"The girls' track team showed they can be an outstanding team this season. If they continue to work hard in practice, we can be very successful this spring," said coach Dave Randgaard.
Randgaard was particularly pleased that the Bulldogs beat Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, who won the conference championship last year.
The Bulldogs had 20 placewinners, including 15 who placed fifth or higher.
The Bulldogs were particularly strong in the long distance runs and the field events. In the five field events, the girls earned 11 places, led by Missy Bachman's win in the pole vault, Joy Hemmesch's second place in the pole vault, Ashley Wall's second place in the high jump, and Mandy Mayer's runner-up finish in the triple jump.
The Bulldogs placed two in every field event and three in the high jump, with Wall, Ashley Ahrens (fifth), and Kendra Johnson (eighth).
Bachman and Hemmesch were first and second in the pole vault, Heidi Jansen and Hemmesch were third and fourth in the shot put, Bachman and Ranae Eastling seventh and eighth in the long jump, and Mayer and Jessie Virant second and fifth in the triple jump.
In the mile run, Jenny Hess and Brooke Schmitz, who both earned All State honors in cross country last fall, finished first and second. Hess also easily won the two-mile run in 11:18.5.
In the 800-meter run, Mayer was third and Johnson seventh.
"The team had a very strong meet scoring 72.5 points in running events and 57 points in field events. Our team depth and excellent balance helped us to win," said Randgaard.
In the sprints and hurdles, Eastling took second in the 55-meter dash, and Hannah Braun was fifth in the 55-meter hurdles.
The Bulldogs 1,600-meter relay team of Danny Lieser, Schmitz, Leanne Kolb, and Mayer was second.
The track team has a meet scheduled at ACGC High School in Grove City tomorrow starting at 4 p.m. The track has been plowed so the meet is possible if weather permits.
Team scores
1. Paynesville -129.5
2. LPGE -118
3. Sauk Centre -62.5
4. Duluth Marshall -57
5. Brooklyn Center -56
6. St. Cloud Cathedral -41.5
7. Winsted-Holy Trinity -17.5
Individual Results
55-meter hurdles: Hannah Braun, fifth, 10.2;
55-meter dash: Renae Eastling, second, 7.7;
400-meter dash: Danny Lieser, fourth, 1:06.6; Braun, sixth, 107.6;
800-meter run: Mandy Mayer, third, 2:37.5; Kendra Johnson, seventh, 2:41.4;
1,600-meter run: Jenny Hess, first, 5:14.5, Brooke Schmitz, second, 5:44.4;
3,200-meter run: Jenny Hess, first, 11:18.5;
1,600-meter relay: Danny Lieser, Schmitz, Mayer, Leanne Kolb, second, 4:30.5;
Shot put: Heidi Jansen, third, 32' 10.75"; Hemmesch, fourth, 32' 6";
High jump: Ashley Wall, second, 4' 8"; Ashley Ahrens, fifth, 4' 6"; Kendra Johnson, eighth, 4' 4";
Long jump: Missy Bachman, seventh, 13' 3"; Eastling, eighth, 13' 0.25";
Triple jump: Mayer, second, 30' 6"; Jessie Virant, fifth, 29' 2.75";
Pole vault: Bachman, first, 8' 6"; Hemmesch, second, 8' 0".