Zupancich moving on to JO regionals

The high school track season ended three weeks ago at the state meet, but three Ely athletes kept right on competing.Jenn Zupancich, Steve Milkovich and Matt Hall all took part in the USA Track and Field Junior Olympics state event, held June 25-26 at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.Zupancich and Milkovich both medaled in events and earned berths in the regional competition, set for July 9-10 at Madison, Wis.Milkovich, who placed second in the triple jump, continues to battle an ankle injury and declined the invitation to regionals but Zupancich will move on.After a stellar sophomore season that included a trip to the state meet, Zupancich reached the finals in three events at the JO meet.She took second in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes, and was fifth in the 100.Zupancich had taken 15th in the state high school meet in the 400, but she had a bout with strep throat in the days leading up to the meet.Not wanting to end the year on a sour note, she decided to take part in JO competition and the only athlete to beat her in the 400 dash was the state Class AA champion, Sade Pollard of St. Paul Harding.If Zupancich is successful at Madison, she could move on to the national JO meet at Indianapolis, Ind.Milkovich took sixth in the Class A state high school meet in the triple jump, and the senior-to-be wound up second in his top event while competing in scorching 90-degree heat.Hall just completed his eighth-grade year, but he’s already making his mark as a track athlete.He placed fifth in the 100 dash and fourth in the 400 at the JO state event.