What else is new? Homestead track sectional is state's best again

Last year, the WIAA division I track sectional that was hosted by Homestead had the top three teams on the boys side of the ledger in the state meet (and four in the top 10) while on the girls side, there were five squads among the first 13.

Further, seven state event champions came from the boys side while eight were posted on the girls side.

It didn't matter if it was beautiful and sunny like the first day of competition, or rainy and cold like the second day, the kids from this sectional responded.

And simply put, this northwest Milwaukee suburban sectional has been producing for close to a decade now, especially on the boys side, with six team state champions since 2001.

So, what does this mean as far as this Friday and Saturday's annual state test in La Crosse is concerned?

Look for more of the same, as the top of the state heat sheets are littered with athletes who burnished their credentials against the best on that same Homestead track last Thursday.

Based on the heat sheets, the Homestead meet could produce a preposterous nine state champions on the boys side alone and a solid five on the girls side. Further, meet champions Homestead of the boys and Arrowhead of the girls, are going to be considered among the heavy favorites for state team honors when the trophies are presented Saturday afternoon.

Needless to say, some are exhausted from beating their heads against the wall year after year.

"It's just a ridiculous sectional," said defending boys 110 high hurdle champ Matt Widule, who won his specialty last week at Homestead, but could only finish second in the 300 intermediates and didn't even make it back for the long jump, an event he placed in state last year.

In fact, Widule was more concerned for other athletes from other teams, who didn't advance simply because the sectional was too deep.

"I mean, look at Taylor Ruffin (of Homestead)," Widule said. "He was only fourth (in the long jump) and he went 21-6. I know that in other sectionals, he would not have only qualified, but he would have probably won. He's got to make it that event!"

Alas, Ruffin did not make it in the long jump, but he will in the 300 hurdles as he was right behind Widule in third at sectional. And Widule was right in his assessment, Ruffin would have easily made it to state in the long jump out of other sectionals in other parts of the state.

And on the girls side, nowhere was the excellence more on display than in the 1,600 relay. Germantown and Whitefish Bay earned the second and third seeds in state with their sectional times and Milwaukee Riverside also has a  top eight slot, but other fearlessly fast squads like Menomonee Falls (4:01.95), Nicolet (4:03.7) and Watertown (4:03.91) failed to make it to state, because the event, both in the sectional and the state this year, was simply too swift.

All three of those squads who didn't make it to state, would have advanced out of other sectionals without breaking a sweat.

"Sometimes I wonder if the WIAA wouldn't be better off spreading some of these teams out a little bit,"
 said Nicolet coach Brian Sommers. "...It is a little unfair to the kids, because there are just so many great athletes right here."

The problem won't be easily solved, because the Waukesha/Brookfield area sectional also has great pockets of excellence that make shifting any of those teams into the northwest suburban event nothing more than an even swap of excellence.

What would you have, say on the girls side? The best 3,200 relay teams in the state (Arrowhead and Homestead) swapped out for one of the best sprint crews ever seen in state history (Bradley Tech)?

People are going to get left out no matter what.

"As you know, this sectional means you have to be at the top of your game both physically and mentally, just to get into the top three, just to get to state," said winning boys coach Dan Benson of Homestead.

That's an understatement.

Top three state seeds coming out of the boys side of the sectional, include the following: Nick Hughes of King and Dan Schiller of Homestead in the high jump (tied for first at 6-10); Matt Widule of Falls (second at 14.28) and Dexter Schleis of Germantown (third at 14.4), in the 110 high hurdles. Falls 800 relay (first 1:28.25). Riverside 400 relay (first at 42.65). Schleis in the 300 hurdles (first at 38.18). Gabe Genovesi of Homestead in the 800 (first at 1:53.32). Jason Gillie of Riverside in the 200 (third in 22.09). Homestead in the 1,600 relay (first at 3:18. 8) and Arrowhead (third at 3:20.69). Justin Barber of Homestead in the discus (first at 178-11). Josh Dixon of Cedarburg in the triple jump (first at 48-5). Homestead in 3,200 relay (first at 7:50.26) and Milwaukee King (third at 7:55.2).

Top three state seeds for the girls side of the sectional, include the following: Courtney Walden of Oconomowoc in the pole vault (first at 11-6) and Abby Croft of Germantown and Cami Gilson of Arrowhead (tied for second at 11-3). Sherice Hewett of Vincent in the triple jump (third at 37-1). Arrowhead (first at 9:20.94) and Homestead (second at 9:21.79) 3,200 relay teams. Marissa Savitch (first at 14.2), Hewett (second at 14.49) and Madeline Emme of Watertown (third at 15.05) in the 100 high hurdles. Arrowhead in the 800 relay (third in 1:42.97). Crystal Malone of Riverside in the 400 (third in 57.46). Arrowhead in the 400 relay (third in 48.91). Liz Wendt of Germantown in the 800 (first in 2:16.27). Gabby Levac of Arrowhead in the 3,200 (first in 11:08.61) and Mandy Prom of Oconomowoc (third in 11:10.28). Bay (third in 4:00.25) and Germantown (second in 4:00.24) in the 1,600 relay.