The Spud girls are Section 8AAA True Team Champions -- back-to-back. Moorhead finished with 810 points to Alexandria's 775 and Brainerd's 772, a 35-point margin built on the kind of depth True Team scoring rewards. The girls won six event groups and finished top three in nearly every other event. Eden Prairie is next.

The boys came up just short in a great battle with Brainerd, finishing 2nd at 824 points to Brainerd's 833.5. The Spuds won six event groups of their own and put together a tremendous day -- Brainerd just had a tremendous day too. The wait is over: Moorhead grabbed a wild card berth and is heading to Eden Prairie alongside the girls.

See Coach's Comments above for the stories behind the scores.

Chain of Champions

Thirteen event wins -- seven boys, six girls.

Walker / Jones / Schlichting

Boys 400m

73 pts

Zuo / Zimmerman / Salvevold

Boys High Jump

71 pts

Martin / Freeman / Erickson

Girls Long Jump

73 pts

Walker / Wotoe / Jones

Boys 200m

63 pts

Walker / Wotoe / Zuo

Boys 100m

61 pts

Zuo / Walker / Bement

Boys Long Jump

70 pts

A. Humeniuk / L. Humeniuk / Marquardt

Girls 400m

74 pts

Boys
Event Wins

3200m

Polomny / Brouillard / Copeland

4x200 Relay -- 1:31.55

Moorhead Boys 4x200

Girls
Event Wins

100m

Walthers / Gaye / Davis

Triple Jump

Martin / Staehnke / Tarwo

Pole Vault

Oakes / Mattison / Kostohryz

4x200 Relay -- 1:46.68

Moorhead Girls 4x200

The boys won the Packer Relays going away with 111.7 points to Davies' 103.5 - extending the outdoor undefeated streak. The girls came in at 122.5, just 5.5 points behind West Fargo (128) in a tight three-team race with Davies at 121.5. All three teams finished within 6.5 points.

Zak Walker had a day for the ages. He won the 100 in 10.70, then came back to win the 400 in a personal best 49.40 - a top 10 all-time mark. Edmund Wotoe won the 200 in a personal best 22.47. The boys 4x200 of Tavan Schlichting, Dalton Jones, Espen Bement, and Edmund Wotoe won in 1:30.83. Courage Sayiah won the triple jump at 43'2" to stay among the best in Minnesota. Espen Bement went 21'7.25" in the long jump for a personal best and a top 10 all-time mark.

On the girls side, Lillian Humeniuk won the 800 in a massive personal best 2:20.36 - a top 10 all-time mark for Moorhead. Amber Maki cleared 5'1" in the high jump for a personal best and 7th all-time, with Kaityn Walthers right behind at 4'11" (9th all-time). Lisa Tarwo jumped 35'6.5" in the triple jump for a personal best and 5th all-time. The girls throwers relay of Greta Verkuilen, Aubrey Haag, Hazel Schmidt, and Arella Lee won in 57.38. Logan Olson carried a spike as the baton in the boys throwers relay - a true Packer Relays tradition.

A handful of Spuds made the trip to Kindred for the Grip It & Rip It throws invitational. Logan Walkins had a strong day - discus 101'9" PB and shot put 30'4" PB. On the girls side, Flora Nelson posted personal bests in both shot put (25'9.5") and discus (73'5").

While the varsity squad fought for state at True Team, the developmental crew turned out at the Eagle Dual Championship and stacked up wins.

Boys highlights. Elves Gaye took the 100m (11.91) and 200m (23.92 PB). The 4x100 of Daesyn Belen, Samuel Swanson, Jayden Smart, and Griffin Ogaard won in 46.38.

Girls highlights. Four event wins -- Maame Jacobs took the 100m (13.33 PB), Eve Halverson the 100m hurdles (18.30), Keira Rinke the 800m (2:42.42 PB), and the 4x100 of Uniqua Nimely, Maame Jacobs, Melissa Dworshak, and Claire Danuser took gold in 52.69.

Depth on display: Spud girls placed 7 in the 100m top 10 and 4 in the triple jump top 5.

