There’s something to be said for second, third, and maybe even fourth chances.

A Wisconsin prep athlete for whom the overused term “upside” was seemingly invented, Bay Port graduate and now US men’s track team World Championships 110-meter high hurdles qualifier Cordell Tinch was poised to have a senior year WIAA state meet for the ages in the spring of 2018.

“I saw what he was doing early in his senior year and I could see him going under 14 seconds (in the 110 high hurdles) and going over seven feet (in the high jump),” said Menomonee Falls hurdles coach Jim Geisthardt. “Just superlative after superlative with him.”

Geisthardt knows what he is talking about as he coached 2023 WIAA D1 high hurdle champ Nathan Taylor as well as two-time hurdle champ and owner of the all-time best 110s time (13.96) Matt Widule.

His is just an example of the praise the overflowing-with-talent Tinch was drawing at the time.

The multi-event star had set a still standing boys state triple jump record of 49-2-1/4 in 2017 along with claiming the long jump and taking second in both the 110 high hurdles and the high jump. He was drawing interest from high level collegiate football teams for his skills as a receiver and was set to write his own ticket for where he wanted to go to school and frankly what sport he wanted to participate in.

Then May 12, 2018, Bay Port announced that Tinch was suspended for the rest of the track season because of an athletic code violation, a dumb kid move, and all that possibility changed. A challenging five-year roller-coaster ride ensued for him that included collegiate stints at Minnesota and Kansas (where he was once Big 12 Conference outdoor high hurdle champion), and then a “lost” three-year hiatus from school and track due to academic struggles and the pandemic where he became a cell phone salesman and a maker of toliet paper.

Yes, maker of toliet paper.

He wasn’t sure if he was ever going to get out of Green Bay or find out what his true potential was.

But in these last six months, Tinch, who in a Flo-Track interview said he felt he was “done with” sports about 18 months ago, has started to find out what he is truly capable of. Five individual NCAA D2 national championships and a world team qualification in these last six months have confirmed the opinions of many people who told Tinch that the “sport needed you and that you deserve to be out there showing your stuff.”

And they were emphatically right.

These recent efforts put Tinch in the class of superior athlete, among those one-in-a-million Wisconsin prep track superstars such as the likes Roisin Willis, Chris Solinsky, Michael Bennett, Gabe Jennings, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Floyd Heard, Dezerea Bryant, Ken Harrison, and Molly Seidel as well as his fellow 2023 World Championship qualifying teammates Kenny Bednarek and Alicia Monson.

These are the rariefed few who have transcended mere high school stardom or even high-level collegiate excellence and gone on to succeed on the national and international stage.

Only Tinch took a more roundabout way of getting to the World Track Championships that will be conducted in Budapest, Hungary Aug 19-27.

As noted, Tinch will will be joined on the US National team by fellow former Wisconsin prep superstars Bednarek (Rice Lake), who made his third straight team in the 200 dash and the Amery distance ace Monson who also made her third straight US team impressively earning berths on the women’s squad in both the 5,000 and 10,000.

Tinch laid the groundwork for becoming one of the great stories of the US Nationals in Eugene, Oregon July 6-9, with an extraordinary spring at NCAA D2 track power Pittsburg (Kansas) State. Safe to say, it caught the track world completely by surprise. Track and Field News even noted that his sudden re-appearance after a three-plus year absence recalled the legendary Sports Illustrated fictional pitcher Sidd Finch.

It was even more amazing, because it almost didn’t happen. See NBC Sports.com reporter Nick Zaccardi’s amazing story from July 6 on Tinch’s odyssey for more details.

In it, Zaccardi talks about how Tinch’s friend and former Kansas teammate Treyvon Ferguson asked him to join him at Pittsburg State in 2022. Tinch’s Mom Elizabeth also wanted him to get back to school and hopefully get a degree. It took some convincing, but Tinch finally arrived on campus in January 2023. He hadn’t cleared a hurdle in over two years but the coaches still wanted him.

For good reason.

Tinch carefully got back into shape over the winter and then from February to May, he discovered that he had not declined at all during his hiatus but had matured and gotten stronger and faster. During that time, he simply dominated the D2 track world. Tinch led the Gorillas to the NCAA D2 indoor team title in March with a meet record in the 60-meter high hurdles and also claimed the high jump for good measure.

