Bennington Track Teams Shine at Districts, Boys take District Runners-Up & Girls take District Champions

5–7 minutes

By Marisa Dawson, Photos by Baylor Detjens & Jeff Douglas

Group photo of the Bennington High School track and field team, celebrating their achievements with awards on a field.

The Bennington High School boys and girls track and field teams turned in another impressive showing at the NSAA B-2 District Meet on May 12 at Elkhorn High School, with athletes across nearly every event punching tickets to state and continuing a season defined by depth, leadership, and consistency.

Bennington’s girls squad captured multiple district titles while the boys team also delivered several event champions and top-three finishes against strong competition.

Head coach Jocelyn Suing said the team’s success has been rooted in the commitment athletes showed long before the season officially began. “The biggest key to our success has been the buy-in from the athletes and the depth of our team,” Suing said. “We started training back in November, and those workouts were very well attended. Since then, our athletes have been competing against one another every single day at practice, and with the numbers and athleticism we have in our program, that has set the bar pretty high.”

Suing added that the program’s daily competitiveness has helped prepare athletes for championship meets. “We also compete against high-quality teams at every meet, so our athletes are constantly being challenged,” she said. “In both situations, we like to say, ‘Iron sharpens iron.’”

The girls team was led by junior sprint standout Addison Kuntz, who swept the district titles in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes. Kuntz won the 100 in 12.12 seconds and later captured the 200 title in 25.11.

Freshman Paige Gargano continued her breakout season with a district championship in the long jump, recording a personal-best leap of 18 feet, 3 inches. Gargano also won the triple jump with another personal best of 36-11.25 and qualified for the finals in the 100 meters.

A group of female athletes competing in a relay race on an outdoor track, captured mid-sprint with a clear blue sky in the background.

Bennington also dominated the girls relays. The 4×100 relay team of Addison Nguyen, Kuntz, Harper Bohaboj, and Georgia Behlen took first in 48.23, while the 4×400 relay team of Macie Reiner, Lauren Schmidt, Kennedy Portwood, and Nguyen captured another district title in 4:00.92.

Reiner added runner-up finishes in both the 400 and 800 meters, while Portwood placed second in the 300 hurdles. Adrienne Trebil also had a strong meet, earning second in the 100 hurdles with a personal-best 15.08 and third in the 300 hurdles with another personal best.

The girls distance squad added more points as Selah Carson finished second in the 3200 meters and eighth in the 1600. Madeleine Scott placed fourth in the 3200.

Bennington’s field events also produced strong results. Kiana Pierre placed second in the triple jump, Quinn Sanmann took third, and Brinley Kaczmarek earned runner-up honors in pole vault.

A female pole vaulter in mid-air clearing a yellow bar, surrounded by spectators enjoying the event in a grassy field.

Suing credited the team’s culture and leadership for helping sustain the program’s success year after year. “The track and field program has built a positive culture centered around high standards while still having fun,” Suing said. “It’s been that way for the past five years. We’ve learned that you can do both and still be highly successful.”

She also emphasized the importance of the team-first mentality throughout the program. “Most importantly, we constantly emphasize that this is a team program,” Suing said. “Individual success happens because of the people around you, whether you are scoring points or not.”

On the boys side, sophomore Knox Naughton highlighted the meet by winning the 110-meter hurdles district championship in a personal-best 14.34 seconds. Naughton also placed third in the 300 hurdles and helped power two state-qualifying relay teams.

The Badgers’ 4×100 relay team of Noah Nichols, Naughton, Parker Douglas, and Lane Molacek earned a district title in 43.22, while the 4×400 relay team of Nichols, Brooks Codr, Douglas, and Naughton placed third.

A male athlete in a blue and white uniform sprinting on a track during a relay race, with a group of spectators and other athletes in the background.

Molacek delivered a strong sprint performance with runner-up honors in the 100 and third place in the 200. Nichols also placed third in the 100 finals.

Distance runner Thomas Morgan secured a runner-up finish in the 3200 meters, while Jay Stahlecker placed third in the triple jump with a season-best mark of 42-7.5.

In the throwing events, Keagan McElwain led the way with a second-place finish in discus and fourth in shot put. Raiden Downie added a personal-best throw to finish sixth in shot put, while Jonas Neuverth and Trent Dierks each recorded personal bests in discus.

A young athlete in a blue and white striped tank top is throwing a discus during a track and field event, with spectators and coaches in the background.

Suing said the athletes have embraced the expectations that come with a successful season. “I think our athletes have handled the pressure and expectations really well because they’ve stayed focused on the process instead of the outside noise,” she said. “They understand that success during championship season comes from the work they’ve put in over the last several months.”

“At this point in the year, pressure is a good thing because it means you’ve put yourself in a position to compete for something special,” she added.

The coach also praised the team’s veteran leadership and the role upperclassmen have played in developing younger athletes. “We have a lot of leaders on this team, and they’ve done an outstanding job leading by example every single day,” Suing said. “They set the tone with their work ethic, consistency, and attitude at practice and meets.”

