Sherando’s Micah Carlson pulled out his best throw at the end to finish second in the discus at the Class 3 and 4 Track and Field State Championships on Saturday at Liberty University in Lynchburg.

Carlson was ninth going into the discus finals, with his top throw being a 139-07. On his fifth throw he threw it 161-05 to move into second place, where he finished the day. Carlson, a senior, has placed in the top eight every year but this was his best finish.

“I didn’t think it was going that far, but it did go that far [for the 161-5 throw],” Carlson said. “I got lucky. I got close but not close enough to the [school record of 164-7]. It hurts a little bit [that I didn’t get it], but it is what it is. I got second at the state. I can’t complain. I’ve been here for four years, and I was tired of just placing in the top eight. I wanted to get top three. Today was the day.”

“What a way to end a career,” Sherando track and field coach Brad Symons said. “I’m really happy for him, because he wasn’t always throwing as great this year as he has in the past.”

Carlson also finished tied for sixth in the high jump (6-0).

Warren County junior Blaise Skube finished fourth in the 300 hurdles in 40.14 at the Class 3 state meet.

Skube said Warren County hurdles coach Jeffrey Koletsky helped him a lot this season.

“Coaching is the main factor,” Skube said. “You’ve got to have a great coach to do good in all your events. My coach told me what to do, and I did it, and I PR-d [in the 110s]. In the 300, I wasn’t in the fastest heat, but I came in with all my heart, and I ran my heart out and PR-d.”

Skube was seeded 11th in the 300 hurdles and won the second of the three heats.

“He did great,” Warren County track and field coach Pati Heniff said, “It is tough to be at the meet all day in the heat and compete at the end. At the beginning of the season he had a quad injury, so he kind of came into it slowly. But every single meet, his times got faster and faster. He set PRs in the 300 hurdles and in the 110 hurdles. He didn’t make the finals in the 110s, but he did have his fastest time [in Friday’s prelims]. We’re pretty excited about that.”

Jamestown won the Class 4 boys state title with 63 points, followed by Atlee (59) and Sherando finished 15th (17.5). Blacksburg won the Class 4 girls title with 111.5 points, followed by Atlee (59.5) and Sherando finished 28th (3).

Fauquier won the Class 3 boys title with 63 points, followed by Western Albemarle (47). Warren County finished tied for 30th (5) and Skyline finished tied for 33rd (3). Heritage (Lynchburg) won the Class 3 girls title with 99 points, followed by Abingdon (65) and Warren County finished tied for 37th (1).

Sherando’s Sunil Dutt finished fifth in the 110 hurdles (14.93). Sherando’s boys finished eighth in the 4×400 relay (Noah Harris, James Bryant, Tristan Hantute-Abebe, Ryan Maki, 3:25.68) and finished seventh in the 4×800 relay (Tommy Miles, Maki, Jed Bell, Hatcher Smith, 8:11.18). It was a school record for the 4×400 team.

“This is the team we wanted,” Symons said of the 4×400 team. “Noah just busts his tail and does what he needs to for us. I think they all ran pretty good splits. I’m happy for them. They got the record. They’re going to have their names up there now [in the gym].”

Sherando’s girls were led by McKenna Hardy (triple jump, sixth, 34-10.75).

Skyline’s Grady Kramer finished eighth in the 300 hurdles (40.63). Skyline’s 4×100 relay team finished seventh (Kramer, Brady Kaufman, Zayden Burks, Ahsan Abul-Qasim, 43.54).

“We had some kids who were not seeded very well, but they came on and did a good job,” Skyline boys track and field coach Dick Allanson said of the boys team. “Our 4×1 team was seeded next to last, and we finished eighth and broke a school record. Grady Kramer finished eighth in the 300 hurdles and was seeded 12th. We had a couple of kids learn a lesson that it’s not where you’re seeded, it’s how well you perform. We had some kids perform above where they’ve been performing, and that’s what you’re supposed to do at this time of year. So we were pleased with what we did.”

Warren County’s Tegan Melish finished eighth in the Class 3 discus (100-07).

“She wasn’t expected to make finals, but she did,” Heniff said. “She didn’t throw her best. I think the heat was affecting all the disc throwers. We were excited very with her coming down to states for the first time and placing eighth in the state. Her dad, Mike Melish, coaches her, so it’s pretty exciting for the family.”

Despite not scoring points in the meet, Skyline girls track and field coach Misty Bordner was pleased with her team.

“They did good,” Bordner said. “It’s been a tough season. Some of them came with higher expectations and didn’t get the results that they wanted. But to be here is an honor, and I think that they know that. It’s an experience for them. Audrey [Lacombe has] committed to Lynchburg, so she’s just getting started. I told her to keep her head up. Jeneah [Maldonado] will return next year, and most of our 4×8 will return as well. We have one person graduating. I’m proud of the girls. It was a good year, good season, good group of kids. It’s fun to coach them.”

