Baraboo trio delivers strong showing at Indoor State Track and Field Championship

Baraboo’s girls track and field team was represented by three state qualifiers Saturday at the Indoor State Track and Field Championship in Whitewater, and all three turned in notable performances against one of the deepest fields of the season.

More than 700 female athletes from 53 schools across Wisconsin competed in the 12-event meet, with athletes from all three WIAA divisions entered. That made the field especially challenging, but the Thunderbirds still produced a podium finish, a school indoor record and a personal-best effort on a state stage.

Lily Rogers led Baraboo’s top finishes in the shot put, placing third with a throw of 44 feet, 3.5 inches. The mark earned Rogers a spot on the podium and continued her strong start to the year. It also stood out in comparison to last outdoor season, as the throw is already 6 feet farther than her top distance from a year ago.

Taylor Sperl qualified in two events and delivered in both. In the 400-meter dash, Sperl ran 1 minute, 3.76 seconds to set a new Baraboo High School indoor meet record. She also posted a 2:34.22 in the 800 meters, giving the Thunderbirds a second strong performance in middle-distance competition.

Madi Gilbert added another highlight in the 1600-meter run, finishing in 5:39.09. The time marked a new all-time personal record for Gilbert, indoors or outdoors, and capped a successful day for Baraboo’s state qualifiers.

For the Thunderbirds, the meet served as an early-season test against elite statewide competition and a sign of what could be ahead once the outdoor season gains momentum. With Rogers already reaching podium form, Sperl rewriting the indoor record book and Gilbert setting a career best, Baraboo left Whitewater with a strong collection of results from one of Wisconsin’s toughest indoor meets.