Posted: 6/14/06
North Branch competes against states fastest
 Aaron Cedergren (right) hands off the baton to sophomore Ryan Norman during the second leg of the 4x800 relay at the state track meet at Hamline University June 10. |
By Steve Morris
The competition was tough as the North Branch 4x800 relay team and Nick Ramberg competed at the state track meet June 9-10 at Hamline University in St. Paul. More than 2,500 fans filled the stands to watch the elite high school track athletes compete.
Aaron Cedergren, Ryan Norman, JJ Koerber, and Cody Good made up the relay team and finished in eleventh place with a time of 8:22.73. The next closest was Hopkins who was 12 seconds faster. Koerber said it was a good accomplishment to make it to state.
ìIt was pretty exciting to be here but we didnít do as good as we thought we would,î Koerber said.
Their time at the state meet was eight seconds slower than their time at the section meet. In fact, it was tough for the relay team to swallow their place and time considering they won many of their races during the regular season. Cedergren wore a face of disappointment after he finished the first leg of the race.
ìThe level of competition was high this year,î Koerber said.
Lakeville North won the 800 relay with a time of 7:49.58.
The relay team has a promising future ahead of them with all four runners returning next year. The team is young, with two sophomores and two juniors. Out of the 11 teams who qualified this year, North Branch is the only team who will returns all of its runners.
Head coach Brian Hasleiet said he expects the 4x800 team to return to the sate meet next year.
ì ... the best thing is that they are all underclassmen and will have the opportunity to keep improving and get back to the state meet again next year,î he said.
The 800 relay aside, Ramberg competed in two events at the state meet. He qualified for the 800 on the first day of competition with a time of 158.59. In finals he finished in eighth place with a time of 1:59.29.
ìI wish it would have turned out better,î Ramberg said.
Sophomore Isaac Veldkamp from Eden Prairie won the 800 with a time of 1:56.30.
For the mile, there was no prelmins. Ramberg stuck with a large pack of runners for must of the race but was unable to stay with the lead runners and finished twelfth with a time of 4:28.43. Junior Benjamin Blankenship of Stillwater Area won the mile with a time of 4:13.
Assessing Ramberg, Hasleiet said, ìNick is such a hard worker. He deserves all of the accolades heís received for having such a great season.î
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