Discovery Invite

While the varsity squad was at True Team and EDC JV, the next wave was at the Discovery Invite. Horizon -- Moorhead's MS -- put on a clinic.

8th Grade Girls. Aaleah Karfear had a triple-winner day -- 1st 100m (13.19 PB), 1st 200m (28.17 PB), 1st long jump (14'8" PB), plus a leg of the winning 4x100. Grace Polomny doubled the distance with wins in the 800m (2:39.97) and 1600m (5:52.53 PB). Nyadeng Yuot swept the hurdles (17.30 100H PB, 36.92 200H). Alissa Hammer won the pole vault at 7'6" PB. Both relays took gold.

8th Grade Boys. Darren Davis put together a triple-win afternoon -- 100m (12.02 PB), 100mH (16.84), long jump (18'2"). Pious Zuo took the 200m (25.22 PB) and 200mH (30.82 PB). The 1600m was a Spud sweep -- Spencer Polomny (5:14.36 PB), Donnie Copeland (5:14.65 PB), and Alex Hebert (5:16.15 PB) went 1-2-3 within two seconds. Hebert also won the 800m (2:18.40 PB). Demetrius Jones cleared 5'6" PB to win the high jump. The 4x400 took gold in 4:30.82.

7th Grade Girls. Halen Keating ran the hurdle/jump triple -- 1st 100H (18.98), 1st 200H (36.41), 1st long jump (14'9" PB). Addyson Thiel won both distance races (2:45.71 PB, 5:52.71 PB). Mazie Frisch took the 400m (1:05.50 PB). Ivy Hedlund won the pole vault. Both relays won.

7th Grade Boys. Bruce Wroksie won the high jump at 5'9". Romelo Mends-Cole won the 100m (12.32 PB), Daniel Toe the 200m (25.44 PB), Max Zimmerman the 400m (59.39 PB) and pole vault (7'6"), Hudson Pausch the 800m (2:36.82 PB), and Jace Evenson the 1600m (5:16.38 PB). Both relays won.

Heritage Invite

The Horizon Spuds turned around and did it again at Heritage. Four divisions, four team titles, each by a comfortable margin.

8th Grade Boys. Darren Davis went 3-for-3 again -- 1st 100m (12.84), 1st 100mH (17.63), 1st long jump (18'10"). Pious Zuo took the 200mH in 29.34 PB and added a 5th in the 100m and 3rd in the 200m. AJ Bannister won the 200m (26.08 PB). Alex Hebert doubled with wins in the 400m (58.83) and 800m (2:19.33), then anchored the 4x400 to gold. The 4x400 (Doyle, Patrie, Copeland, Hebert) took gold in 4:03.44.

8th Grade Girls. Aaleah Karfear won the 200m (29.24) and added a 2nd in the 100m, plus a leg of the winning 4x100. Nyadeng Yuot swept the hurdles again -- 18.82 100H and 32.50 200H PB. Grace Polomny doubled in the 800m (2:41.72) and 1600m (5:53.51). Ruby Maki won the high jump at 4'7" PB.

7th Grade Girls. Mazie Frisch won the 200m (30.67 PB) and 400m (1:05.40 PB). Halen Keating swept the hurdles and long jump -- 1st 100H, 1st 200H (32.92 PB), 1st long jump (14'1"). Addyson Thiel took both distance races (2:44.65 PB, 5:53.47). Adeyosola Adeyemo won the shot put at 30'7" PB, and Dorcas Kamona won the discus at 53'5" PB.

7th Grade Boys. Bruce Wroksie doubled with a 1st in the 400m (59.43 PB) and 1st in the high jump at 5'8". Romelo Mends-Cole won the 100m (12.84) and ran 2nd in the 400m. Semir Zewde took both distance races (2:21.24 PB 800m, 5:21.43 1600m). The 7th grade 4x100 (Wroksie, Mends-Cole, Mulbah, Toe) won in 50.34.

Back-to-back meets, back-to-back sweeps. The pipeline is deep.