Four White Hawks Qualify for State Track & Field Championships

Four members of the Westonka High School track and field team have earned spots in the Class AA State Track & Field Championships following strong performances at the Section 6AA Championship Meet.

The State Track & Field meet will be held at St. Michael-Albertville High School, where the White Hawks will compete on Friday morning, June 5.

Senior Andy Hoisington will compete in the state shot put event. Hoisington has had a standout season, winning conference and placing second at Sections to qualify for the state meet.

Junior Sami Christensen and junior Julian Herkelman will both compete in state jumping events. Christensen will compete in the long jump, entering state with a qualifying jump of 17'11", one of the top marks in Minnesota this season. Herkelman will compete in the triple jump after setting a new school record with a state-qualifying mark of 42'10.75".

Senior Morgan Johnson will run the 400-meter dash. Johnson’s season-best time of 58.41 is among the fastest in school history.

The four state qualifiers represent a track and field program of more than 160 White Hawks this season. “These athletes’ trip to state is especially notable given the challenges the team has faced, including not having access to a home track or field for practice,” said coach Sara Schwartz. “Despite weather limitations and the lack of a home facility, the athletes adapted, worked consistently, and delivered a strong season across the board.”

If any of the four athletes place in the top nine during preliminaries, they will advance to finals later Friday. Johnson also has the opportunity to compete in the finals on Saturday if she advances. Follow updates on the Minnesota State High School League website.