Saturday marked the final time that Traysen Thomason and Jack Hefty would don the Whippet jersey in high school competition. Both seniors have already achieved remarkable accomplishments in their careers, but they arrived at the state meet with unfinished business—and they delivered in dramatic fashion.

Traysen Thomason – A Sprinter’s Dream Realized

Traysen was first up, with the 100-meter dash—arguably the most electrifying event in track and field—scheduled early in the day. With nearly 10,000 spectators packed in and the atmosphere electric, a rare hush fell over the crowd as the Division 2 finalists settled into their blocks. Traysen, reflecting on his mindset beforehand, said, “I simply wanted to put all the pieces together into this 100m final. All the things I’ve learned in my journey, and apply them here and now.”

He did exactly that. Launching from the blocks like a cannon, Traysen surged to an early lead, powering down the straightaway. His biggest threat came from a familiar foe—Ryan Walther of Delavan-Darien. As they barreled toward the finish, it came down to a lean at the line. The stadium collectively held its breath.

And then—it happened. Traysen Thomason’s name flashed first on the scoreboard.

With a scream of triumph and every muscle fiber bursting with adrenaline, Traysen celebrated becoming the first 100m state champion in Whitewater High School history. His winning time of 10.82 seconds edged out Walther by just two hundredths of a second.

Later that afternoon, Traysen returned for the 200-meter final, motivated by two goals: to reach the podium and break the school record he shared with Larry Gnatzig. With one final burst of brilliance down the home stretch, he achieved both. Traysen finished in third place with a new personal best and school record time of 21.97 seconds. An electrifying meet for Traysen.

He closed his high school career with three state podium finishes—including a state title in the 100m, a 4th-place finish in 2024, and now a bronze in the 200m. He holds school records in both sprint events and will continue his running career at UW-Whitewater this fall.

As is tradition, at 10:30 PM on Saturday in the auxiliary gym of Whitewater High School, Traysen was able to participate in the ceremonial ‘record-breaking ceremony’ as he now owns that mark. 

Jack Hefty – Capping Off a Storied Career

Soon after Traysen’s 200, Jack Hefty laced up for the final race of his high school career—the 3200 meters. With a loaded field and a fast early pace set by Declan Gregg (Aquinas) and Isaac Ewing (McFarland), Jack played it smart. He bided his time in eighth through the opening 400m, then steadily climbed the field.

By the 1600m mark, he had moved into third, only 1.5 seconds off the lead. Though the front-runners surged again with 800 to go, Jack fought to stay in contact and dig deep one final time. As the bell lap sounded, he battled not just for position—but for pride—and held on for a 6th-place finish in 9:22.09, the second-fastest 3200 of his career.

This race capped an incredible legacy. Jack leaves Whitewater High School with five state podium finishes over four years:

• Freshman Year: 7th in the 3200m
• Sophomore Year: State Champion in the 1600m
• Junior Year: Repeat Champion in the 1600m, 3rd in the 4x400m relay
• Senior Year: Three-peat in the 1600m, and a podium finish in the 3200m

He holds school records in both the 1600m and 3200m, with the third-fastest 4×400 team and second-fastest 800 time in school history. This fall, Jack will take his talents to the United States Naval Academy in Maryland, where he will compete for both the cross country and track & field teams.

Collectively, they scored 29 points, placing 4th overall as a team.

As Traysen and Jack sprinted and surged through their final races in Whippet uniforms, they weren’t just chasing medals—they were etching their names into Whitewater history. Their drive, talent, and leadership will be felt for years to come. From school records to state titles, from roar-of-the-crowd finishes to quiet moments of reflection, these two athletes have shown what it means to represent their school with excellence. The next chapter awaits—but their legacy is already set in stone.

Article and Photos Courtesy of Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Assistant Track and Field Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

On the first day of competition at the WIAA State Track and Field Championships, seniors Jack Hefty and Traysen Thomason delivered standout performances for their team.

