The Prior Lake boys track team faced some top competition at the Class AAA State True Team May 19 in Stillwater.
The Lakers were making their sixth appearance since 2015, but the team couldn’t match its best-ever finish which was fifth in 2017. Prior Lake ended up 10th in the team standings with 748 points.
Wayzata claimed the title with 1,144 points, followed by Rosemount (1,137.5), Minnetonka (998), Stillwater (953.5), Mounds View (934.5), Eden Prairie (874.5), Edina (833), Owatonna (820) and Blaine (784). Anoka was 11th (705.5), while Alexandria ended up 12th (633.5).
Prior Lake made the state true team five straight years from 2015 to 2019, taking sixth in the four other appearances. There was no competition in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Lakers fell short of qualifying the last two springs.
The state true team is made up of the eight section champions and four wildcard teams that are determined by a virtual meet. Prior Lake ended up second in the Section 3AAA True Team behind Rosemount, but the Lakers earned the fourth and final spot in the wildcard meet to gain the state spot.
Senior Grayson Spronk led the Lakers at state. He was runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters with times of 10.86 and 22.34, respectively. He also finished eighth in the 400 (50.61), while junior Josh Marcinkevich took ninth (51.14).
Marcinkevich was also 11th in the 100 (11.27) and 13th in both the 200 (22.91) and the long jump (20-3 3/4).
Senior Evan Laughridge was second in the shot put for the Lakers with a toss of 56-7 1/2. Senior Thomas Anderson was fifth in the discus (152-10), while senior Trace Bowman finished seventh (149-08) and junior Jide Abasiri ended up 15th (133-11).
Senior Ian McKowen was fifth in the 110 hurdles for Prior Lake (15.43) and 15th in the 300 hurdles (42.99). Junior Kyle Rothmeyer was 10th in the 300 hurdles (42.17).
Senior Izaiah Johanns led the Lakers in the triple jump taking ninth (40-9), while junior Ryan Casey was 12th in the pole vault (12-0). Junior Hunter Macgillivray finished 13th in the 100 (11.30).
Prior Lake may been able to move up a little more in the team standings with better finishes in the four relays. The 4x100, 4x400 and 4x800 teams all ended up 12th, while the 4x200 took 11th.
The Section 2AAA meet starts May 31 with the prelims and ends June 1 with the finals. Both days are Eden Prairie High School. The field is strong with the likes of Minnetonka, the host Eagles, Shakopee, Chaska, Chanhassen, Bloomington Jefferson and Waconia.
The Class AAA state competition will be held at St. Michael-Albertville High School for a third straight spring with the prelims June 8 and the finals June 10.
