Records tumble at Hamline Elite Meet

While gutting out the grueling 4x800-meter relay race, Minnetonka's Elizabeth Endy received a challenge from the track announcer.

"I could hear him saying, 'They have a chance,' " Endy said, at a Hamline Elite Meet record. Looking down the home stretch, Endy located the race clock and "started to really push it."

Her inspired anchor leg gave Minnetonka a victory in a meet-record time of 9 minutes, 22.57 seconds.

The Skippers' performance was the first of 13 record-smashing performances on Friday at Hamline University.

The weather, a welcomed warm and sunny evening, played a role.

"It's not a blizzard; it's not pouring rain," joked Rosemount's Rachel Schow, who finished the 300 hurdles in a record time of 43.87 seconds. She is the defending state champion in the 100 and 300 hurdle events.

Bloomington Jefferson's Matthew Rosen ran the 800 hoping to set a new standard.

Endy also ran a leg of a record-setting 4x400 relay while teammate Mia Barron reset meet records in the long jump and triple jump.

Eagan's Jacob Gourley enjoyed a banner night on the track, winning the 100 and 200 and anchoring the Wildcats' victorious 4x200 relay in a new meet record time.

The only hitch came after the 100, when his attempt at throwing a T-shirt into the crowd — a meet tradition for winners — sailed well off course.

Gourley joked he threw out his shoulder, but his health is no joke. A shin injury limited him during a sixth-place finish in the 100 at the state meet last year. A MRI later revealed a stress fracture.

Lakeville South Shaina Burns won the shot put and 100 hurdles events. She placed second in the 300 hurdles and also ran a leg of the Cougars' second-place 4x400 relay.

"I'm really good friends with a lot of the girls in the field so we've been talking and texting," Burns said.