Whitman’s track and field season came to an end when the team’s runners competed in MPSSAA 4A State Championship May 27.

The team sent five runners to states who competed in various events, as well as the four person 4×800 relay team. At the race several runners posted exceptional times.

“Flora Gobet ran a 2:25 in the 800 for her split in the 4×800, and I was really happy with that, and Michael Gorman finished 8th in the 400 and set a personal record,” Coach Stephen Hays said.

The five individual runners the Vikes sent to states where Erin O’Connor who placed 14th in the 3200 meter, Joshua Engels and Ben Gersch who placed 12th and 16th in the 3200 meter, and Dylan Madden and Michael Gorman who placed 10th and 14th in the 400 meter respectively. The relay team placed 12th in their race.

Hays acknowledged that the runners still have room for improvement, but still thinks the team hit its stride toward the end of the season.

“You can always do better unless you were first,” Hays said. “Overall I think we peaked at the right time and had some good races to get us to states. Certainly it would have been better to peak at states, but it didn’t change much about anything that we didn’t.”

Hays thought the experience of going to states was more important than how the runners placed.

“We did fine, you know it was really just about getting there. As I told the kids the cake was the regional meet and the cherry on top was just getting there,” Hays said. “We were happy to be there.”