Suing noted that the support between athletes has strengthened the program’s culture. “We also have a young team, so our leaders have become some of the biggest supporters of our younger athletes,” she said. “They include them at team dinners, take them out for ice cream, and have built genuine friendships with them.”

That youthful depth was especially evident at districts, where Bennington fielded a large freshman class competing on the championship stage. “Our younger athletes have contributed in a big way this season,” Suing said. “We had our highest number of freshmen competing at districts that we have ever had.”

A male athlete jumping over a hurdle during a track and field event, with a crowd in the background.

“A few of them have stepped into important roles and competed with a lot of maturity and confidence,” she added. “Their energy and competitiveness have helped push the upperclassmen, and that has made the entire team stronger.”

The success extended into the Class B2 Unified Meet on May 13, where Bennington athletes earned multiple first-place finishes and personal bests.

On the girls side, Lexi Fehrman won the 100 meters and long jump, while Abby Rychly captured the shot put title. The girls 4×100 relay team of Julia Dunning, Lily Cunard, Meredith Finigan, and Marlea Strayer also earned first place.

For the boys, the 4×100 relay team of Ty Thomsen, Lane Welchert, Sam Houska, and Carter Dittmer placed second. Charlie Bryson finished runner-up in shot put, while Thomsen took second in long jump.

Nearly every unified athlete recorded either a personal best or season best during the meet.

As Bennington now prepares for the state meet, Suing said the focus remains on preparation and embracing the opportunity ahead. “The biggest challenge heading into state will be staying focused on the process and not getting overwhelmed by expectations or outside pressure,” Suing said. “Defending a title always brings added attention, but the message to our athletes is that this year’s team has to write its own story.”

Female high jumper in mid-air over a bar during a track and field event, with a school building and spectators in the background.

“We have 17 girls who made it to state, and all of them have a very good chance to score points,” she added. “It is going to take a team effort to beat some strong teams.”

A female athlete in a blue tank top with 'Bennington' written on it, running on a track near hurdles on a sunny day.
A young male athlete in a blue sports jersey runs on a track during a relay race, holding a baton in his right hand.
A young male runner in a blue athletic shirt and black shorts competes on a track, holding a relay baton.
Two female athletes racing in a hurdle event on a track, with spectators in the background.
A group of female track athletes competing in a race on a sunny day, with runners in blue uniforms leading the pack.
A group of female runners competing in a track event, with one athlete in the foreground from Bennington wearing a blue jersey, focused on finishing the race.
A high school athlete running on a track during a competition, with a group of spectators and equipment in the background.
Four female track athletes running on an outdoor track during a competition, with hurdles in the background.
Three male athletes competing in a track and field race, running on a track lined with hurdles. The athlete in the foreground is wearing a blue jersey and black shorts, while the other two athletes wear dark jerseys. The setting appears to be an outdoor athletic event.
Three female track athletes sprinting on a running track during a race, with spectators in the background.
High school track athletes competing in a sprint race on a black track, with several runners wearing different uniforms and approaching hurdles in the background.
A female athlete competing in a hurdle race, jumping over a barrier while other runners are visible in the background.
A high school athlete competing in a hurdle race, jumping over a red hurdle with a focused expression, while spectators watch from the stands.
Two athletes preparing for a race on a sports field, with one athlete in a striped jersey leaning forward and another reaching out to shake hands. Several spectators and participants are visible in the background.
A group of female track runners competing on a track during a race, with one runner in a blue jersey leading the way.
A female athlete competes in a hurdle race, leaping over a red hurdle on a track, with spectators in the background.
A male athlete competing in a hurdle race, leaping over a hurdle on a track field, with spectators in the background.
A male athlete in a blue and black uniform hurdles over a red barrier during a track and field event, with spectators in the background.
Three male athletes sprinting on a track during a race, with spectators in the background.
Three female athletes sprinting on a track during a relay race, one holding a baton and wearing a blue uniform.
A high school female athlete from Bennington races on a track, holding a relay baton, while teammates and spectators cheer in the background.
A male athlete in a blue sports uniform running during a track event, holding a relay baton, with spectators in the background.
Group photo of the Bennington track and field team celebrating with a championship plaque after winning a district competition.
Group photo of the Bennington high school track and field team, posing together with a runner-up plaque after a district meet.
Four high school track and field athletes in blue jerseys holding a runner-up plaque for district boys track and field competition.
A female athlete performing a high jump over a yellow bar on a grassy field, with spectators sitting in the background.
An athlete in a blue jersey is performing a long jump at a track and field event, with spectators watching from the sidelines.
A female athlete in a blue and white sports uniform prepares to throw a shot put during practice, with two other individuals in the background observing.
A young male athlete competing in a long jump event, wearing a blue sports uniform, leaping off a track towards a sandpit, with spectators and other athletes in the background.
A male athlete in a blue jersey is preparing to throw a shot put, with spectators watching in the background at a sports event.
A male athlete in a blue tank top throws a shot put at a track and field event, with spectators seated in the background.
A female athlete in mid-air during a long jump event, wearing a blue and white uniform. Spectators and officials are watching from the sidelines.
A male athlete in a blue tank top performs a long jump at a track and field event, while spectators cheer from the sidelines.

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