Head coach Kent Viesselman will conclude his 41st year at the helm of the boys’ and girls’ United South Central/Alden-Conger track and field squads by sending an athlete from both teams to the Minnesota State High School League meet.

Senior Tony Willette will participate in the boys’ discus throw, while sophomore Hannah Goemann will run in the 800-meter event at the state meet.

“They’ve both been leaders, Tony for the guys and Hannah for the girls,” Viesselman said. “They’re excellent kids, very deserving.”

For Willette, this will be his first trip to the state meet.

“One of my goals was to make it to state, the next one is to hopefully place,” Willette said.

He is seeded 13th in the boys’ discus with a seed mark of 143-feet and 9-inches. That distance allowed him to finish first at the Section 2A championships held last Saturday.

The boys’ discus is slated to start at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday.

Attending the state meet with Willette will be fellow thrower Dalton Farley. Farley will warm up with Willette and help him make it feel like a normal meet.

“Tony is a fun guy and he’s been waiting for this chance for a long time,” Goemann said. “He has worked very, very hard for this.”

On May 21, Willette helped lead the USC/AC boys track and field team to the Class A State True Team title in Stillwater.

Goemann will be taking her second trip to the season ending meet, her first came as an eigth grader on the 4 x 400-meter relay team.

This year Goemann will be competing as an individual in the 800-meter race. The sophomore qualified with a second place time of 2:19.09 at the 2A championships.

“It is always exciting to go up there…I’ll have so many supporters,” Goemann said. Teamates Amber Klein and Shayna Stevermer will be joining her for even more support.

It is not her favorite event, the 4 x 400-meter relay is, but she says she still likes the 800-meters.

“(This year) my goals were to just improve and to do my best,” Goemann added. “And to leave it all on the track.”

The preliminary round of the girls 800-meter event is scheduled to kick off at 4:13 p.m. on Friday and if Goemann advances to the finals, that event will begin at 5:45 p.m. on Saturday.

“I think this is good for how young she is, going to all these big meets,” Willete said. “I’m proud of her for it.”

The state track meet will be held on both June 10 and 11 at Hamline University in St. Paul. Tickets are priced at $10 for adults and $7 for students, per session.