ST. PAUL - After placing sixth at shot put on Friday, Murray County Central sophomore thrower was completely drained before Day 2 of the Class A state track and field championships on Saturday.
But, Nepp still had some work to do on Saturday as he was one of 17 throwers in the discus.
"(Saturday) morning, when I was laying in bed, I was like, 'It was a long day (Friday), I don't really want to be here,'" Nepp said. "'But I suppose I should see how I do.'"
Article Photos
Photo by Joe Brown
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s Jada Carr goes through her strides in the triple jump, during prelims at the Class A state track and field championships Saturday at Hamline University in St. Paul. Carr finished in fourth place with a distance of 35 feet, 6 1/4 inches.
It turned out that Nepp had a good reason to get up on Saturday morning.
Sitting as the 11th seed prior to Saturday's final, Nepp unloaded on a toss of 147 feet, 3 inches to take third place. Ottertail Central's Steffan Stroh won the discus with a throw of 159-5.
Sufficed to say, Nepp was much more excited, and stunned, than he was just hours prior to the throwing events at Hamline University in St. Paul.
Fact Box
Boys 4x800 Relay: 1. Madelia/Truman 7:58.14; 2. Cotter 8:02.82; 3. Minnehaha Academy 8:06.33; 4. Ottertail Central 8:11.27; 5. Mesabi East 8:12.27; 6. Perham 8:14.26; 7. Mankato Loyola/Cleveland 8:19.53; 8. Byron 8:20.77; 9. Albany 8:21.14; 10. Mayer Lutheran 8:21.91; 11. Redwood Valley 8:22.43; 12. Virginia 8:22.64; 13. St. James 8:23.89; 14. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton 8:30.22; 15. St. Cloud Cathedral 8:31.09; 16. East Grand Forks 8:38.81; 17. Yellow Medicine East (Jacob Carroll, Coltyn Schuler, Isaac Rillo, Adam Saveriego) 8:46.34.
Boys 100m: 1. Michael Whitney (Breckenridge) 11.13; 2. Tyler Beehler (Foley) 11.15; 3. Adam Drenckhahn (Caledonia/Spring Grove) 11.25; 4. Jack Thony (MCC) 11.27; 5. Blake Johnson (Kenyon-Wanamingo) 11.32; 6. CJ Damey (Prairie Seeds Academy) 11.32; 7. David Paynotta (Hinckley-Finlayson) 11.36; 8. Sean O'Connell (St. Peter) 11.44; 9. Cade Stackpool (Virginia) 11.50.
Boys 1,600m: 1. Brandon Clark (Blake) 4:20.08; 2. Shane Streich (Waseca) 4:20.26; 3. Nick Golebiowski (St. Cloud Cathedral) 4:20.78; 4. Cade Ekstrom (Madelia/Truman) 4:25.34; 5. Steven Zeller (Concordia Academy) 4:25.46; 6. Matt Welch (Proctor) 4:26.67; 7. Chalmer Combellick (C-G-B) 4:27.01; 8. Charlie Lawrence (Foley) 4:27.63; 9. Romeo Benish (Proctor) 4:29.53; 10. Daniel Borash (Royalton) 4:30.34; 11. Bryon Schuldt (Nevis) 4:30.88; 12. Ben Burgett (Community Christian) 4:36.84; 13. Nick Stoks (C/M/L) 4:40.15; 14. Brady Speicher (Perham) 4:47.15; 15. Bryan Hasbargen (Lake of the Woods) 4:49.59; 16. Nathan Warneke (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) 4:50.94.
Boys High Jump: 1. Yves Spies (Waseca) 6-7; t2. Chase Montgomery (Plainview-E-M), Joey Mooney (Maple Lake) 6-6; 4. Aaron Wubben (CMCS) 6-4; 5. Brian Huber (Staples-Motley) 6-4; 6. Will Gisler (Stewartville) 6-4; t7. Tyler Strandlund (Christ's HOF), Jesse Eastman (Roseau) 6-2; 9. West Spier (Caledonia/Spring Grove) 6-2; t10. Randy Juell (Redwood Valley), Chase Rueger (Hinckley-Finlayson 6-2; 12. Ben Dreher (Browerville) 6-2; t13. Mitchel Sanchez (Glencoe-Silver Lake), Justin Obert (Mora) 6-0; 15. Jordan Feder (Nevis) 6-0; 16. Jeff DeCock (WWG/RRC) 6-0; 17. Ben Bisel (Esko) 6-0; 18. Hunter Hulley (Watertown-Mayer) 5-10.