“It reignited that fire within me,” he told Spectrum News. “I just realized this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”

That fire was raging fully in May, as Tinch made history by becoming the first D2 athlete in history to win three individual championships at the NCAA outdoor track meet in Colorado, running a wind-aided 12.87 110 high hurdles time, setting a meet record in the long jump (26-7 1/2) and then also claiming the high jump (7-3). His efforts led Pittsburg State to its second consecutive national team title and his efforts in the hurdles were an all-conditions, all divisions collegiate best.

Despite all that, he was flying a bit under the radar when he raced at the Arkansas Grand Prix on June 23 but then he caught everyone’s attention again that day by running a wind-legal world best of 12.96 in the high hurdles becoming just the 24th man in history to officially break 13 seconds in the event.

Now an unknown no more, that performance set him up as one of the surprise favorites in the hurdles at US Nationals in Eugene where he had also qualified to compete in the long jump. The six-month leap from cell phone salesman to World team qualifier was now within his grasp. He quickly became one of the darlings of CNBC’s television coverage of the US Championships, as they regaled the nation with his stunning underdog backstory and focused on his highly supportive Mom.

Tinch’s story became even more interesting on Saturday, July 8, where he had to dash between his opening heat of the high hurdles and the long jump with just minutes between events. He came out of the first round of the hurdles seeded a close second for the semifinals to defending world champion Grant Holloway. Despite the high-profile chaos Tinch acquitted himself quite well in the long jump too, missing out on another national team berth by just 3-1/4 inches with a fifth place 26-3 effort.

With a simplified schedule on Sunday, June 9, Tinch further amplified his credentials by turning in the top time in the hurdle semifinals (13.04). Then the drama increased further when it came to the evening broadcast of the finals on CNBC. Holloway, the 2019 and 2022 World Champion and 2021 Olympic silver medalist with the second fastest time ever at 12.81, had an automatic bye going into the Worlds, so rather than risk injury he passed on the finals opening the race up dramatically.

And since the remaining seven finalists all met the world championship standard (WSC), it automatically meant three other hurdlers would be joining Holloway in making the trip to Budapest in August.

Opportunity was staring Tinch right in the face.

CNBC decided to have a little fun in its broadcast of the final and focused on Tich’s family. They had heart rate monitors on both Tinch and Mom Elizabeth during the neck-and-and-neck race he had with 2019 US champion Daniel Roberts.

It turned out Mom was able to stay calmer with a lower heart rate during the race than her athlete son did, a fact that veteran track announcer and former world class sprinter Ato Boldon got a tremendous laugh out of.

And in that a back-and-forth race race, Roberts got a slight edge late and held off a surge from Tinch to hold on for the win 13.05-13.08. The men embraced as they anxiously looked up the replay board. It took a moment, but Tinch slowly came to the realization that he no longer would have to worry about selling cell phones or making toliet paper and that he needed to plan for a long overseas trip next month.

He had made the US team.

“(It just made) legit all my dreams, had them confirmed finally,” Tinch told Flo-Track afterwards. “(It’s been) a bumpy journey but to do this with my parents in the stands I couldn’t plan it any better.”

Tinch has decided to forego his junior year of eligibility at Pittsburg State and has signed with a management agency. Let’s hope those plans lead to a long and fruitful career on the track, where his cell phone activity is limited to things like him happily telling his Mom of his latest victory.

A situation he is still wrapping his head around.

“To know that now I am a name within the sport that I’ve always loved, it makes no sense to me. I will never understand it,” Tinch told Zaccardi.

“I’ve watched videos of his other races, it’s just so impressive,” added Geisthardt. “…Sometimes life offers you second chances. When someone gives that kind of opportunity, you take it.”

BEDNAREK GETS HEALTHY EARNS THIRD STRAIGHT NATIONAL TEAM

Bednarek, who will likely own the WIAA state D2 100, 200 and 400 dash records in perpetuity (I’ll put a small sum aside in my will just in case some intrepid soul does ever break any of them LOL), is quickly developing a reputation for showing up when it counts.

Before May, Bednarek, who earned 200 dash silver medals in both the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Championships, had seriously contemplated going for the 100 and 200 double in the US Championships. But then he suffered a hamstring injury and that forced him to re-assess his strategy.

