By JOHN RAFFEL
Neil Hufnagel’s first season as
Fowler girls track was a fun one as
the team won a state title.
Fowler had an 8-1 dual meet
record, was second in the CMAC
championship meet and second
overall in CMAC.
“We had a great season striving
to continue the championship
character, attitude and tradition of
Fowler girls track,” Hufnagel said.
“We had challenging goals for the
year including using our talents
and gifts to make track a positive
experience for all team members,
winning the CMAC, Regional, and
legitimately competing for a state
title.
“While falling short of our goal
of winning the CMAC title, we
were successful in reaching our
other goals including using our
talents and gifts to win the regional
and D4 state titles.”
Fowler had 70.5 points to finish
well ahead of Portland St. Patrick
with 44.
CMAC championships,” Hufnagel
said.
Senior Alayna Vandegriff was
third in the pole vault and ran on
the fourth place 4×100 and 4×200
relays and the first place 4×400
relay. “Alayna tied the pole vault
school record with an outstanding
10-6 vault,” Hufnagel said.
We had invitational wins at
the Chesaning and Hillsdale
Invites, won our D4 Regional at
Breckenridge, and won the D4
state championship,” Hufnagel
said. “The only real challenge
we faced was a late start to the
season for several of our key
contributors as they played in the
D4 state basketball championship
game the last Saturday in March.
With spring break the following
week, those girls didn’t truly start
practicing until the first week of
April.
“Our team had extraordinary
depth, especially in the sprints and
mid sprints. This allowed us to free
up some top performers to score in
individual events while our deep,
talented roster filled legs in our
championship caliber relays.”
State meet finishes for key team
members included:
Junior Katie Spicer placed in four
individual events at the state meet
including second in long (17-4.25
PR) and 100 meters, third in 200
meters and sixth in 400 meters.
“Katie won the long jump 100, 200
and was second in the 400 in the
Senior Grace O’Hare ran legs on
all four state meet placing relays
consisting of 4×800 eighth, 4×100
and 4×200 both fourth, and 4×100
f
irst.
Junior Ella Hufnagel was fifth
in the 400 meters and anchored
the three sprint relays, 4×100 and
4×200 both fourth, and 4×100 first – including a 59-second anchor
leg in the 4×400 to edge out St
Pats to win. Ella won the 400m at
the CMAC championships for the
third straight year.
Junior Kelcie Pung led off the
state meet with a 2:24 leadoff
leg on the 4×800 for 8th place to
score our first points of the state
meet. Kelcie was our top distance
runner placing in the top 3 in
the 1600m, 800m, and 3200m
The 2024 Fowler girls track and field team.
at both the regional and CMAC
championships.
Sophomore Paige Thelen was third
in the 300m hurdles with a 46.29
personal record and led off the
state champ 4×400 relay with an
outstanding 61 seconds split.
Sophomore Maria Wieber PRed
by over a second to take an
unexpected fifth place in the 300
meter hurdles with a 57.80.
Sophomore Michaela Spitzley led
off the fourth place finishing 4×100
and 4×200 relays.
Freshman Nadia Shafer placed
fourth in the pole vault with a 9-6
PR.
“Seniors Alayna Vandegriff
and Grace O’Hare will be greatly
missed, along with senior Rebecca
Smith who ran on the state
placing 4×800 relay and was our
top thrower this year in both the
shot and discus,” Hufnagel said.
“We will have a solid group of
returning athletes, and will be
looking to sustain the momentum
from this year to assure a positive
a rewarding experience for all of
our team members.
“Just want to acknowledge
previous girls track coach Jill
Feldpausch who retired from
coaching last year and left the
cupboards absolutely packed
with talent leading to this year’s
success. In roughly 14 seasons,
Coach Feldpausch’s teams won
f
ive state championships and had
four runner up finishes.”
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