Boys Long Jump: 1. Nolan Michaelson (Pequot Lakes) 21-10; 2. Kendall Strandlund (Christ's HOF) 21-9.25; 3. Brian Huber (Staples-Motley) 21-9; 4. Alex Slawson (Plainview-E-M) 21-5.25; 5. Cooper Gauldin (Annandale) 21-3; 6. Randy Juell (Redwood Valley) 21-1; 7. Thomas Schwinghamer (Sauk Centre) 21-1; 8. Matt Moberg (Park Christian) 20-11; 9. David Paynotta (Hinckley-Finlayson) 20-7.5; 10. Lucas Ziemba (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) 20-6.5; 11. Cameron Hastings (Blake) 20-6; 12. Sean O'Connell (St. Peter) 20-3; 13. Kevin Wagner (Mankato Loyola/Cleveland) 20-2; 14. Jeff DeCock (WWG/RRC) 19-11.25; 15. Max Reinertsen (Esko) 19-9.5; 16. Jack Thony (MCC) 19-6.5; 17. Forrest Coughlin (Maple Lake) 18-11; 18. Luke Yutrzenka (West Marshall) 18-10.75.
Boys Shot Put: 1. Brian Blasey (Ada-Borup) 53-11.5; 2. Steffan Stroh (Ottertail Central) 52.7.75; 3. Logan Meyer (Wadena-Deer Creek) 52-0.25; 4. Brady Fuchs (Byron) 50-8.5; 5. Joe Geiselman (Virginia) 49.11; 6. Tanner Nepp (MCC) 49-7; 7. Dustin Gill (LeSueur-Henderson) 48-9.25; 8. Evan Bain (Lewiston-Altura) 48.3.5; 9. Josh Johnson (Blue Earth Area) 48-0; 10. Alex Weis (Luverne) 46-2.25; 11. Monty Gregoire (Annandale) 45-4.75; 12. Nate Burstein (Mounds Park) 44-4.5; 13. Geoffrey Hibbs (Breck) 43-5; 14. Christopher Zimmer (Walker-H-A) 41-6.25.
Boys Discus: 1. Steffan Stroh (Ottertail Central) 159-5; 2. Sam Udermann (Foley) 157-3; 3. Tanner Nepp (MCC) 147-3; 4. Cody Rofshus (Luverne) 146-6; 5. Brian Blasey (Ada-Borup) 146-4; 6. Adam Schultz (LeSueur-Henderson) 146-0; 7. Tobias Wach (Ashby/Brandon) 142-4; 8. Mitch Danner (Litchfield) 140-11; 9. Alex Ukkelberg (Ottertail Central) 139-4; 10. Hans Lundberg (Rushford-Peterson) 139-3; 11. Brandon Stuhaug (Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton) 133-3; 12. Josh Johnson (Blue Earth Area) 131-6; 13. Austin Johnson (Cromwell) 129-5; 14. Andrew Anderson (Bigfork) 127-10; 15. Andre Hinds (Blake) 121-7.
Boys Triple Jump: 1. Eric Miklausich (Duluth Marshall) 44-10.25; 2. Quentin Allums (Concordia Academy) 43-9.75; 3. Devin Strack (Pillager) 43-5; 4. Sean O'Connell (St. Peter) 43-4.5; 5. Petric VanErp (Ottertail Central) 43-3; 6. Max Reinertsen (Esko) 42-8; 7. Jesse Beulke (Tri-City United) 42-7.25; 8. Jesse Eastman (Roseau) 42-2.75; 9. Matt Moberg (Park Christian) 42-1; 10. Nate Haugen (St. Croix Lutheran) 42-0.5; 11. Nick Cummings (Pine City) 41-10; 12. Jeff DeCock (WWG/RRC) 41-5; 13. Cole Gauldin (Annandale) 41-1.75; 14. Sean Adams (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) 40-10.75; 15. Gabe Kartes (Blooming Prairie) 40-9.75; 16. Jake Douglas (Montevideo) 40-5.
