Comfere, Hanson steal the show at Dick Norman Invitational
May 6—Max Comfere has made it his mission to tick off as many extra-curricular experiences as he can before graduating from Rochester Century.
The senior's latest addition is track and field. He's also done soccer, basketball, Nordic skiing, band and theater at Century.
Well, it turns out that this ultra athlete is doing a lot more than just "giving it a try" when it comes to track and field. Comfere, an All-State forward in soccer the last two years, has used his 6-foot-2 frame and sprinter's speed to vault immediately into the conversation as being one of the top track athletes in the state.
He made another big statement on Thursday in the eight-team Dick Norman Invitational at Mayo, one of the just handful of meets he's competed in in his life.
Again, this is Comfere's maiden voyage in track and field. But his times sure suggest otherwise.
Comfere won all three sprints on Thursday at the Mayo track, producing dazzling times in each. He covered 100 meters in 11.09, 200 in 22.56 and 400 in 48.95. The latter was a meet record.
"It felt really good running today," said Comfere, who produced his stellar times despite not having the competition of sprinting stars Noah Smith (Mayo), Keondre Bryant (John Marshall) and Michael Nicometo (John Marshall), none of whom competed in the meet.
"It's still early in the season and it's my first year running track, so I'm still learning the ropes," Comfere said. "But it's fun to race. I love the technique of it and trying to iron out every small detail in perfecting a race."
Comfere's being a student of the sport right out of the chute has grabbed the attention of Century head coach Kyle Riggott. Riggott says he gives all of his track and field athletes literature to pore over as it relates to their events.
But if there was a competition for "most well read," Riggott is sure that Comfere would win that, too.
"I think he's the only kid who's read everything front to back," Riggott said of Comfere, who's also a brilliant student, complete with a 4.0 GPA. "When you watch Max at a track meet, he's watching the other runners and analyzing them. And you see him game-planning on how he's going to attack each race."
Comfere appreciates all of the direction he's gotten on this Century team.
"The coaches have been great," he said. "They've provided me so many resources."
The joy the sport has given the Century senior is obvious.
"Max runs with a smile on his face," Riggott said. "He clearly enjoys what he's doing. But you can't let that smile fool you. He's extremely competitive. Tonight, he was one-tenth of a second off the Century 400 school record and he was also second in the state with that time (for this season). He wants to claim both of those things."
While Comfere stole the show among the boys at the Dick Norman Invitational, it was Mayo's Hannah Hanson who drew the biggest raves among the girls.
Hanson won both hurdles events and the triple jump. The junior not only swept the hurdles, she set meet records in both, clocked in 15.04 in the 100's and 45.67 in the 300's.
Hanson's season bests, respectively, have been 14.67 and 45.66. But it thrilled her to land in the record books.
"It was fun to hear my name (by the public-address announcer), saying that I'd broken those records," Hanson said. "It's fun to break records."
In winning the triple jump, Hanson cleared 34-2 3/4.
Owatonna edged Mayo in claiming the boys team title in the eight-team meet. The Huskies scored 872.5 points, while Mayo scored 841.
Mayo's Yaih Marial continued to do big things in the jumps. He was first in the high jump (6-6) and second in the triple jump (43-8 1/4). Teammate Ryan Gwaltney claimed the 1,600, timed in 4:40.00.
Stewartville thrower Torasbjorn Lunaas was a double winner, first in the discus (152-3) and the shot put (51-1/4).
While Comfere won the 400, teammate Tyler White was also strong with his 50.68 clocking. That was good for second.
The girls team title was also claimed by Owatonna. The Huskies were resounding winners, with 669 points. Mankato West was second (592) and Mayo third (587.5).
The powerful Century girls did not compete in the meet.
Winona's Adriana Brenegen won the 100 (13.09) and the 200 (26.77). Mayo's Jadyn Lester won the high jump (5-0) and Erica Matey the shot put (36-6). John Marshall's Abigail Tri was first in the 3,200 (11:58.53).
Team scores
Owatonna 872.5, Mayo 841, Century 641, Forest Lake 636, Mankato West 528, Stewartville 489, John Marshall 320.5, Winona 318.
Individual results
(First place; Mayo, Century, JM, Stewartville top five)
100 — 1. Max Comfere (C) 11.09; 3. Cayden Holcomb (M) 11.37. 110 hurdles — 1. Carter Johnson (O) 15.09; 2. Cayden Holcomb; 4. Carter Holcomb (M) 16.13; 5. Damian Gerads (C) 16.38. 200 — 1. Max Comfere (C) 22.56. 300 hurdles — 1. Ryan Gregory (O) 39.18; 2. Damian Gerads (C) 40.94; 3. Carter Holcomb (M) 41.35. 400 — 1. Max Comfere (C) 48.95; 2. Tyler White (C) 50.68; 4. Jack Buntrock (Stew) 53.07. 800 — 1. Connor Ginskey (O) 2:00.42; 3. Lucas Olson (M) 2:03.66; 5. Ben Timmerman (M) 2:06.18. 1,600 — 1. Ryan Gwaltney (M) 4:40.00; 2. Lucas Olson (M) 4:42.63; 4. Garrett Eick (JM) 4:43.35. 3,200 — 1. Ethan Sievers (FL) 9:56.36; 2. Ryan Gwaltney (M) 10:17.57; 3. Myles Rasmussen (W) 10:39.10; 5. Jace Short (M) 10:31.61. 100 wheelchair — 1. Devin Filzen (W) 20.21. 800 wheelchair — 1. Devin Filzen (W) 2:41.69.
