Tostenson and Mitteness sisters earn track MVP awards

Peterson, Bailey, Burns, Grube, Ricard, Ascheman, Lenz, and Laumeyer also earn team awards

The Benson-KMS boys and girls track and field team recently announced their season-ending awards for 2017.
•  Jon Tostenson, a junior from KMS who earned a third-straight trip to state this season in the 800 meter run, going on to place third at state, earned the boys’ team’s MVP award.
Seniors Max Peterson, Zach Burns, and Josh Bailey were selected for the Coaches’ Awards, while sophomore Riley Grube was selected for the Most Improved Award.
Bailey was mainly used in the 800-3200 meter runs and 1600 and 3200 meter relays, while Peterson was a multi-event performer in the sprints, relays, and jumps, Burns also did a variety of events, including the hurdles, jumps, pole vault and sprints, and Grube was mainly used in relays.
•  Selected as co-MVPs of the girls’ track team for 2017 were ninth-graders Allie Mitteness and Abbie Mitteness.  The twin sisters were among a very strong group of freshmen for the Fighting Braves, who should give the team a lot of success in the coming years.
Allie was mainly a middle-distance runner for the team, and also did the long jump and relays, while Abbie also did middle-distance, along with relays, triple and long jump, and hurdles.
Claire Ricard, another ninth-grader, was selected for the Most Improved Award, while seniors Sophie Ascheman, Sydney Laumeyer, and Carlie Lenz all earned Coaches’ Awards.  Ricard did everything from the 3200 meter relay to the 300 hurdles to the pole vault, while Ascheman and Laumeyer were mainly relay performers, and Lenz competed in the sprints, relays, and pole vault....
Highlighting the season for the track teams was a third-straight state berth by Jon Tostenson in the 800 meter run.
Tostenson went on to place third at state with a personal-best time of 1:58.42, which is barely off the school-record of 1:58.19, set by Tony Rosemeier in 1988.
The only other person to place for the boys team at the section meet was Josh Bailey, who placed fourth in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:45.92....
 
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Pictured are the two of the three track MVP’s for the Benson-KMS track and field teams this season.  From left to right in the pictures above are Abbie Mitteness, the co-MVP of the girls team, and Jon Tostenson (in middle picture, at right, passing the baton to teammate Landon Thompson), who was selected the boys’ MVP.