Whitewater High

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 4x400 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.