Relays
4x100 — 1. Mankato West 44.38; 3. Century 45.19; 5. Winona 45.77. 4x200 — 1. Mankato West 1:31.14; 4. Century 1:34.96; 5. Mayo 1:37.38. 4x400 — 1. Owatonna 3:29.02; 3. Mayo 3:33.75; 5. Winona 3:37.54. 4x800 — 1. Owatonna 8:36.67; 3. Mayo 8:46.63; 5. Century 8:59.73.
Field events
Discus — 1. Torasbjorn Lunaas (Stew) 152-3; 2. Ethan Kramer (M) 143.04; 4. Gideon Heng (M) 135-9. High jump — 1. Yaih Marial (M) 6-6; 2. Adam Myren (M) 6-4; 3. Max Vande Kieft (M) 6-2; 4. Carter Anderson (Stew) 6-0. Long jump — 1. Justin Gleason (O) 22-3/4; 2. Carter Holcomb (M) 21-4 1/2; 3. Jaden Wysocki (C) 21-2; 4. Mechwa Meermarew (JM) 20-7 1/4; 5. Yaih Marial (M) 20-6 1/2. Pole vault — 1. Nathan Nelson (C) 14-7; 4. Cayden Holcomb (M) 12-0. Triple jump — 1. Justin Gleason (O) 44-10 1/4; 2. Yaih Marial (M) 43-8 1/4; 3. Brayden Draheim (W) 41-6 3/4; 4. Spencer Pearson (M) 40-1 1/4. Shot put — 1. Torasbjorn Lunaas (Stew) 51-1/4; 2. Gideon Heng (M) 47-11 1/2; 3. Ethan Kramer (M) 47-6. Wheelchair shot put — 1. Devin Filzen (W) 17-10 1/2.
Complete results:
https://results.wayzatatiming.com/meets/16033/events/554465/results
Team scores
Owatonna 669, Mankato West 592, Mayo 587.5, Forest Lake 547.5, Winona 380, Stewartville 339.5, John Marshall 217.5.
Individual results
(First place; Mayo, Century, JM, Stewartville top five)
100 — 1. Adriana Brenegen (W) 13.09; 2. Claire Siems (M) 13.20; 4. Madison Meyer (M) 13.44; 5. Alana Acker (JM) 13.57. 100 hurdles — 1. Hannah Hanson (M) 15.04. 200 — 1. Adriana Brenegen (W) 26.77. 300 hurdles — 1. Hannah Hanson (M) 45.67; 3. Haylie Strum (S) 47.52; 5. Jadyn Lester (M) 51.21. 400 — 1. Ella Niznik (FL) 1:00.63; 2. Shannon Chen (M) 1:01.47. 800 — 1. Ellie Hanowski (FL) 2:20.75; 2. Shannon Chen (M) 2:31.66; 3. Calla Pike (W) 2:34.09; 4. Anna Gilmer (W) 2:34.46. 1,600 — 1. Carsyn Brady (O) 5:25.54. 3,200 — 1. Abigail Tri (JM) 11:58.53; 2. Mollie Ping (W) 12:07.08; 3. Catherine Stacy (M) 12:18.81.
Relays
4x100 — 1. Owatonna 51.41; 2. Mayo 51.42; 5. Stewartville 54.18. 4x200 — 1. Mankato West 1:48.12; 3. Stewartville 1:51.68; 4. Mayo 1:52.00. 4x400 — 1. Forest Lake 4:11.33; 3. Stewartville 4:15.96; 4. Mayo 4:16.41. 4x800 — 1. Forest Lake 10:05.07; 3. Winona 10:15.97; 4. Mayo 10:42.27.
Field events
Discus — 1. Shaquavianna Berlin-Burns (W) 112-7; 5. Ayla Larson (M) 97-11. High jump — 1. Jadyn Lester (M) 5-0; 4. Audrey Shindelar (S) 4-10. Long jump — 1. Lauren Dimler (MW) 17-1/2; 3. Carly Conway (W) 15-10 1/2; 5. Gabriele Buhrow (M) 15-8 1/4. Triple jump — 1. Hannah Hanson (M) 34-2 3/4; 3. Ella Quam (Stew) 32-4 1/2. Shot put — 1. Erica Matey (M) 36-6; 2. Mandy Duellman (W) 35-2 1/2. Pole vault — 1. Jenna Sikel (MW) 11-6.
Complete results:
https://results.wayzatatiming.com/meets/16033/events/554465/results