Winchester Star Sports Editor Robert Niedzwiecki contributed to this story.

OTTAWA — Canada will be aiming to level their record at 2-2 when it plays Serbia on Sunday to cap off the first week of women’s Volleyball Nations League action.

Canada slipped to 1-2 with a 3-0 loss to Japan in a best-of-five match played Saturday in front of more than 5,100 spectators at the Arena at TD Place.

Canada dropped the match to Japan 24-26, 20-25, 19-25. The unbeaten Japan squad led in attack points (39-33), serving (7-3) and made fewer errors 19-30).

“Japan is really tough to play against, and we were right there with them,” said Canadian setter Brie O’Reilly of Langley, B.C. “We’re just missing those after-20 (points) plays and finishing sets.

“We need to stay aggressive and take confidence that there was a lot of our game that was really great.”

O’Reilly said the Canadians need to server more aggressively against Serbia and “just keep our block defence systems working a bit more cohesively.”

Kiera Van Ryk of Surrey, B.C., led the scoring for Canada with 13 points and also set a personal best with a serve clocked at 113 kilometres per hour.

Yukiko Wada of Japan led her team with 20 points.

Canada opened the VNL schedule with a win over Bulgaria and then lost a Thursday match to Netherlands.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 7, 2025.

The Canadian Press

As Jeremiah Vaille and Max Bonenberger hoisted the NCAA Division II National Championship trophy above their heads, the Colorado School of Mines distance runners couldn’t have been more proud of how far they had come since logging miles together in Summit County.

The two distance runners reached a high point in their collegiate career this past fall when they helped contribute to the Colorado School of Mines’ men’s cross-country national title. At the Division II National Cross-Country Championships in Sacramento, Vaille took 37th overall to become an All-American while Bonenberger finished in 100th. 

Although the moment was one Vaille and Bonenberger had dreamed of since arriving on campus as bright-eyed freshmen, the two never grew complacent. Instead, the talented and dedicated athletes set their sights on carrying that momentum into the spring track season.

After redshirting last track season, Vaille and Bonenberger took to the track with a ferocity like no other this spring.

Vaille recently managed to bring his 10K time to 30:01.58 (4:50/mile), while Bonenberger went well under nine minutes in the 3-kilometer steeplechase with a time of 8:49.13 (4:44/mile).

“I was a little disappointed last year, redshirting and not being able to get that first team All-American because I just missed it in 2023 with that 10th-place finish,” Bonenberger said. “This year, I started off strong at Stanford by getting that PR and getting an early qualifier for nationals. That was super good for my confidence, especially coming off of cross season.”

While running fast times is part of the sport, it does not mean much if an athlete cannot back up their performance at the championship meets at the end of the season. 

With a deep love for their team, Vaille and Bonenberger entered the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet from April 25-27 poised to score as many points as possible. 

Competing in Golden in front of friends and family, Vaille put on a show in the 10K. With numerous teammates helping to take the race out at an honest pace, Vaille managed to not only better his personal best in the event (30:01.58), but he also claimed his first-ever RMAC individual championship. 

“We had a lot of fans there,” Vaille said. “I knew I wanted to perform big there, earn the conference title and also secure a spot at nationals with my time. Having that opportunity in front of all my teammates, all my friends, family and fans was really cool. I worked with my teammates to get a fast time for nationals and I just felt really good. I was excited to get that win.”

With 6.25 miles already in his legs, Vaille then returned to the track two days later where his main goal was to place as high as his body would allow. Vaille ended up scoring the maximum amount of points he could, taking first overall in the 5-kilometer run with a time of 14:53.38.

“I did not expect to come back for the 5K two days later and not be absolutely exhausted,” Vaille said. “When I was in contention for the lead within the last 800 meters, I gave it my all. I raced my teammate to the line and was just ecstatic to be double champion for the conference.”

Bonenberger was also able to put together a steeple race to remember. Consisting of 28 barriers and seven water jumps, Bonenberger hung tough with the best runners in the conference, eventually crossing the finish line in 9:13.22 to finish as the RMAC runner up behind his teammate, Alex Shaw. 

“I feel like I didn’t have the greatest race at RMACs, but we got the most points that we could in steeple with a first-place and second-place finish,” Bonenberger said. 

The high finishes from Vaille and Bonenberger resulted in the Colorado School of Mines men’s track and field team placing second overall at the conference meet with a total of 195 points. University of Colorado – Colorado Springs won the men’s and women’s conference title. 

Vaille and Bonenberger allowed their standout performances at the conference meet to carry into the NCAA DII Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Pueblo from May 22-24. At the meet, both athletes were able to check off another collective dream of becoming All-Americans on the track. 

