Tiger track jumping like no other
Lorencz, Ferm, Parco win events at section True Team
Farmington’s Nadia Lorencz is chomping at the bit with major track and field meets on the horizon.
With the Missota Conference Championships on May 24, the Section 1AA meet May 31, and perhaps the state meet in June on the calendar, Lorencz is planning on jumping better than anyone else in Minnesota.
She freshened things up last week at the Shakopee Invitational where she won the 100-meter dash and high jump, taking a break from her normal routine of long and triple jump as well as the 100 hurdles.
“We do know the big prize is in June at the state meet, so everything up to now is preparation for the section meet and hopefully state meet,” Farmington head coach Tom Hart said. “We have tried to keep the season fun and trying different things is a great way for us to keep our athletes interested.”
Lorencz is ranked No. 1 in the state in 100 hurdles with a time of 14.97 seconds, which is ahead of last year’s state champion, Richfield’s Jessica January. She’s also ranked No. 1 in the long jump and triple jump. Her biggest competition has been Gabrielle Murphy from North St. Paul and Farmington teammate Isabelle Ferm.
Ferm has helped give Farmington one of the state’s best groups of long and triple jumpers, and sprint relays continue to be a strength for the Tigers with Jennifer Miller, Megan Graham, Alyssa Parco and Maria Kiminski.
Farmington was seventh of nine teams after 17 events at the Section 1AAA True Team meet Tuesday in Rochester. Pole vault was postponed to Thursday.
Ferm won the 400, triple jump and 200, and Parco won the 100 dash and 300 hurdles. Lorencz was the champion in the 100 hurdles.
The girls got a good look at some of the favorites from Lakeville North and South as a preview for the Section 1AA meet later this month.
Boys track
The Tigers boys team is relying on several young athletes, with an emphasis on “several.”
With a deep lineup, the Tigers stand out in events such as the Missota Relays, which the boys team won earlier this month. Farmington scored 171 points, 16 ahead of second place Shakopee, despite not winning an event.
“Our depth is starting to show in the mid-distance and that helped us surprise a few people at the relays,” head coach Brian Helmstetter said. “We were able to spread a number of our guys out and have younger guys fill in their spots without a large drop in times, and that is what helped us win.”
The boys got the points with a number of second- and third-place finishes.
With a full lineup, the Tigers can gather points in bunches, which also helped in the Section 1AAA True Team meet Tuesday. The True Team format awards points to everyone who participates, not just the top 10. The Tigers finished sixth of nine teams at the section True Team meet.
While the team may not have a superstar athlete, the mid-distance runners have put up some solid times. Tyler Lerbakken, who Helmstetter refers to as “Mr. Consistent,” was seventh in the 800.
“He has worked on his stride a bit this year and his times continue to improve,” Helmstetter said. “He earns his success by pushing himself and his teammates in workouts and I believe a big reason for our mid-distance success is the work ethic and focus he brings to practice.
“Justin Hyytinen and Luis Rodriguez have done a great job in the 1,600 and 3,200 and veteran Chad Retterath has had an awesome comeback senior season after three years of injuries. … Our hurdlers have started to make progress and are gaining some depth, which helped us at the conference relays.”
Hyytinen was sixth in the 3,200 and fourth in the 1,600 at the True Team section meet.
