Dauer's experience

could be advantage

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

SPRINGFIELD -- For the third straight year, Sheena Dauer will run at the Class 1A state girls track meet today and Saturday. And the Comfrey/Springfield senior has acquitted herself well.

Dauer finished second in the 1,600 meters as a sophomore and fifth as a junior. Throw in two trips to the Class 1A state cross country meet and perhaps Dauer could be mistaken for a grizzled state meet veteran?

Hardly. It's still an a exciting time.

"It's a very big deal," Dauer said. "This year was tougher, more of a treat for me this year. This year, it was more of a task to get there."

Dauer's state meet experience will undoubtedly be an advantage, and not just for her. Three other Rockets will make the trip to the National Sport Center in Blaine.

Trish Matter qualified in the 100 meters, and Kyle Marks and Nick Feser both qualified in the high jump. All are making their first state trips.

Marks is a junior and Feser a senior, although this season is Feser's first year in track. Matter, though, is another matter.

She's making her initial trip as a seventh-grader. Is she just a little overwhelmed by it all?

"Yeah," she smiled. "How many people are going to make it? You have to work really hard for this. Not many seventh-graders ever make it to state."

Five this year in Class 1A as a matter of fact, according to statistics provided by the MSHSL.

With stats seemingly stacked against you, running at the state meet is a daunting experience. But it's also a learning experience, and a fun experience, which has Matter not knowing really what to expect.

"I think I'm going to feel nervous, but happy at the same time," she said. "I'm just going to be worrying about me -- not false starting, getting a great start and after that trying to ignore all those people that are going to be there."

Matter qualified for the state meet with a second-place finish at the Section 2-1A meet in Mankato Saturday. Matter's time of 12.93 seconds puts her right in the middle of the 17 state qualifiers.

Realistically, winning a title would be a long shot. Defending 100-meter champion Majik Reed is back and her qualifying time of 12.17 is out of reach, barring a stumble or disqualification.

But other than Reed, Matter's time is competitive with the rest of the field.

"Trish is in there anywhere from second to sixth place," Comfrey/Springfield coach Bruce Stresemann said. "I think she's going to make the finals. And then I think it's realistic for her to place in the top six and make the award stand."

Feser and Marks are also medal candidates. Each qualified for the state meet with a mark of 6 feet, 4 inches.

"They're two tremendous competitors," Stresemann said. "Up until this year, Kyle really didn't have any competition on the team. It's made both of them very good, but especially it's made Kyle even more competitive."

Dauer is also hoping to make the medal stand. The recent South Dakota State signee ran a 5:28.25 at the Section 2-1A meet Saturday and that's an eternity between her and the two frontrunners -- Jenny Hess of Paynesville (5:08.88) and Dauer's nemesis, Augustana signee Julie Gifford of Tracy-Milroy (5:03.09).

In fact, Dauer's qualifying time was 12th of the 16 state qualifiers. But she's been down that road before.

Dauer qualified 13th last year and wound up fifth. She's hoping to replicate the performance of 1999 when she cut about 15 seconds off her qualifying time.

That's what you would expect from a state meet veteran.

"I can run better," Dauer said. "At sections, I felt like I was so tired. I don't know if Saturday I'm going to go out and run 15 seconds better like I did last year.

"I think it's a combination of better competition, the moment, the weather, the track, the excitement. And standing on that award stand -- that is something that can never be described, standing in front of all those people with a medal around your neck -- I knew I wanted that last year."

Dauer wants it this year too, and she wants it for her teammates. She also wants to give them some advice.

"Take it all in," Dauer said. "Take the excitement in. Take the people, take the cheering, take the hotel room, take the swimming in the pool the night before. Take it all in and treasure it."