At his first outdoor national meet, Vaille ran a strong and smart 10K. Passing runners who were not used to the altitude over the second half of the race, Vaille crossed the finish line in eighth place in a time of 30:27.63.

“My goal for the past five years has been to get All-American in cross-country and track,” Vaille said. “This year, I got All-American in cross-country and then eighth place to get All-American in track. … With 3K to go I was in 16th place  and I picked off eight guys in the last 3K to get that eighth-place finish that I wanted.”

After taking 10th at the national meet in 2023, Bonenberger returned to the prestigious meet with more experience, knowledge and training under his legs. The two extra years of development paid dividends for Bonenberger, successfully qualifying for the final in the event by placing third overall in his heat. 

Bonenberger went on to run 8:58.99 in the final, placing third overall and at last capturing All-American status 

“It was a huge relief,” Bonenberger said. “Getting that first All-American under my belt is super helpful going forward into this next cross season where we are trying to go back-to-back. … Podium was mainly my large goal for nationals. You can always do better, like first or second would have been phenomenal, but I have to focus on how successful the season was.”

Vaille and Bonenberger will now turn their focus to their final year of eligibility. Like previous years, both athletes will attempt to achieve individual and collective goals which include claiming back-to-back team titles in cross-country, moving higher up in their individual events and setting school records.

“I will be doing my best to work with my teammates this summer and fall to make sure that each and every one of us is ready to get a top 20 or 30 finish because that is probably what it is going to have to take to go back-to-back,” Vaille said.

By Anna Jauhola
In 2012, the Kittson County Central volleyball team had a big challenge ahead of them. A set of very tall girls on an opposing team made coach Tina Turn think outside the box. She invited juniors Darwin Kasprowicz and Caleb Christenson to help the team with hitting around tall blockers. The boys were well over 6 feet at the time – specifically Kasprowicz was 6-foot-3. He now stands 2 inches taller.
This is where Kasprowicz found his love of volleyball.
“For a couple of seasons, he came in to practice with us when we needed to simulate certain things. He was always game,” said KCC Coach Tina Turn. “I could tell he was falling in love with the sport; I recognized the signs.”
She said she named this specific blocking drill “The Darwin and Caleb,” and it left its namesakes “absolutely dripping in sweat.”
Kasprowicz, a 2014 Kittson Central graduate, assisted the team in practice through his senior year and moved on to play in intramural leagues in Grand Forks while he attended college. During that time, he also came home with a team of volleyball players for the sand volleyball tournament in Kennedy, which Turn organized.
“And his team always won!” she said. “It was fun to visit with him because he had joined several leagues and was playing almost all year long.”
Turn noted the sport brings people together, forming a tight-knit community full of connections and friendships.
“I coached one season of our Northside Knights Club team. Then I was asked to be the junior varsity coach for (Grand Forks) Central. I did that for three years,” Kasprowicz said. “This year, I interviewed for the head coach position and I got that.”
He will begin his varsity head coach career this fall, coaching girls he’s already gotten to know through coaching junior varsity. During the day, he’s an accountant for Aatrix Software in Grand Forks, a job he’s enjoyed for the last 10 years. The Northland Community and Technical College graduate said he started there as a part-time accountant during his time at UND, and accepted a full-time position.
One evening, Turn received a message from Kasprowicz’s mother, Brenda, just saying, “You get the credit for this!” and a link to an article announcing the hire. While Turn doesn’t claim credit, she said Kasprowicz’s love for the sport led him to this path.
“Darwin fell in love with a sport that’s pretty easy to fall in love with, and he put in a lot of time and effort to learn and grow in the sport as a player and coach,” she said. “Maybe Jami (Carr) and I inspired him a little to give the sport a try, but that’s about it.”
As he looks to his first season as a head coach, his biggest concern is connecting with all the players. This is also his favorite thing about coaching, connecting with each girl and helping them grow in the game.
“This will be the second year coming back to the same team, there’s a lot of returners,” he said. “Just building relationships with the girls more and more will be a goal.”
He said it’s exciting to see the girls build new skills as they continue to grow in the sport. And it is, of course, difficult to see the end of a season too, so continuing to learn how to handle emotions will be a challenge as well.
He saw this early on when he helped the KCC volleyball team. He enjoyed watching his peers and classmates play and grow, excel in their sport. While it was fun, it could be emotional too.
His biggest challenge will be public speaking.
“I’m just not comfortable with talking in front of big crowds, so that’s something I’m going to have to get over and work through,” he said.
Although he doesn’t have a ton of coaching experience, Kasprowicz said he’s honored and excited to coach the Knights varsity volleyball team.
“It’s a little crazy, not having the most coaching experience. But doing the interview process and Central still picked me, I feel like that shows the dedication I have to the program,” he said. “That the school can see I want the girls to succeed. Something I liked about Central is they see the potential in me. That’s encouraging, being 29 and the head coach for a decent-sized school. That’s cool.”