By Becky Walz,
The warmer weather can’t come soon enough for the Decorah boys’ track and field team.
The Vikings will be looking to make it another banner year in 2022, after winning their fifth Northeast Iowa Conference title in a row.
Putting together the key pieces is head coach Joel Rollinger. Rollinger has led the Vikes for 23 years and has been with the program for 37. Assisting him will be Bill Post, Steve Nesteby and Jeff Wettach.
The warmer weather can’t come soon enough for the Decorah boys’ track and field team.
The Vikings will be looking to make it another banner year in 2022, after winning their fifth Northeast Iowa Conference title in a row.
Putting together the key pieces is head coach Joel Rollinger. Rollinger has led the Vikes for 23 years and has been with the program for 37. Assisting him will be Bill Post, Steve Nesteby and Jeff Wettach.
Looking back
After a year off from competition due to COVID-19, the Vikings have a nice mix of field events and the various distance runners.
The season went off without many cancellations as the Decorah athletes continued to show improvement, culminating in the fifth-straight league title on their home track with 179 points over Waverly-Shell Rock. In total, the Vikes crowned 11 conference champions — Haywood Stowe in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, Brady Hogan in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs, Joseph Hjelle in the shot put and discus, 4×200, 4×800, distance medley relay, shuttle hurdle relay and record breaking 4×100.
Under near-perfect conditions, Decorah saw 11 events qualify for state, as the Vikings finished fourth in the team standing with 102 points behind Epworth, Charles City and Waverly-Shell Rock.
The Vikes scored just five points, earning 33rd in Class 3A. Brady Hogan earned points in both the 3200-meter run, finishing sixth, as well as placing eighth in the 1600-meter. Jacob Pipho also earned a point in the 400-meter hurdles, finishing eighth.
Graduation losses
As they look to this season, the Vikes will be without several members that made last year a success. They included three four-year letter winners and a trio of three-year letter winners.
Graduates were Brady Hogan (sixth place in 3200-meter, eighth in 1600-meter, 15th in the distance medley relay), Kyle Renken (15th in the distance medley relay, 21st in 4×400), Drew Snyder (12th place in the 4×100, 21st in 4×200 relay), Briggs Duwe (11th in shuttle hurdle relay, 21st in 4×200 relay, 21st in 4×400), Cael Luzum (12th place in the 4×100, 15th in the distance medley relay), Ethan Frana, Kody Bodensteiner, Nick Einck, Charlie Robinson and Noah Breitenbach-Dirks.
Their turn
Although some big names were lost, the 2022 team will have some star power.
“We have 14 letter winners returning and a core of juniors and seniors who have a passion for track and field. We have at least one established athlete in each of the field events,” noted Coach Rollinger. “Our middle distance and sprint groups will be a team strength.”
Leading the way are eight athletes with state experience. Joseph Hjelle, a senior, just missed the finals in the discus, finishing ninth. He also was 17th in shot put at state. Jacob Pipho, also a senior, crossed the finish line eighth in 400-meter hurdles and was a member of the 11th-place shuttle hurdle relay team. Haywood Stowe was on the track at state three times, finishing 19th place in 100-meter dash, and as a member of the 4×100 relay that finished 12th and the 4×200 relay, which finished 21st.
Bennett Schutte was a member of the 15th-place in the distance medley relay, as well as the 4×400 relay that finished 21st. Addae Whitsitt competed in both the 4×100 (12th place) and 4×200 (21st) relays at Drake Stadium in 2021. Austin Wilkins and Dakota Johnson were both part of the 11th-place shuttle hurdle relay team. Trey McCain was a state qualifier as a member of the 4×400 relay.
Other returning letter winners are Hogan Smith, Jaden Baker, Ben Wymer, Brayden Hartl, Kaiden Quandahl and Danny See.
“We have 34 other athletes with 29 of them freshmen or sophomores, who will be looking to crack into a varsity position. Hopefully this will be a fountain of youth, ready to be the next wave to keep Decorah track and field successful and competitive,” said Coach Rollinger. “We will need to discover another point producer in each of the field events as well as someone to step up in the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs after graduation the NEIC champion.”
Ready for warmer weather
All that’s stopping the Vikings from having another stellar season is the weather. Rollinger is anxious to get outside and see where the pieces fit together.
“Getting the opportunity to run an indoor schedule this year has been a tremendous positive for the team,” added the veteran skipper.
When it comes to the conference race, Coach Rollinger believes Waverly-Shell Rock will be at the front of the pack with Decorah and Charles City chasing them down.
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