Class AAA Girls
Section 1 Champion - Lakeville South High School
"As a football coach, I often hear the phrase that "football is the ultimate team game." True Team track & field isn't a game, it's a competition, the ultimate team competition. We will always celebrate the successes of talented individuals in our program, individuals that might have the talent to compete at a MSHSL State level. Talented individuals alone, however, are no match in the True Team concept. In 2016 we were fortunate to win True Team State. At the MSHSL State Meet, we placed 31st, with one individual and one relay scoring. That's the beauty of True Team.
Qualifying for True Team State is a major goal for our program. The competition at the meet has always brought out the best in our girls and the atmosphere at True Team State is unrivaled. The fact that every place and every point matters adds great drama to the meet. Whether finishing 12th, 5th, or 1st, seeing the teams come together at the end of a hard fought competition is impressive and inspiring. Of course, our girls always have a preseason goal of making it to True Team State so they can "run through the tunnel" :-)
At True Team we find out what can happen when a group of athletes with wide ranging abilities in a variety of events collectively pool their individual talents toward a common goal. In the international community, track & field is referred to as "athletics." True Team allows us to find out how "athletic" we can be as an entire school. It's become a source of pride in our school and we're fortunate to have a great group of girls and coaches who are willing to work hard to carry on a successful track & field tradition. Last year I brought my 4th grade daughter and a few of her friends to True Team State and they had a blast. Last Tuesday when I walked in the door after our True Team section meet, the first thing my daughter asked was, "Dad, can I go to True Team State with you guys again?" Hopefully we can keep the tradition going so future generations of Cougars can continue to experience what True Team is all about. Good luck to all the teams and athletes competing this weekend!" - Head Coach Andrew Hilliard
Section 1 Wild Card - Farmington High School
"This season, our culture has been based on being "one of the tribe", which was the theme for our large team building activity. We are lucky enough to have a team that pushes one another to excel both in practice as well as in competition. Teammates have really been there this season to encourage one another and build an atmosphere of excellence and professionalism. The team is not all about work. Everyone gets closer daily, where even the newest members feel the support of their teammates and that they are part of the Stillwater family. It has been wonderful watching the team develop into what it is today over the course of the season. The 2019 season marks the first year since 2015 that we have qualified for the True Team State meet. Being a participant in this meet is a sense of pride with our team because it takes place on our home track. I think we can all agree that it is not enjoyable hosting a meet that your team is not a part of, so this means a lot to the girls as well as the coaches that we have qualified. This season, the team has encapsulated the TEAM mindset that we feel has helped us thus far this season and we expect it to make us great the rest of the season. We hope to bring our best on Friday and show the other teams that we have what it takes to both be at the meet as well as get a top 3 finish." - Assistant Coach Annaliese Miller
Section 3 Champion - Rosemount High School
"True Team is everything to our team and creates a team culture with common values, attitudes, beliefs, and an atmosphere that kids want to be a part of. We have common goal every season to make it to True Team State. Our kids understand that goal and know in order to achieve that goal they need to work together to make it happen. Our athletes are willing to try new events and compete in what we need them to for the sake of the team. They are very coachable and truly are students of the sport.
What True Team State means to our athletes is the opportunity to compete at a high-level, in a great atmosphere, with their friends and creating lasting memories. The excitement at practice the last few weeks building up to this Friday is so fun to watch and experience as a coach. The girls worked hard in the off season and have continued to work hard during season, all in preparation for True Team, as it is one of our most important team goals. The upperclassmen have done a fantastic job leading and encouraging the younger athletes, making sure they understand what True Team is all about. They know how to push each other to be the best that they can be and not make excuses. We have talented athletes and more importantly we have a great group of young women.
Rosemount girls qualified for the first ever True Team State Meet in 1987 and didn't return to the state meet until 2017. This is now the 3rd year in a row that the team has qualified. We were 6th place in 2017 and 2nd place in 2018. The goal this year and every year is to always compete to the best of their ability. I never want to walk away from the meet thinking we could have done more." - Head Coach Sara Hatleli
Section 4 Champion - Anoka High School
"This will be the 14th appearance at the State True Team meet for the girls track and field team at Anoka High School. With a new head coach and four new assistant coaches, building a strong team culture has been monumental in achieving success this season. Our guiding principle is to "be part of something bigger than yourself." Winning the 4AAA Section meet is validation that our athletes understand and believe in the importance of that motto. Senior captains, Lauren Bastian, Alli Becker, Teirra Greene, Mary Pelkola, Maddie Sieben, and Aidan Senior have demonstrated exemplary leadership throughout the season by motivating their teammates and persevering through challenges. Sieben won pole vault at the 4AAA Section meet, and Senior won the 400m dash and long jump; she was also Anoka's top point scorer, earning 103 points. With such a young team, we are ecstatic about the success from so many of our underclassmen, including hurdler Mary Keleekai (9), distance runner Kaelyn Nelson (7), pole vaulter Sophia Condon (8), sprinter Allison Hookom (9), throwers Laila Lakanen (10) and Emily Josephson (11), and multi-event athletes Amaya Rose (10) and Katieanna Williams (10). Williams not only won triple jump at the 4AAA Section True Team meet, but she also broke the Anoka School record from 1997 (37' 4"). Moving forward, we still have a great deal of work to accomplish, but we are very hopeful as we prepare for the most competitive part of the season." - Head Coach Brittney Kurtz
Section 6 Champion - Mounds View High School
"True team has been an important part of the Mounds View track and field program for many years. Our culture is based around promoting a team concept in an individual based sport. Every year it is one of the team goals to qualify for True Team state, as it exemplifies the pinnacle of our ability as one team. The focus and energy that the team concept gives the girls is a powerful motivator. The girls experiences and memories in this program are interconnected with the true team experience. Alumni share often about their memories of competing as a team more then any individual competition.
