MSHSL State Track & Field Championships: Day 1 Observations

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The 2023 MSHSL State Track and Field Championships have arrived and the state titles are already being won on the track and in the field. Legends are made here, stars are born, and the best of the best in Minnesota all face off for the title of state champion.

Here we look at notable times, marks, and achievements from day 1 of the MSHSL State Track and Field Championships. 

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Related:
2023 MSHSL State T&F Championships - Finals Tracker
2023 MSHSL State T&F Championships - State Champion Tracker

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Breker and Company Run Historic 3200m Race 

Noah Breker, Aidan Jones, and Sam Scott ran a historic 3200m race at state which had all three boys breaking the 9-minute barrier, just the second time that has happened in state history. Noah Breker also broke Obsa Ali's state meet record time of 8:57.05 by running 8:51.44.

Read more HERE

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Jordyn Borsch Inches Closer to History

Borsch inched closer to history on day 1 of the state meet in the Class AAA prelims. Borsch qualified for the finals in the 100m, 200m, and 400m with the #1 seed times in all three events. In the 100m, she ran 11.96 for a season's best time, in the 200m she ran 24.33 for a new MN #1 time this season, and ran 54.74 in the 400m to comfortably win her heat. 

Last year Borsch won the 100m and 400m titles and finished 3rd in the 200m, can she win all three this season and maybe break some meet or state records?

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Hayden Bills Keeps Breaking Records

At last year's state meet it was the state meet discus record, earlier this season it was the state record for the shot put, and now he has the state meet record for the shot put. Bills for the second year in a row broke a throwing state meet record, this time throwing 66' 7.5" to break the shot put state meet record which had previously been held by Thomas Anderson with a throw of 65' 4.25". 

Now only the state discus record to go...

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Forsberg Repeats as Back-To Back Champion

Blooming Prairie junior Annaka Forsberg repeated as the Class A champion in the high jump after successfully clearing a height of 5' 4" on her second attempt before bowing out at 5' 6" on three attempts. Forsberg defended her title against a trio of girls who cleared 5' 3" in Olivia Thostenson, Kaitaia Klemetsen, and Isabella Olson. Last year Forsberg won the title with a jump of 5' 6". 

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Minnetonka 4x100m Relays Make History

The Minnetonka boys team of Lucas Poey, Tobias Williams, Cosmo Guion, and Will Hairston recorded the #2 4x100m time in state history in the 4x100m prelims with a time of 41.28 which is just 0.05 seconds behind the #1 time of 41.23 set by the 2019 Hopkins boys. 

The 2023 Minnetonka boys team and 2019 Hopkins boys team by far have the two best 4x100m times in state history with their times of 41.23 and 41.28 being far ahead of #3 Eagan with a time of 41.52. 

The Minnetonka girl's team of Lindey Koch, Lucy Hiller, Ruby Pajibo, and Briena Giebel finished as the top-seeded girl's 4x100m team with a time of 47.82. This was 0.67 seconds faster than the Lakeville North girls and is now the #9 4x100m time in Minnesota state history. 

All-Time MN Girls 4x100m Times

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Nathan Nelson Soars Over 16 Feet to Break State Meet Record

Rochester Century senior Nathan Nelson continued his climb up the leaderboard over the years and after finishing 3rd in 2021 and 2nd in 2022, finished 1st in 2023 to win his first state pole vault title. Nelson finished with a vault of 16' 1" to become just the fifth Minnesota boy to go 16 feet or higher and for a new MN #1 mark for the season. 

On top of that, Nelson broke the previous state meet record held by Jarod White from last year who had a vault of 16' 0" to set a new record. 

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Jade Rypkema Wins 4th Straight State Title

Rypkema came into the Class A girls 3200m race as the clear-cut favorite and left with another state title running a time of 10:35.02 to comfortably win over Amanda Overgaauw by almost 20 seconds. This is Rypkema's fourth straight state title after winning last years 1600m and 3200m titles and last years Class A XC title. 

Rypkema improved on her old 3200m PR of 10:36.99 and ranks #1 for all Minnesota girls in the 3200m this season. 

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Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Team Demolishes School Records

The HLWW boys and girls rewrote the school record book on day one of the state championships with FIVE new school records. They were:

Brandon Knott - 110m Hurdles - 14.99

Brandon Knott - 300m Hurdles - 39.82

Maddie LeSage - 3200m - 11:13.48

Boys 4x200m - 1:29.84 (Collin Boese, Lance Luchsinger, Mitchell Malak, and Cam Jones)

Boys 4x400m - 3:27.15 (Mitchell Malak, Chase Deiter, Collin Boese, and Lance Luchsinger)