Traysen was the first to take the stage, lining up in Heat 1 of the 100m dash. Despite a slight stumble out of the blocks, he quickly regained his stride, showcasing his top-end speed and determination. He surged to a second-place finish in his heat and ultimately qualified fifth overall—securing a coveted spot in Saturday’s final.

Next on the track was the highly anticipated 1600 meters, where Jack Hefty sought to defend his state title for a third consecutive year. With championships already under his belt as a sophomore and junior, the field gave him due respect, resulting in a cautious opening lap of 1:11.20. Sitting back in 8th, Jack remained calm and poised.

As the pace began to build, so did Jack’s momentum. He worked his way up to 3rd by the halfway point, clocking a 63.26 second lap. The third lap was decisive—Jack surged into 2nd and then powered down the homestretch to take the lead with a 61.75 split.

Now in front, he faced a major threat: Joseph Hunt of Green Bay Notre Dame, a dangerous 800m specialist (and eventual 800m state champion). But Jack didn’t flinch. As they entered the final bend, he began to pull away. Fueled by adrenaline and roars from the crowd, Jack delivered a devastating final lap of 57.58 to cross the line in 4:13.78.

His closing 1200 meters of 3:02.58 was a dominant display of strength and tactical brilliance. With this win, Jack becomes just the fifth athlete in the 126-year history of the state meet—across all divisions—to win the 1600 meters three times. A legendary finish to a storied high school career.

Later that afternoon, Traysen returned for the 200m prelims. This time, he got out clean and charged through the curve with power and precision. Exploding into the straightaway, he crossed the line second in his heat with a new personal best—and tied the school record of 22.04, originally set by Larry Gnatzig in 1971. Heading into the final, Traysen is seeded third and primed to make more noise on championship Saturday.

On Saturday, Traysen will compete in the finals of the 100 and 200, while Jack will suit up one more time and compete in the 3200m run.

Full results can be found here: https://live.pttiming.com/?mid=7650

Article and Photos Courtesy of Chad Carstens
Whitewater High School Assistant Track and Field Coach
ccarstens@wwusd.org

 More than 1,200 athletes from across the state will compete in Cornhole, Powerlifting, Soccer, Tennis, and Track & Field at the 2025 Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) Summer Games, held at UW-Whitewater June 5-7. Several health-focused activities will complement Friday and Saturday competition, providing free oral, vision, podiatry, hearing, and fitness screenings.

The public is welcome to watch the competition and cheer on the participants.

UW-Whitewater Athletics Facilities (907 Schwager Dr.)

WHEN:                Thursday, June 5

                              6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.          Parade of Athletes & Opening Ceremony – Perkins Stadium

                              Friday, June 6

                              8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.          Cornhole & Soccer competition – Kachel Fieldhouse

                              8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.          Track & Field competition – Foster Track

                              Saturday, June 7

                              8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.          Powerlifting, Tennis, & Soccer competition – Kachel Fieldhouse

                              8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.          Track & Field competition concludes – Foster Track

Summer Games is one of four Special Olympics Wisconsin State-level Games held throughout the year and one of nearly 200 sporting events held annually.

SOWI Summer Games returns to Whitewater for the third consecutive year. It is made possible by support from Jersey Mike’s; Knights of Columbus; Dunkin’; Delta Dental of Wisconsin Foundation; Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Wisconsin; Kriete Truck Centers; WisPact Foundation; Ho Chunk Gaming; Spartan Nash Foundation; and OUR TEAM partners Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Admirals, Milwaukee Brewers, and Milwaukee Bucks.

About Special Olympics Wisconsin

Special Olympics Wisconsin has empowered people with intellectual disabilities for more than 50 years, providing year-round sports training and competition, health and wellness programs, school-based inclusion initiatives, and leadership development. Learn more about how together we can create a more inclusive Wisconsin at SpecialOlympicsWisconsin.org.