Boys Track: Wingers lose out on wild card at True Team state meet

The Red Wing boys track and field team did not earn a spot as a wild card team at the Minnesota State Track and Field Coaches Association True Team meet.

After a controversial second-place finish at the Section 1AA meet last Tuesday in Red Wing, the Wingers had an opportunity to still qualify for the state meet as a wild card team.

Red Wing finished third among the teams vying for the wild card spot. The wild card team is determined by using the performances from the section meet. Those performances are scored like a regular meet.

Red Wing finished third in the Class 2A meet, behind Sartell and Waseca. Sartell claimed the wild card spot with 470 points and Waseca scored 370.5 in the paper meet. The Wingers had 307.5 points.

“It’s over and done with and we’re moving forward with our conference meet,” Red Wing boys track and field head coach Adam Nelson said.

The Wingers were disqualified in the 4x200-meter relay last Tuesday because of an article of clothing violation, which was called by an opposing coach. One of the runners on the relay wore grey compression shorts whereas other members wore black. According to the rules all runners must wear the same color clothing.

Had Red Wing not been disqualified it would have won the meet.

Nelson decided not to make an official protest to the coaches association following the meet.

Nelson said the days following the meet were tough to get through as a team, but the team seemed focused on the conference meet, which is May 24 in Farmington.

“The kids seemed alright today,” Nelson said. “They’re at the point now they’re fired up for conference.”

Tags: red wing, sports, prep, track