It paid off handsomely as “Kung Fu” Kenny as he has known, got himself healthy and decided just to focus on the 200.

“I took time off from races to ensure I’m in peak form,” he posted on his Instagram site after the meet, “but my determination never wavered.”

Indeed.

Bednarek’s task got a little easier when defending 200 dash World Champion and American record holder Noah Lyles took advantage of his bye into the Worlds and decided to go after a berth in the 100 dash (which he succeeded in qualifying for) instead of competing in the 200.

Bednarek carefully husbanded his strength in the preliminaries and semifinals and then cut loose in a wickedly fast final that saw six of the eight runners break 20 seconds. Bednarek came on hard down the straight behind 19-year phenom and eventual national champ Erriyon Knighton and held on for second (19.82). Knighton won in a quick 19.72, an under 20-years old world record, as Courtney Lindsey of Texas Tech nudged defending 100 dash world champion Fred Kerley, 19.85-19.86, for the third and final team spot.

The thrilling finish had the witty and knowledgable Boldon, perhaps the best track announcer out there, acknowledging Bednarek’s big race capabilities loudly: “…When there is a team to be made Kung Fu Kenny will be ready!!!” he shouted.

Was there ever a doubt?

MONSON PROVES TO BE AN IRON WOMAN

Monson was thinking big going into these US Nationals with good reason. She had had made US teams in the 10,000 to the Olympics in 2021 and the Worlds in 2022. Her 2022 had been spectacular with personal bests in the 3,000, 5,000 and 10,000 meters and she capped off her season with a major cross country title in December.

She came back in February 2023 to break the indoor North American record in the 3,000 with an 8:25.05 effort and then a month later took down the North American 10,000 standard breaking the seven-year old mark by close to 10 seconds with a 30:03.82 effort.

So she was more than ready to take on a quick turnaround double at the Nationals.

On July 8, the first day, she and rival Elise Cranny emerged from a tight lead pack of six, as the pair took control in the final 800 with Cranny pulling away for the win on the last lap (32:12.3). Monson earned a comfortable second (32:17.51) with Natosha Rogers claiming third.

Three days later on the last day of the meet on July 11, Cranny, Monson and Rogers were back at it in the 5,000 meters. In much the same style of race as the 10,000, the trio went out with a group of about nine and then gradually dropped people as the event went on. Cranny (14:52.66) claimed her third straight national title with a strong final 200 as Monson (14:55.1) held off Rogers (14:55.39) for second.

A strong pace runner who knows well of Cranny’s kick, Monson was not unhappy with her results.

“Obviously, Elise did well and out-kicked me at the end,” Monson told Race Results Weekly.  But, you know, that’s what I do best. I think my strength is my strength.”

Monson and the others now have a decision to make. They can try to do both races in the Worlds off a challenging schedule but that will reduce their effectiveness in both races or they can try and choose one and see if they can be competitive. Monson was 13th in the 10,000 at the Olympics in 2021 and placed the same in the World Championships last season.

ZIEMEK MAKES ANOTHER TEAM

Though not a home-grown prep athlete, 2022 World Championship bronze medalist and two-time Olympian Zach Ziemek made his adopted home of Wisconsin proud making third consecutive national team in the decathlon. The Itasca, Ill., native competed well for the University of Wisconsin and currently resides in Sun Prairie. He won both the pole vault and long jump events in the two-day event in securing second with a score of 8,508.

OTHERS COMPETE WELL AGAINST ELITE FIELDS

Several other former Wisconsin prep stars tested themselves in Eugene July 6-9 and though they did not advance to the World Championships, they did hold their own.

*Former University of Wisconsin and Sussex Hamilton relay ace Bianca Stubler did the best of this group, missing out on making the finals of the women’s 400 hurdles by just .14 of a second with a 56.58 clocking in her semifinal, good for 10th overall. Stubler earned two second-team All-American honors at Wisconsin, participated in the 2021 Olympic Trials in the 400 hurdles and is the Wisconsin school record holder in the 400 hurdles (56.23) as well as the indoor 400 dash (53.81).

