Loyola girls second at Waseca meet

By Jim Rueda
Free Press Sports Editor

WASECA May 20, 2008 01:29 am

— All in all, it’s been a pretty good season for Gerae Stack of the Mankato Loyola girls track and field team.
The sophomore has regularly competed in both running and field events throughout the season and has managed to set personal bests in four of them. Her latest came Monday when she clocked a 27.3 as the anchor leg in the 4x200-meter relay at the Waseca Girls Track and Field Invitational.
Her effort helped Loyola to a second-place team finish with 69 points. Host Waseca was the runaway winner with 160 points. United South Central/Alden-Conger was third (51), followed by Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton (42) and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown (31).
Stack’s other personal records this year have come in the pole vault (9-feet), the long jump (15-2) and the 400 meters (63.2). Stack also ran the open 800 on Monday and while she failed to get a personal record, she achieved a season-best time of 2:32.03 to place third.
“She’s really had a very nice season for us,” Loyola head coach Dale Compton said. “She’s really come on in the pole vault and she’s been dropping times in most of her races.”
Gerae’s older sister, Dani Stack, has been one of the premier distance runners in southern Minnesota for the last four years. The younger Stack admits there’s some pressure following her sister on the team, but says it’s not nearly as bad as some might think.
“People who don’t know a lot about running probably think I should be great just because I’m Dani’s sister,” Gerae said. “But people who know track know that doesn’t necessarily follow.
“Dani has been super this year. I use her alot for inspiration and motivation; I’m going to miss her when she’s gone.”


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