fantastic four

Maintaining excellence in four events proved to be its own event for Blake senior Robbie Grace. She defended her long jump title (19-1½) and ran strong preliminary times in the 100 (second), 200 (first) and 400 (first).

The 200 fell last in the event order. Since it asked the most from Grace, it ranked first on her list of performances.

"Just knowing how tired I was, I knew it would be my hardest event of the day," she said.

Pole vaulter repeats

East Ridge senior Alec Wittman repeated as Class 2A pole vault champ, clearing 15 feet. The mark was six inches higher than his winning mark last spring.