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Big Eight meet may be a close call

JANESVILLE — The Big Eight Conference track and field meet here Tuesday at Monterey Stadium could come down to the last event—the 1,600 relay.

That scenario could unfold in both the boys and girls team races, according to Janesville Craig girls coach Mark Marsden, whose Cougars were unbeaten in Big Eight dual meets.

“We could finish anywhere from first to fourth,” Marsden said of his young but talented team. “That’s how close I think it’s gonna be. And it’s probably about the same for the boys.

“It’s going to come down to who has the most depth and who can score points in as many events as possible. Whoever does win, in either the boys or the girls, I don’t think it’s going to be by a lot.”

Madison La Follette’s boys and Sun Prairie’s girls are the defending champions. Verona’s boys are a slight favorite, while Craig, Sun Prairie, Middleton and Verona are expected to battle for the girls title.

The Cougar girls have been led all season by sophomore sprinter Meggie Slatter, junior middle-distance runner Katie Bagley and junior thrower Kaylyn Funk.

Janesville Parker’s Paige Demos is the defending champion in the high jump, but the Viking senior has been battling a leg injury, and her status for Tuesday’s conference meet is uncertain.

Parker’s Erika Whitson will be one of the favorites in the pole vault after breaking the school and Tom Mueller Invitational record Friday night by clearing 10-4.

Austin Lloyd and Adam Vesterfelt will lead a Parker boys team that should be in contention for a title.

“I’m just hoping to be close to healthy for the conference meet,” Parker coach Joe Dye said. “We’ve been battling some injuries lately and that really affects us, especially in the relays.”

Senior Cy Badertscher and junior Tommy Meister will lead the Craig boys. Badertscher is the school record-holder in long jump and triple jump, while Meister was the Division 1 state runner-up in cross country and can run anything from the 800 to the 3,200.