Prep track: Records fall at the dry but windy 21st Mega Meet

SAUK RAPIDS - It was four years ago when Wade Krueger helped set St. Cloud Tech's record in the 3,200-meter relay.

On Saturday with three different teammates, he did it again.

"We were looking for it today," said Krueger, who with teammates Isaac Wieber, Max Webb and Cory Rouw turned in a time of 8 minutes, 23.28 seconds to beat Sartell by more than 16 seconds. The Sabres had a 8:39.44.

"Hopefully, we can get it down some more," Krueger said.

It wasn't a particularly good day for records at the 21st Annual Mega Meet. It was windy, but dry, making it one of the best Mega Meets in recent years, at least weather-wise.

But there were a lot of great performances.

"Hopefully, everyone goes home feeling good about what they did," said Loren Finlayson, who is Sauk Rapids' co-head coach with Marie Zeilenga. "I feel good about how our kids did."

Minnehaha Academy won the boys meet, edging Sartell 76.5-75. Foley (55) was third. Blaine (100) was the girls' champion, beating Centennial (84.5), Alexandria (67) and Tech (63). Sartell (60) was fifth.

"I was surprised," Sartell head coach Jeff Kellerman said of his boys' finish. "We're trying to build some momentum with this and the kids had some really good performances.

"It was a good meet for us."

As it was for the Tech boys. Krueger was part of a 3,200 relay with Sam Coulter, Brady Brouwer and Isaac Shella-Stevens that set the record in 2011. Saturday, the senior did it again with three juniors.

Double winners included Foley's Tyler Beehler in the 100 (10.84) and 200 (22.29). The 100 was in meet-record time, but just off Beehler's school record of 10.72.

St. Cloud Cathedral's Nick Golebiowski won the 1,600 (4:31.59) and the 3,200 (9:49.5). Neither were close to his best times. He broke Cathedral's 3,200 record last week at the Elite Meet in St. Paul (9:15).

"I realized today wasn't going to be about times," said Golebiowski, who is headed to Georgetown to continue his distance running career. "I've been in a tough training cycle.

"I upped my mileage this week. I feel like my legs are tired. ...

"It was my first double (both distance races) of the year, too."

He spent Saturday taking turns running in the lead with Sartell's Blake Anderson, who wound up fourth (10:04.77). The two were helping each other.

Anderson has run a 9:46.54 and is aiming for Sartell's school record, a 9:39.

But it wasn't going to happen this day. It was too windy.

"We were taking turns to try to break the wind a little bit," said Anderson, a senior who will run at Minnesota-Duluth in the fall. "We like to help each other out when we can.

"Nick's having a really good season."

The distance races in the girls' division also had a local flavor. In the 1,600, Tech eighth-grader Lauren Steinke won in 5:26.93.

In the 3,200, Steinke wound up second to St. Cloud Christian senior McKenzie Holt. Holt ran an 11:43.65 to edge Steinke (11:44.86).

It was Steinke's first 3,200 of the season.

"Indoor doesn't do me any good," she said of the distance. "I have enough endurance. I need to work on my speed.

"That's why I've been running 800s."

She couldn't quite out-kick Holt this day.

"It's good to run against her," Steinke said. "It boosts my confidence. She's in 12th grade. I'm in eighth. She's really good."

Holt is in the final stretch of a long, successful career. She's headed to Minnesota-Duluth in the fall to continue her running career.

"It helped to have Lauren," Holt said. "It was a good race.

"She reminds me exactly of how I was in eighth grade. She's a very good runner with so much potential. ... She's faster than I was in eighth grade."

Most of the teams at Saturday's meet now gear up for true-team sectionals. Sartell is host to one at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Boys team scores — 1. Minnehaha Academy 76.5; 2. Sartell 75; 3. Foley 55; 4. St. Francis 53.5; 5. Alexandria 52; 6. Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony 49; 7. St. Cloud Tech 45.5; 8. Centennial 43; 9. (tie) Maple Grove and Coon Rapids 38; 11. (tie) Little Falls and St. Cloud Apollo 35; 13. Rocori 28.5; 14. Sauk Rapids 23; 15. (tie) Albany and St. Cloud Cathedral 20; 17. St. Cloud Christian10; 18. Litchfield 5.

Individual winners — 100 — Tyler Beehler (F) 10.84*; 200 — Tyler Beehler (F) 22.29; 400 — Jonathan Webb (MA) 51.25; 800 — Josh Peterson (Roc) 2:03.39; 1,600 — Nick Golebiowski (Cath) 4:31.59; 3,200 — Golebiowski (Cath) 9:49.85; 110 hurdles — Isaiah West (Ap) 15.01; 300 hurdles — Samuel Lundquist (MA) 40.17; 400 relay — Foley 44.69; 800 relay — St. Francis 1:33.07; 1,600 relay — Minnehaha Academy 3:35.75; high jump — David Verwijis (SCC) 6-3; pole vault — Trever Nordlund (Sar) 13-3; long jump — Brandon Morrison (SR) 20-11; triple jump — Jake Lieberg (Sar) 44-2.5; shot put — Trysten Ross (LF) 50-5; discus — Colin Guetter (Alex) 149-3; discus — Guetter (Alex) 163-7.

Girls team scores — 1. Blaine 100; 2. Centennial 84.5; 3. Alexandria 67; 4. St. Cloud Tech 63; 5. Sartell 60; 6. Rocori 57.5; 7. St. Francis 55; 8. Coon Rapids 50; 9. Maple Grove 33; 10. Little Falls 25; 11. Foley 22; 12. Litchfield 20; 13. Spring Lake Park/St. Anthony 18; 14. St. Cloud Christian 14; 15. St. Cloud Cathedral 11.5; 16. (tie) Albany and Minnehaha Academy 7; 18. Sauk Rapids 5.5; 19. St. Cloud Apollo 4.

Individual winners — 100 — Wensia Johnson (Alex) 12.16*; 200 — Jedah Caldwell (Cent) 25.91; 400 — Rozlynn Lund (CR) 1:00.78; 800 — Maria Hauer (LF) 2:29.39; 1,600 — Lauren Steinke (Tech) 5:26.93; 3,200 — McKenzie Holt (SCC) 11:43.65; 100 hurdles — Alex Williams (Bla) 15.20; 300 hurdles– Erin Huls (Roc) 47.46; 400 relay — Alexandria 50.59; 800 relay — Centennial 1:50.74; 1,600 — Maple Grove 4:18.07; 3,200 relay — Rocori 10:02.59; high jump — JeAnna Miller (Alex) 5-0; pole vault — Rachelle LeBlanc (LF) 10-6; long jump — Bailey Demar (SF) 17-10.25*; triple jump — Demar (SF) 38-3*; shot put — ShaRon Miller (Bla) 36-7.5; discus — Amanda Anderson (SF) 122-11.

* Denotes meet record.

Follow Tom Elliott on Twitter @sctimestom.