The USC/AC girls’ track team completed its drive to the state meet over the weekend qualifying in eight events. The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva squad will put a pair of runners in the 200-meter race at state, while Brad Tomschin will be the lone representitive for the boys in the 800 for the Rebels.

USC/AC sophomore Andrea Allis advanced to state in the 400 running a 1:01.43, while freshman Ciara Christenson had the fourth fastest time of all the qualifiers in the 300 hurdles.

Senior Rebecca Leland extended her track and field career with a 2:22.71 to qualify in the 800. Another senior, Jamie Klein, advanced in the longest individual race posting a 12:16.36 in the two-mile run.

Becca Bryson will be busy jumping at the state meet qualifying in both the long jump going 17 feet, 1/2 inch and the triple jump at 36-2 3/4.

USC/AC will also have a pair of relay squads running at state in the 4×400 (4:04.74) and the 4×200 (1:46.96).

Both of the Panthers’ state qualifiers came in the 200 where senior Alison Anderson ran a 27.09 and freshman Heather Schmit clocked a 27.27 to advance.

Tomschin ran a 1:59.44 to punch his ticket to state in the 800 for the Rebels as he is the area’s lone representative in in the boys’ field

Neither the Albert Lea boys’ nor girls’ teams advanced anyone to the state meet, but they did have several personal best performances.

Senior Ben Schreiber placed fifth in the shot put throwing 49 feet, 11 1/2 inches while his teammate, Wade Kolling, took 15th.

Ethan Marquardt ran a 10:09 in the two-mile to post a personal best as did Tyler Hitchcock in the high jump at 6 feet. Steven Senholtz’s also posted a personal best in the 1,600 running a 5:02.88.

Liz Wur ran to a sixth place showing in the 400 and Annika Smed tied for eighth in the high jump for the top two finishes for the girls’ squad Saturday.

The 4×400 team of Brittni Lair, Alex Ciota, Lacey Williamson and Liz Wur just missed placing in the top eight by 29 hundredths of a second.

Anna Sigurdson placed fourth in the high jump and Kendra Olchefske was fifth in the discus during Thursday’s first day of action.

The state track and field meet gets underway Friday at Hamline University in St. Paul beginning with Class AA action at 9 a.m. followed by Class A at 3 p.m.