State Track & Field: Park Rapids Girls’ 4×400 Relay, S-M’s Brownell Take 1st

The state track and field meet continued Wednesday, and it was Class AA’s turn for the prelims that morning.

Finals qualifiers from the day included the Pequot Lakes girls’ 4x100m, 4x200m, and 4x400m relay teams. They’ll have a chance on Thursday to get medals in those.

The Class A track and field finals also went underway despite the rain. In the girls’ 1600m, reigning champ Audrey Brownell from Staples-Motley went back-to-back with state titles, claiming first in 5 minutes and 2 seconds.

“It feels great. I mean, every day you get outside, you go run. Like, that’s just a goal,” said Brownell. “And to accomplish it feels really good, but I know next year I just want to do it again. And yeah, I love the miles. It’s a fun race. It’s really cool. And you know, having that on my back is just such a blessing. I’m really blessed for it.”

And in the girls’ 4x400m relay, Park Rapids earned the crown, fishing in 3 minutes and 57 seconds.

“I was coming down the homestretch. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m going to be a state champ,'” laughed Park Rapids’ Addison Lauwagie after receiving medals with teammates Madeline Brandt, Olivia Miller, and Grace Officer. “And then I took a tumble [after crossing the finish line] and then I was fine.”

She continued, “When Madeline came in for me, obviously, I know I can run my race, that it’s meant for me. And we were like kind of—like, the gap was there, but yeah, my legs can take me places, so I trust them.”