Tigers tackle state meet

Published 10:20 am Saturday, June 11, 2011

Albert Lea’s Brody Sunblad clears the first hurdle during the 300-meter intermediate hurdles preliminaries Friday during the Class AA portion of the Minnesota State Track and Field Meet at Hamline University in St. Paul. -- Eric Johnson

Monson places 3rd; Sunblad 17th

ST. PAUL — Albert Lea’s two qualifying athletes competed Friday in the state track and field meet at Hamline University in St. Paul.

Chrissy Monson finished third in the 3,200-meter run, and Brody Sunblad finished 17th in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

It was Monson’s second consecutive third-place finish in the 3,200 at state. She finished the race in a season-best 10 minutes

Albert Lea’s Chrissy Monson leads the field through the first turn after one lap during the girls’ 3,200-meter relay Friday in the first day of the Minnesota Track and Field Meet at Hamline University in St. Paul. -- Eric Johnson

and 51.03 seconds.

Monson finished behind champion Jamie Piepenberg, of Alexandria (10:42.46) and runner-up Maria Hauger, of Shakopee (10:49.38). She beat fourth-place Erica Seindenkranz, of Monticello, by nearly 15 seconds.

“I went out there, competed with the best and gave it all I had,” Monson said. “I was right there battling for 1-2-3 the entire time.

Monson said on taking an early lead:

“I just wanted to go. I’m not going to run differently.”

Sunblad finished the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 41.49 seconds. He missed the top-nine cutoff into the finals by 1.6 seconds.

Sunblad was seeded 17th after running 41.05 seconds at the Section 1AA meet. He said Thursday that he would need to run around 39 seconds to qualify to the finals.

Monson competed in the 1,600-meter run Saturday morning.