One last run,
jump, and vault
Four years at Westby. Four trips to the WIAA state meet — each. Under a hot Friday sun in Rice Lake that cooled into evening, Katelyn Benish, Madelyn VonFeldt and Elizabeth Curtis punched that fourth ticket: Katelyn in the 400 and the long jump, Maddie in the pole vault, Elizabeth in the 1600. Five days later, Coach Chris Yanske walked to the microphone at a Westby pep assembly and called them up as four-time state qualifiers. One more meet still ahead — a last run, a last jump, a last vault at UW–La Crosse.
Westby Area High School track coach Chris Yanske introduces four-time Wisconsin state track qualifiers Katelyn Benish, Madelyn VonFeldt and Elizabeth Curtis at the send-off pep assembly held Wednesday, June 3, 2026 — two days before the state meet at UW–La Crosse. Video — Angie Cina · River Valley Media Group
The under-five-competitor rule was in effect for the field, so the bar moved in three-inch increments instead of six. Maddie cleared eight bars, made one in-meet pole change, two grip adjustments, and one standards move — landing on the highest bar of her career at a sectional.
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oOpener. 12′6 / 135 pole, 11′8 grip, standards at 23.
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oSame setup, standards in to 22.
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oStill on the 135.
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oFirst pole bump of the day — up to the 140. Grip to 12′.
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oUnder-five-competitor increment. Grip up to 12′3.
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oPole bump to the 145, grip reset to 12′.
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xoMiss on the first. Gripped up 3″, ran back 6″ — cleared on the second.
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xoSectional-winning bar. Switched up to the 12′6 / 155 pole. Standards moved from 21 to 18 between attempts.
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xxxThree at her ceiling for the day. End of meet — already gold.
o clear
x miss
xo cleared on second
Maddie's season best heading into sectionals was 11′7″, set on May 11 at Viroqua's Black Hawk Invite — her first PR since sophomore year.
Westby Area High School athletes (from left) Katelyn Benish, Elizabeth Curtis and Madelyn VonFeldt — introduced as four-time state track qualifiers at the June 3 send-off pep assembly. Photo — Angela Cina · River Valley Media Group