To call the 2009 Farmington boys track season a success might be a bit of understatement. The term seems insufficient in describing the accomplishments of coach Brian Helmstetter’s team.
Not counting the state meet, the Tigers competed in 12 meets and won nine; in the other three they finished second. Along the way, they won the Missota Conference Relays, the Missota Conference meet and the Section 1AA title.
PHOTO: Mike Amofah won “Most
Improved” honors on the Farmington boys track team.
The locals qualified for the state meet in eight events, scoring points
in seven of them. Their 22 state meets points were the most ever by a
Farmington team.
“It was an incredible season,” Helmstetter said. “We had a great senior
class that left its legacy for Farmington athletics. They were
competitive, hard working and an example for the underclassmen.
“They latched onto the True Team concept and set out to win meets and
not just events which I am most proud of. Their level of success shows
in the record book. Many are going on to compete at the collegiate
level and that further indicates their accomplishments here.”
Sixteen athletes comprised that senior class: Josh Jackson, Josh
Zitzmann, Isaiah Rockett, Adam Sturm, Derek Waldbillig, Ryan Monroe,
Mike Amofah, Drew Schaeppi, Nick Haugen, Jake Lippert, Aaron Wratz,
Eskindir Gebremichal, Jake Gerten, Tri Phu, Justin Reed and Nathan
Rahman.
Underclassmen earning letters this spring included juniors Logan
Hussung, Levi Freetly, Jordan Keller, Andrew Thomas, Tyler Barnes,
Tanner Fuchs, Matt Shutey and Shayne Benjamin; sophomores Tyler Grubb,
Brian Huls, Sam Hanson, Andrew Cayard and Matt Thomas and freshmen
David Zitzmann and Chad Retterath.
Helmstetter also noted the contributions of a group of younger
performers who will be called on for big contribution in 2010: juniors
Brandon Todd, Nick Arenberg, Perry Robinson and Ross Heintz; sophomores
Carl Elmer, Justice Detzal, Zach Wyatt and John Schimmel and freshman
Blake Weinand.
A record nine Farmington athletes won all-conference honors: Josh
Zitzmann, Jackson Waldbillig, Amofah, Sturm, Rockett, Thomas, Haugen
and Hussung. Another four earned honorable mention, including David
Zitzmann, Monroe, Freetly and Lippert.
Jackson and Zitzmann each qualified for the state meet in three
different running events and Hussung made the grade in both the shot
put and discus. Amofah ranked eighth in the state in the long jump.
Jackson received the Most Valuable Player award and Amofah won “Most
Improved” honors. Hussung, who scored 11 points at state (third in the
discus and seventh in the shot) and Rockett were co-winners of the
Tiger Award for dedication, commitment and work ethic.
Helmstetter rattled off a list of individual season accomplishments,
including the setting of four new school records, that would fill a box
of scrapbooks and added that the only disappointments came in the form
of injuries that kept a handful of performers from achieving their
individual goals.
The class of 2009 will be sorely missed when practice rolls around next
March, but Helmstetter said he is confident that his younger athletes
will be ready to pick up the torch.
“You would think with the loss of this group, we would be looking for
answers,” he said, “but I’ve been putting together possible lineups and
we are already two and three deep in each event.
“It will be fun to see some new faces and hear some new names competing
for the top spots. Our returning veterans have been a big part of our
recent success and I trust they will take that leadership and help our
new athletes fit into place.”
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