Girls 100m: 1. Brooke Aeikens (Annandale) 12.52; 2. Sommer Haugrud (Pelican Rapids) 12.57; 3. Katie Holzheimer (Morris/C-A) 12.73; 4. McKayla Stowell (LeSueur-Henderson) 12.73; 5. Haley Jensen (Martin County West) 12.75; 6. Jillian Krier (Byron) 12.76; 7. Morgan Savage (Byron) 12.87; 8. Sara Melom (LQPV/DB) 12.97; 9. Jamila Stimpel (Bold/BLH) 12.98.
Girls 1,600m: 1. Clare Flanagan (Blake) 4:59.22; 2. Kayla Huhnerkoch (Redwood Valley) 5:09.07; 3. McKenzie Holt (St. Cloud Christian) 5:11.97; 4. Molly Montonye (C-G-B) 5:13.98; 5. Tierney Winter (Waterville-E-M) 5:17.59; 6. Gracelynn Otis (South Ridge) 5:22.72; 7. Janessa Meuleners (Belle Plaine) 5:23.18; 8. Marietta Geist (Crookston) 5:23.79; 9. McKenzie Kirtz (Grand Meadow) 5:23.80; 10. Nicole Nipper (Minnehaha Academy) 5:27.80; 11. Makenzie Smith (Morris/C-A) 5:31.54; 12. Courtney Alama (Annandale) 5:34.72; 13. Kailee Kiminski (Esko) 5:37.78; 14. Alaysia Freetly (LQPV/DB) 5:38.96; 15. Marissa Carlson (Bagley/Fosston) 6:00.21.
Girls 4x100m Relay: 1. Byron 49.76; 2. Annandale 49.82; 3. Pequot Lakes 49.99; 4. LQPV/Dawson-Boyd (Morgan Munsterman, Jacinta Roggenbuck, Katie Deyo, Sara Melom) 50.23; 5. Chatfield 50.59; 6. Belle Plaine/Holy Family Academy 50.60; 7. Concordia Academy 51.24; 8. Morris/C-A 51.51.
Girls Pole Vault: 1. Carolyn Nye (Blake) 11-7; 2. Shelbie Walsh (Litchfield) 11-0; 3. Sarah Knight (Walker-H-A) 10-9; 4. Kristine Novak (Lake City) 10-3; 5. Marissia Hagedorn (Blue Earth Area) 10-3; 6. Taylor Sharpe (MACCRAY/RCW) 10-0; t7. Jillian Krier (Byron), Megan Fuhrman (Fairmont) 10-0; 9. Austyn Eng (Braham) 9-9; 10. Mandy Mercil (Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton) 9-3; 11. Erika Shady (Esko) 9-3; 12. Cassidy Dunkley (Hinckley-Finlayson) 8-9; 13. Maria Stephenson (Trinity School) 8-9; t14. Chloe Arfsten (WWG/RRC), Alexis Marty (Pelican Rapids) 8-3; 16. Abby Travis (Morris/C-A) 8-3.
Girls High Jump: 1. Carlie Wagner (New Richland) 5-6; 2. Emma Lange (Caledonia/Spring Grove) 5-6; 3. Sara Melom (LQPV/DB) 5-3; t3. Alexis Good (Mora), Clair Stier (Belle Plaine) 5-3; 6. Kaija Crowe (Milaca) 5-2; t7. Sidney Dirks (St. Peter), Paige Tapp (Stewartville), Kaitlin Kamm (St. Peter) 5-2; t10. Breena Alfredson (South Ridge), Morgan Kingston (Melrose) 5-0; 12. Steph Wold (Ottertail Central) 5-0; t13. Alexandra Bosch (Montevideo), Hayley Rau (Plainview-E-M) 5-0, Megan Grimes (Park Rapids) 5-0; 16. Diedre Hahn (Warroad) 5-0; t17. Bridget Tesser (Proctor), AnnMarie Healy (Providence Academy), Anna Skow-Anderson (Pelican Rapids) 4-10.
