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Many Minnesota girls return to the 2023 MSHSL State Track and Field Championships with their 2022 titles on the line. Will they repeat, do they face stiff competition, or are they a shoo-in to win another title?
Here we look at each returning champion and how they fare in their event:
Only counting individual events and no relays.
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Returning Girls State Champions
Jordyn Borsch - 100m & 400m (Class AAA)
One of the all-time great sprinters in Minnesota state history, Borsch returns to the state meet to defend her state titles in the 100m and 400m, and to hopefully win the 200m title. Borsch is the #5 runner in the 100m but ranks at the #2 runner in Class AAA this season with a time of 12.06. #1 runner, Annika Larson, last week ran a 11.80 to be the #1 seed.
In the 400m, Borsch appears to be a shoo-in for the title as the #1 seed with a time of 53.47 that broke the state record in the 400m last week. That time is more than 2 seconds better than any other girl in Class AAA this season.
Last year, Borsch won the 100m title with a time of 11.78 and the 400m title with a time of 54.27.
Ashley Fisher - 100m (Class AA)
The defending champion in the 100m for Class AA returns as the top-seeded runner with a time of 12.07 which is also the #1 time in Class AA this season. Fisher has won five straight 100m races this season and the only losses of her season came in the prelims and finals at the Hamline Elite Meet. Her chief competition appears to be Brooke Hohenecker who is seeded just behind her at 12.09.
Last year, Fisher won the 100m title with a time of 12.29.
Hope Schueller - 100m (Class A)
Schueller returns as the Class A champion in the 100m dash but faces a deep field in a race that appears to be pretty wide open. Of the 16 girls who qualified for the race, 14 of them have qualifying times between 12.60 and 12.90. Schueller is seeded right in the middle of the pack and has a season's best time of 12.69 which ranks her #11 this year for Class A.
Last year Schueller won the 100m race with a time of 12.42.
Brooke Hohenecker - 200m (Class AA)
Hohenecker will face some stiff competition in the 200m if she wants to retain her state title. Hohenecker is the #2 seeded runner just behind Ashley Fisher, but the overall results this season in Class AA paint a different picture. This season Hohenecker ranked as the #3 200m runner in Class AA, but there are six girls who have run between 28.84 and 25.31.
Last year Hohenecker won her race with a time of 25.26.
Ellie Kuechle - 400m (Class A)
Kuechle returns as the champion and will have some competition on her way to retaining her title. Kuechle is the #1 seeded runner with a time of 57.43, but Trinity Giddings (57.50) Hayley Lentsch (58.01) and Addison Hoof (58.13) are right behind her.
Last year, Kuechle won the 400m title with a time of 55.86.
Ellie Moore - 400m (Class AA)
Moore is the returning champion, but there will be plenty of competition waiting for her in the Class AA 400m. Moore ranks 6th overall in the 400m with a time of 58.29 for Class AA and will face good competition for the title from at least a half dozen other girls.
Last year, Moore won the title with a time of 57.61.
Calia Chaney - 800m (Class AA)
Chaney comes back as the prohibitive favorite in the Class AA girls 800m race. Chaney ranks as the #2 runner in the 800m for Class AA this season with a time of 2:14.99, but is the top-seeded runner among the qualifiers. Her qualifying time of 2:14.99 is about 2 seconds better than any other qualifying time.
Last year, Chaney won the 800m title with a time of 2:13.49.
Jade Rypkema - 1600m & 3200m (Class A)
Rypkema will put her streak of three straight state titles in a row on the line against the rest of Class A. Last year Rypkema won titles in the 1600m, 3200m, and 5K (XC). She is the top seeded 1600m runner in Class A with a time of 4:55.42 and is seeded more than 16 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor. She was the #1 1600m runner in Class A this season and has a 2023 PR 9 seconds better than her nearest competitor.
While she may not be seeded #1 in the 3200m, Rypkema will be the runner to beat as she is the #1 runner in Class A with a time of 10:37.75. The only other runners to run below 11 minutes are Amanda Overgaauw and Jenna DeBates.
Last year Rypkema won her titles with times of 5:04.16 in the 1600m and 10:36.99 in the 3200m.
Olivia Goebel - 3200m (Class AA)
Goebel won last year's 3200m title in a sprint to the line over Luna Scorzelli and may have to do the same this year against a talented field of girls. Goebel is seeded as the #5 runner in the field and ranked as the #6 runner in Class AA this season. Ahead of her, she will face competition from Isabelle Schmitz, Lauren Eilers, Macy Hanson, Isabel Mahoney, and Allyson Sample.
Last year Goebel won the title with a time of 10:34.40.
Cecelia Woods - 300m Hurdles (Class AA)
She hasn't run her best yet this season, but once again Cecelia Woods is ramping up going into the state meet with six wins on the season and season's best time of 44.81. That time ranks her #5 for Class AA this season, only behind Haylie Strum, Brooke Cina, Maddyn Greenway, and Mylea Monahan.
Last year, Woods won the 300m hurdles title with a time of 43.45.
Annaka Forsberg - High Jump (Class A)
Forsberg will be the overwhelming favorite to take home another high jumps state title for Class A. Forsberg is the #1 seed with a height of 5' 8" which is far above anyone else's qualifying mark. Overall, only Forsberg and Ellie Becker have gone 5' 6" or higher in Class A this season.
Forsberg won her 2022 title with a height of 5' 6".
Sofia Condon - Pole Vault (Class AAA)
One of the most clear cut state champions this year should be Anoka pole vaulter Sofia Condon. Condon is the #1 ranked pole vaulter in Class AAA with a jump of 13' 3" that puts her in elite company in Minnesota state history. She is the only girl to go over 13 feet this year an accomplishment she has achieved four times. The closest competitors to her have been Kennedy Martinson (12' 1") and Jayda Wilson (12' 0).
Last year, Condon won the title with a height of 12' 0".
Cecily Fager - Pole Vault (Class A)
Fager will look to retain her pole vault title against a talented field of Class A competition. Fager is the #1 seeded vaulter with a height of 11' 3" and ranks #2 overall in Class A this season. Onle Fager and Gracie Morris have vaulted over 11 feet with heights of 11' 6" for Fager and 11' 9" for Moris.
Last year, Fager won the pole vault title with a height of 11' 3".
Jordan Hecht - Discus (Class AAA)
Hecht is the returning discus state champion and returns as the #4 seeded thrower in the Class AAA field. Hecht is seeded #4 with a throw of 139' 1", but ranks #1 in Class AAA this season with a throw of 144' 1". She will face some stiff competition from Elise Jensen, Olivia Duncan, Alysha Onwuneme, and Anya Schmidt.
Last year, Hecht won the discus title with a throw of 148' 6".