Track and field: These NLS Wildcats make state a habit
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 2—NEW LONDON — Ayla Caskey, Katelyn Delzer, Taylor Munsch and Danica Pederson have set a state standard for New London-Spicer's track and field team.
For Caskey, Delzer and Munsch, their respective senior seasons have been defined by state trips. During the fall, Caskey and Delzer were part of the
Visit turconews.click for more information.
while Munsch competed with the
team. The three went on in the winter to reach state as members of the
l team.
Now, they're headed to state, together, one last time in track and field at the state meet Thursday-Saturday at St. Michael-Albertville High School. Class A prelims are at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, with finals set for 3:30 p.m. Friday.
It's the culmination of a quest that started in fourth grade, according to Munsch.
"It was always us three hanging out, always wanting to do sports together, going to camps together," Munsch said. "It's really cool that now all of the work that we've done throughout the years is paying off.
"Those sports throughout the years gave us an unbreakable friendship."
Then there's Pederson. Also a senior, she's going to the state track and field meet for the fifth time in her career. She's medaled four times in the girls' high jump and is looking to do it one final time.
"It's very exciting," Pederson said, "and it's fun that a bunch of my friends are going with me as well. That's never really happened before."
The four represent a sizable contingent of NLS athletes at state. Counting alternates, the Wildcats are bringing 15 to state, with eight girls and seven boys.
The last two seasons, NLS was in Class AA. In 2025, the Wildcats had just two state entrants in Pederson and Kyla Vick.
"I'm very happy," Pederson said of the large NLS contingent. "We're very blessed. I'm excited to see how we all do."
Caskey, Delzer and Munsch know how special their final school year has been.
"This is what you dream up when you're a little kid," Delzer said. "This is what we worked for and we finally did it. (Being) our senior year, too, it's really fun to go out with this big of a thing."
In all three seasons, Caskey and Delzer have been paired together. They both have seven total state appearances, with two in volleyball (2024, '25), three in girls basketball (2023, '24, '26) and now two in track and field (2023, '26)
Caskey and Delzer made it to state in the 4x100-meter relay as freshmen in 2023. Fast-forward three years, they're back at state in the 4x100 relay with Pederson and Bri Triplett. The relay reached state after placing second in the Section 5A championship with a time of 50.24 seconds.
It was a sense of relief to reach state. Days before the sub-section meet, the Wildcats changed the relay order. Delzer became the lead-off runner instead of the second leg.
"It was a little scary, but it worked because we're going to state," Delzer said. "We didn't know if it would go well. But it went well."
Caskey was moved from the lead-off spot to the number four runner in the 4x100.
"I've never received a baton," Caskey said. They prepared for the move just two days before the section meet. "So receiving one for the first time was different. I've started since seventh grade.
"Changing it now and being able to finish it, I feel like it's more of a drive for me 'cause I always want to win. Trying to catch a girl pushes me harder to go faster."
Munsch is making her fifth state appearance overall. She was part of the volleyball roster that made it in 2024. She switched fall sports as a senior and was NLS' top runner in the Class A state cross-country meet this fall, earning All-State honors with a 14th-place finish. She made state in girls basketball in '24 and '26. Now, she's going to state for the first time in track and field.
"Last summer, I was talking to my dad and he's like, 'What's your goal?'" Munsch said. "I told him my only goal was to make it to state with three sports and be a part of the team.
"Ending my high-school career like this, I couldn't have ended it any better."
Munsch will run in two events. She'll be solo in the 800 after placing second at sections in 2:19.35. She's also the anchor in the section champion 4x800 relay alongside Vick, Hazel Vetsch and Piper Westby. Vick and Vetsch are cross-country teammates.
That fall camaraderie has helped on the track. Now, the 4x800 comes in as the top seed with a time of 9:34.47.
"During the cross-country season, we all connected a lot and we became really good friends," Munsch said. "I think everyone knows what each other needs."
After so much time together, Caskey, Delzer and Munsch are ready to share in their collective success one more time.
"It really shows how much determination us three have within our sports," Caskey said. "We're able to pursue through the pain and the tears we've had throughout our seasons. It shows that everything is possible, even if we thought it wasn't."
Pederson recalls the nerves she had competing at state as an eighth-grader.
"My first time was very scary," she said. "I was nervous and I didn't really know how to feel.
"But now," Pederson continued, "I'm excited and I feel more prepared."
That first time at state, Pederson finished fourth in the high jump at 5 feet, 4 inches. She placed eighth as a freshman at 5-0, eighth as a sophomore at 5-3 and ninth as a junior at 5-2. Last week, Pederson was the section champion in the high jump at 5-3.
And, Pederson will compete on the state track for the first time. She'll be the second leg of the 4x100. She started as the anchor before the section reshuffle.
"It's a little less pressure because in the last leg, it's a little stressful because if it's down to two people, you want to really push," Pederson said. "I like running second leg. It's definitely the best spot for me to run, I think, and try to hold our spot that we have."
The added workload won't be anything new for Pederson. At the section championship, she competed in the 100 and the 4x400. Doing multiple events at the state level will be a new experience, but she's ready to handle it in her final go-around.
"I just make sure to stretch a lot because you don't want to get sore," Pederson said. "Stay out of the sun. And you got to make sure you eat good and get good sleep."
NLS head coach Chad Powers said that before the season, a goal for the team was to send a bus to state rather than a school van.
Sure enough, the bus will head down to St. Michael on Thursday, ready to make an impact.
"(The bus) is definitely more comfy," Pederson said with a laugh. "I think it'll be a more fun and exciting experience overall with more kids."
Two Willmar field athletes come into state as top seeds. And they'll have their chance to win a state title starting at 9 a.m. Friday.
Senior Mallory Beier is the top seed in the Class AA girls' long jump. She qualified for state with a leap of 17-11.5. That puts her a half-inch ahead of second-place Sami Christensen of Westonka.
Willmar junior Maddison Molacek is another top seed in Class AA. She holds the number one spot in the girls' discus with a qualifying mark of 137-9. Her best throw this season is 145-9. Behind Molacek is defending Class AA state champ Ella Theobald of Stewartville. Theobald is the two seed at 133-8. She won the 2025 state title with a toss of 134-7.
Also earning a top seed is Minnewaska senior Jayda Kolstoe. Competing on Friday in the Class A girls' shot put, Kolstoe's seed of 43-6.5 is an inch better than second-place Taya Johnson of Luverne. La Crescent-Hokah's Brooklyn Mitchell, last year's state champ, is the three seed at 43-0. Mitchell won last season with a throw of 42-7.5. Kolstoe was second at 41-7.75. Kolstoe was the shot put state champ as a sophomore in 2024 at 43-9.25.
The Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg girls' 4x100 relay is the two seed at 49.17. They're behind Concordia Academy's 48.69. Benson/KMS senior Ava Noble is the fourth seed in the girls' 100 hurdles (15.32) and fifth in the 300 hurdles (45.17).
Area athletes that are seeded fifth in Class A include Minnewaska's Nori Song (girls' 800, 2:19.21), Montevideo's Adam VanBinsbergen (boys' 800, 1:58.69), MACCRAY/Renville County West's Sam Miller (boys' pole vault, 13-10), Litchfield's Noah Dietel (boys' shot put, 53-9.75) and the New London-Spicer boys' 4x400 relay (3:26.68).