Merrill Track and Field athletes soar at Otto Bacher meet

On Friday, May 9, 2025, the Merrill High School Varsity Track & Field Team showcased their talents at the annual Otto Bacher Meet hosted by Merrill at Jay Stadium, competing against 11 other area schools including Antigo, Crandon, Lakeland Union, Medford, Mosinee, Newman Catholic, Northland Pines, Rhinelander, Rib Lake, Three Lakes, Tomahawk, and Wausau East.
Several Bluejays delivered standout performances throughout the day’s events.
Charolette Van Der Nest earned a third-place finish in the grueling 3200m run with a time of 14:13.55, while the Merrill 4x100m relay team of Jaz Severt, Hanna Rell, Hannah Klinger, and Maddie Robbins claimed second place with a time of 54.11.
The 4x400m relay squad of Jaz Severt, Mia Smith, Hanna Rell, and Lauren Zuelsdorff added another podium finish with a third-place showing in 4:22.17.
Individual performers also made their mark. Jayden Chase took fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 38-11.75, while Broc Suchocki finished fifth in the 300m hurdles in 47.2.

Brenn Jirovec also competed well in the 300m hurdles, placing fourth with a time of 53.27.
In the distance events, Mia Smith ran a solid 1:04.78 for sixth place in the 400m dash, followed closely by Lauren Zuelsdorff who placed seventh in 1:05.43.
The sprint events saw strong showings from Lauren Zuelsdorff (28.69) and Jaz Severt (28.89), who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the 200m dash.
“Our boys and girls competed well, we had a lot of season best marks, and brought home some hardware,” said Alec Oestreich, Head Coach for the Merrill Varsity Track and Field Team. “It was a perfect night under the stadium lights, and I’m proud of how our athletes competed.”
The Bluejays look to carry this momentum forward as they prepare for their next events.