From left to right: Noah Breker, Richlu Tudee, Emmett Gerres, and Blake Nyenati
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The end of the 2022 Minnesota cross country and track and field seasons is here!! It's been a whirlwind of a year with breakthrough athletes, state records, nationally prominent athletes, and so much more.
Now that this season is at its end, we look back on 2022 and the athletes that had the best overall years!
Now is your opportunity to vote for your MileSplit Minnesota boys athlete of the year for 2022.
Here are your candidates:
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The Candidates
Noah Breker put together one of the most impressive seasons in Minnesota distance history. He started off the year on the track where he set new PRs in the 800m, 1600m, mile, 3200mn, and 2-mile. He won the 3200m state title for Class AAA and finished 4th in the 1600m. He finished his track season at NSAF Nationals where he finished 2nd overall in the 2-mile race. This fall he won five XC races, set a new state record for the 5K (XC), and then finished top-ten at the Heartland Regional, Midwest Champs Regional, Team Nationals, and Champs Nationals.
Jarod White set a new state record in the pole vault with a vault of 16' 2" at the Section 1A Championships. He vaulted 16 feet or higher three this season, the only MN boy to vault 16 feet more than once. Won the Class A state title in the pole vault and broke his own state meet pole vault record. Vaulted 16' 9" at the Grand Haven Beach Vault after graduation.
Richlu Tudee went from 11.35 (100m) and 22.44 (200m) personal best times in 2021 to huge PRs times of 10.61 and 21.13 just a year later. Won both the 100m and 200m state titles for Class AAA. His time of 10.61 ranks 22nd all-time and his time of 21.13 ranks 7th all-time.
Emmett Gerres started off his 2022 on the track where he set new PRs all the way from 200m up to 3200m. He finished 2nd at state in Class AA for the 800m and 1600m. This fall Gerres won 10 straight XC races after the St. Olaf HS Showcase all the way up until his 26th place finish at the Heartland Regional. Gerres won his first state title for Class AA.
Blake Nyenati was the Class AAA state champion in the boy's 110m and 300m hurdles, running some of the state's all-time best times in the events on the way. His 300m hurdles time of 37.38 ranks him #3 all-time among Minnesota boys and his 110m hurdles time of 13.83 ranks #2 all-time.
