FREEDOM, WI – The Freedom Irish track and field teams are off to a strong start this season, following an impressive showing at their opening meet.
The Freedom girls captured first place at the Ripon College invite, while the boys team followed closely with a second-place finish. Head coach James Finster says the early success was a pleasant surprise, especially given the uncertainty that comes with the start of a new season. “You kind of never know how athletes are going to come into the season and how they’re actually going to pan out when the lights come on,” Finster said.
Even more impressive, Finster noted the team delivered those results without a full roster competing at the meet. He says that created opportunities for both younger athletes to step up and for experienced competitors to take on bigger roles. “It was definitely an opportunity for some of those younger kids to step up and for some of our older kids to kind of fill the void from previous seasons,” he said.
On the girls side, several standout performances helped lead the Irish to victory. Katherine Cook claimed first place in the 800-meter run, while Gabriella Hambel took the top spot in pole vault. Freedom also secured first-place finishes in both the 4×200 and 4×800 relay events.
With a strong opening meet in the books, the Irish look to build momentum as the season continues, with a mix of emerging talent and experienced leadership driving their early success.
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