---

The Wildcats and the Vikings weren’t really concerned with taking first last Friday at the Cambridge-Isanti Invite. Instead, with the True Team meet just days away, both the Wildcats and Vikings spent most of the meet trying to finalize their True Team line-up. How they finished in the actual meet was just an added bonus.

And what a bonus it was. Facing some of the stiffest competition of the season, the ‘Cats finished fourth out of eight teams while North Branch grabbed fifth, just one point behind Chisago.

For Chisago, with a few more healthy bodies, the ‘Cats most likely would’ve finished second. Sophomore Andy Olness didn’t make the trip, unable to perform. Fellow sophomore Blane Maher and junior Joe Jungmann did make the trip only to be scratched before the meet got started.

“It was a scramble,” smiled Ken Orwoll, Chisago Lakes boys track head coach. “The whole meet was just a scramble. I really couldn’t push anything with the True Team coming up so we did what we could with who we had.”

Considering the circumstances, they did well, particularly in the sprint relays where the ‘Cats took a second and third. In addition, Sam Solberg lit up the track in the 400 meter dash, placing first, and Devin Swanberg and John Leaf each placed second in the triple jump and 3200 meter run respectively.

“Both spring relays ran really well. I was really pleased with how they did,” remarked Orwoll. “Sam Solberg ran real well in the 400. Rob Sandgren had a nice day in the vault, he almost made 12 feet, and Mike Seabloom got a personal best in the shot put, taking sixth for us. They all scored some nice points for us.

“It answered a few questions,” continued Orwoll. “I’m still concerned with who’s going to fill some spots, there are still some question marks. Some kids are hurting. Are we ready? We have to be I guess.”

Meanwhile, on the North Branch side, the Vikings performance reassured head coach Brian Hasleiet that they were on the right track. Also missing some key athletes, North Branch still managed to keep pace with Chisago, considered by many to be the True Team favorite.

“We were definitely gearing up for the True Team,” said Hasleiet. “I was happy with what we did. Marc Vanden Heuvel ran for the first time this season in our relays, he’s really going to help them out. We were missing D.J Paulson because of a back injury but that’s okay. We were just trying to figure out some things. It pretty much reinforced what we’re doing and where we’re going in terms of the True Team meet.”

Two answers that made more noise than the rest came from Bowie McClaskie and Nick Ramberg. McClaskie picked up another win in the pole vault, reaching 12 feet six inches. As for Ramberg, the freshman placed first in the 3200 meter run.

“Nick’s performance was really something,” replied Hasleiet. “He was running with the leaders, then he kind of kicked it into gear on the last lap and out ran everybody. He’s really going to be something. He’s something right now, but he’s really going to be fun to watch in the future, he’s such a hard worker.”

Cambridge-Isanti Invite

Boys team results-

1. St. Francis 170.3

2. Duluth East 92.3

3. Spring Lake Park 89

4. Chisago Lakes 87

5. North Branch 86

6. Cambridge 84

7. Cloquet 51.3

8. Duluth Denfeld 42

Individual Results

(CL & NB only):

4 X 800 relay-

2. North Branch 8:41.6

5, Chisago Lakes 8:53.3

110 hurdles-

6. Al Moore (NB) 17.7

7. Josh Beach (NB) 17.78

8. Chris Hitchcock (CL) 17.83

100 dash-

8. Brian Arndt (CL) 12.12

4 x 200 relay-

2. Chisago Lakes 1:37.73

5. North Branch 1:39.60

1600 meter run-

6. Greg Stignani (CL) 5:02

4 x 100 relay-

3. Chisago Lakes 46.77

4. North Branch 47.28

400 meter dash-

1. Sam Solberg (CL) 54.16

5. Korey Hutchings (NB) 55.33

300 hurdles-

6. Josh Beach (NB) 44.78

8. Bryan Loesch (CL) 47.54

800 meter run-

4. Ben Dery (CL) 2:08.5

200 meter dash-

7. Matt Carlson (NB) 25.04

3200 run-

1. Nick Ramberg (NB) 10:23.7

2. John Leaf (CL) 10:25.2

6. Greg Stignani (CL) 10:55.9

4 x 400 relay-

3. North Branch 3:40.12

7. Chisago Lakes 3:47.0

Pole Vault-

1. Bowie McClaskie (NB) 12’6”

3. Rob Sandgren (CL) 11’6”

4. Joe Lofboom (NB) 11’6”

High Jump-

1. Chris Golv (CL) 5’8”

2. Josh Beach (NB) 5’6”

T3. Al Moore (NB) 5’6”

Long Jump-

8. Chris Golv (CL) 18’1.5”

Triple Jump-

2. Devin Swanberg (CL) 40’3.5”

8. Al Moore (NB) 37’2.75”

Shot Put-

3. Billy Oehlers (NB) 46”

6. Mike Seabloom (CL) 41’11”

Discus-

4. Charlie Frame (CL) 118’5”

7. Rob Monson (CL) 112’8”

8. Billy Oehlers (NB) 111’10”

---