Girls Triple Jump: 1. Hailey Brinkman (Melrose) 37-7.75; 2. Andrea Bartz (Plainview-E-M) 37-7.75; 3. Caitlin Duske (Watertown-Mayer) 36-2.75; 4. Jada Carr (RTR) 35-6.25; 5. Jenny Mundt (Lewiston-Altura) 35-4.75; 6. Beckycia Bowers (Redwood Valley) 35-5.25; 7. Laure Olson (Hawley/U-H) 35-3; 8. Macy Weller (Sauk Centre) 35-0.5; 9. Sierra Schultz (Fairmont) 34-11.5; 10. Paige Bearson (Fairmont) 34-5.25; 11. Sienna Miller (Crosby-Ironton) 34-5; 12. Rhianna Strobel (C-G-B) 34-2; 13. Greta Walsh (Litchfield) 34-1.5; 14. Sydney Boike (Crookston) 32-7.5; 15. Megan Bergstedt (Esko) 31-9.75.
"I was expecting to place a lot higher in shot than I would in disc this year," Nepp said, "But I guess whatever happens happens."
It took just two throws before Nepp had the mark that put him high on the podium.
"My fellow thrower Sam (Udermann of Foley), he said my block was way better than the throw before."
Joining Nepp on the podium Saturday was teammate Jack Thony, who finished in fourth place in the 100-meter dash. The Rebels junior blazed down the scorching track on Saturday for a time of 11.27. Breckenridge's Michael Whitney clinched the 100 dash title with a time of 11.13.
"I came out of the blocks pretty fast," Thony said.
But, he added, "Fourth place is alright, but I want to be state champ. I got another year, I'm going to work hard on everything. Hopefully, I can come back and do better than I did this time."
Thony stayed busy, also competing in the long jump, where he finished 16th with a leap of 19 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Also pulling double duty on Saturday was Westbrook-Walnut Grove/Red Rock Central's Jeff DeCock, who finished 16th in the high jump (6-0) and 14th in the long jump (19-11 1/4). On Friday, DeCock competed in the triple jump, finishing in 12th (41-5).
But the best jumper in the area came in the girls' triple jump, where Russell-Tyler-Ruthton's Jada Carr was looking to exceed expectations. The Knights' sophomore needed to get in the 35-foot range in order to secure a spot in the triple jump finals, securing a leap of 35 1 1/2 in the prelims to get in.
"I didn't come all this way to not get into the finals," Carr said. "I came to do some damage."
Sitting in sixth place after two jumps, Carr saved her best for last, breaking an RTR school record with a distance of 35-6 1/4, finishing in fourth place. Winning the event was Melrose's Hailey Brinkman with a jump of 37-7 3/4.
"I was so excited," Carr said after posing for family photos and showing off her new medal.
"I was seeded 11th, so to go to fourth place feels so good. I didn't expect to do that well. ... I had the old school record and I broke it again."
Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd's Sara Melom finished the state championships with three medals after taking eighth in the 100 (12.97), and along with Morgan Munsterman, Jacinta Roggenbuck and Katie Deyo, finished fourth in the 4x100 relay (50.23). On Friday, Melom finished third in the high jump.
In other area action on Saturday, the Yellow Medicine East 4x800 relay team of Jacob Carroll, Coltyn Schuler, Isaac Rillo and Adam Saveriego finished in 17th with a time of 8:46.34. Canby/Minneota/Lincoln HI junior distance runner Nick Stoks was 13th in the boys' 1,600 run at 4:40.15, and LQPV/DB's Alaysia Freetly finished 14th in the girls' 1,600 (5:38.96). In the pole vault, WWG/RRC's Chloe Arfsten finished in a tie for 14th with Pelican Rapids' Alexis Marty, clearing a height of 8-3.