*And Bednarek was hardly the only Wisconsin representative in the men’s 200 as former Nicolet three-time state champion and Northern Arizona’s Big Sky Conference 100 (10.08) and 200 (20.21) titlist David Dunlap wanted to finish his senior year at NAU well. He acquitted himself well finishing 17th in the preliminary rounds of the 200 (20.85), just .12 out of a berth in the semifinals.

*Finishing 20th in the preliminaries of the 200 (20.92) was UW-La Crosse’s NCAA DIII sophomore sensation Sam Blaskowski. He earned the spot in the Nationals after an amazing spring for the Eagles in which he won the 60-meter dash in the NCAA Men’s indoor meet and then won the 100 dash and was part of the championship 4×100 relay at the DIII outdoor meet. He set a record in the 100 as did the relay team. For good measure, UWL won the team title in both meets. Blaskowski was the D1 state boys 100 and 200 dash champion for Oshkosh West in 2021.

*Nicolet hurdle and relay state champion Destiny Huven has always had a strong will (see how she fought to reverse a wrongful DQ of Nicolet’s WIAA state championship 4×200 relay team in 2019) and finished up her senior year at Wisconsin on a fine note in Eugene as she wound up missing the semifinals of the 100 hurdles by just .13 of a second with a sound 13.27 clocking. Huven also took part in the 2021 US Olympic Trials and is the Wisconsin school record holder in the 100 hurdles (12.82) as well as the indoor 60 hurdles (8.05). She also won the Big 10 Conference title in the 100 hurdles in 2021.

In a bonus addition to Huven’s career, she was recently named to the American team for the 2023 NACAC U23 Championships: July 21-23, San José, Costa Rica.

*Former Baraboo and Wisconsin weight star Josie Schaefer was 15th in the women’s shot put with a toss of 53-11. A graduate student, Schaefer holds both the indoor (61-1/4) and outdoor (62-3 1/4) school school shot records for Wisconsin and also competed in the 2021 Olympic Trials in both the shot and discus. She was a nine-time All-American in her career (four first-team berths) and was second in the NCAA Outdoor D1 shot put in 2021.

WILLIS COMES CLEAN WITH HER DEPRESSION ISSUES

There are hundreds of disappointments in an event like the US Nationals, and then there is the occasional truly sad thing, one that leaves people asking the question: “Why?”

A recent revelation by Willis clearly falls into that latter category.

The Stevens Point superstar and holder of likely the most unassailable WIAA state record (also a national high school mark) with her 2:00.03 clocking in the 800 set in 2022, on the surface Willis had a sensational freshman track season at Stanford. She won the NCAA D1 indoor nationals 800 and took fourth in the outdoor nationals. She was one of the favorites to make the US team going into Nationals and advanced easily out of the preliminary round, but right before the July 7 semifinals she was announced as a late scratch.

No exact cause was given for her dropping out, but a quick search revealed a June 14 Runners’ World story by Kels McPhillips where it was noted that Willis had opened up on her painful struggles with depression in a recent Instagram post.

“I’m tired of using social media as a highlight reel when there has been a lot more going on.” wrote Willis.

In it, she speaks of horrible insomnia and the worst pre-race anxiety she’s ever had. It recalled the issues that the 2021 Tokyo Olympics marathon bronze medalist Seidel dealt with then and continues to deal with now. As noted, no cause was cited for Willis dropping out of the Nationals, but one can’t help but draw a line between her post and that event.

It’s a tale of our time and is happening more often with young people with high expectations, social media, climate change, economic uncertainty, gun violence and systemic racism among the primary drivers.

I recall the joy and excitement and buzz that gripped Veteran’s Stadium in La Crosse in June 2022’s state meet when Willis dropped an amazing five-plus seconds off her own state 800 record and flirted with the coveted 2:00 barrier. She was so happy to give the fans, her family and the entire track community one last great high school race before setting off for bigger and better things on the national and international stage.

I too was anxious to see what she would do in the future.

Now reading her post, all I want her to do is feel better, to just breath and hopefully one day step back on the track and run joyfully and freely again.

Good luck and godspeed, Roisin, along with all those also struggling with mental illness. May you find peace.

UP NEXT: Long overdue state analysis is coming with a breakdown of that amazing boys’ test. The records that fell and the ones that didn’t.