While our goals, such as winning True Team State, are important they are just that - goals. Our success or "why" is not defined by our goals of winning meets. Our "why" is focused around the development of authentic relationships in our program. This is an important component of our tradition never graduates motto. One year to the next the girls embrace the process of carrying that tradition thru an understanding of their role as a teammate and competitor. Thru this process powerful relationships are developed as a source of support and encouragement. This years team is defined by our seniors and their commitment to each other and the tradition of this program. It is a tremendous group of leaders and competitors that have carried on a tradition of excellence. They committed to a strong offseason that has led to this moment in the season. We are grateful for the opportunity to compete against the best teams in the state on Friday night and the lifelong memories it will provide for the 2019 season." - Head Coach Aaron Redman
Section 6 Wild Card - Roseville Area High School
"For one to describe the Roseville
Girls Track and Field team as unique would be an understatement. Our head
coach, Greg Ueland, persistently preaches the motto that all are welcomed
regardless of ability, background, and intent of coming out for the team. This
motto has fostered this group into being one of the more diverse teams in
Minnesota. Being a part of this team challenges all athletes to look beyond
adversity, creating a mindful and accepting atmosphere. The core values that
make Roseville unmatchable to any other team are their trust and support
for one another.
In the past, it seemed that Roseville athletes may have had a hard time believing they were capable of being competitive with the top teams in the state. For Roseville, making it to True Team State helps to grow their confidence and solidify the idea that they are capable of competing with the best. The collective goal at State is to compete like we are capable of doing and to prove to ourselves that we are a top team in Minnesota. Roseville has proven ourselves in all competitive areas this season, but the events that have most stood out are the throws, hurdles, high jump, relays, and the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter run. Senior, Michaela Hawkins is currently the leader in the state of Minnesota in the discus with a throw of 150'2". Other individuals who rank in the top ten in their various events are freshmen Ava Fitzgerald in the 100 (15.00) and 300 (45.88) meter hurdles, senior Erin Beer in the high jump (5'2"), and senior Drea Barnes also in the high jump (5'2"). Our 4x800 (9:36.31) and 4x400 (4:06.63) meter relay teams also rank in the top 10. The and 4X400 and 4x800 meter relay teams are made up of the same people in eighth grader Julia Freed, freshmen Sky Streeter, senior Anna Tostengard, and senior Carly Dahms.
Although we have some amazing performance leaders, it is the depth in all events and the leadership from our seniors that have helped lead to our success. This year's captains include Erin Beer, Carly Dahms, Berit Flagstad, Amaya Mims, D'Laine Perry, Anna Tostengard, and Regina Zeigler. The team is coached by Greg Ueland, David Brooks, Mary Schifsky, Travis Birklid, Mark Sotebeer, Kent "Bo" Smith, Devyn Smith, Kyle O'Connor, Betsy Cogan, and Aislyn Keys." - Captain Carly Dahms
Section 7 Champion - Wayzata High School
"This is Wayzata's second year winning the True Team section. The True Team Section Meet and State Meet are the highlight of the season for our girls. They are proud to represent Wayzata, and show that our team has the depth to be successful in every track and field event. Every athlete battles to be one position closer to first place, earning another point for the team. Many girls come out to Stillwater to cheer and be a part of the culture of this meet where every athlete matters. Our goal is to will the state title for the second year. We have made some changes to our line-up from the section meet to try to score more points in the open events." Head Coach Alicia Pierskalla
Section 7 Wild Card - Eden Prairie High School
"Our team is thrilled to be heading back to the True Team State Meet for the second year in a row! We have a talented group of seniors who lead us well (Ananya Vegesna (C); Jacqi Rae (C); Carly Meyer (C); Ellie Stoffel (C); Makena Kramer; and Ava Wagner). They have given everything they have to this program and each of them competed in multiple events at the Section Meet. We also have a stellar group of young athletes who are new to our team and surprised us with their talent. Our team culture is very much a family atmosphere. Our motto is "One Team - One Dream" and we live it and believe it. Even though track is very much an individual sport, we have a shared set of goals and each girl is committed to helping her teammate get to where she wants to be. We set a goal this season to return to the State Meet and we feel truly blessed to accomplish that goal. This is an opportunity to compete against the best competition in the state. We believe it makes us better. We already compete in the toughest section out there, as most of the Wild Card bids that qualify each year come from our section. So we feel very good about our chances to finish near the top at the State meet on Friday. It's such a great track event ... we know no matter what, we will have a blast out there!" - Head Coach Jummy Barlass
Section 7 Wild Card - Minnetonka High School
"Minnetonka Track and Field has a rich tradition of excellence in performance,
character, and team concept. The team concept is evidence in the history of
successful relays year after year. This team concept is cannot be showcased any
better than with the True Team Meet concept. This meet is a key focal point of our
season every year. To qualify is an achievement itself. It identifies our team as one
of the top 12 TEAMS in its class in the state. The State Meet is truly an experience of
high level competition culminating in an awards ceremony that brings all teams
together. Truly amazing!" - Head Coach John Steffen
