Toennies hard on herself, and the competition

BELLE PLAINE -- Emily Toennies didn't exactly come out of nowhere last year.

She came from Indiana.

Toennies moved with her family from Fort Wayne just before she began her sophomore year in high school.

"My mom's parents live here, and my dad's job brought us back," Toennies said.

It gave Belle Plaine a track-and-field ace.

Toennies won two individual events and anchored another winner as the Plainsmen finished second in the 2011 Class 1A team race.

"I knew she was a good runner coming from a big school," said Belle Plaine girls' track coach Julie Mantz. "She made a statement pretty early in the season, then she obviously had a great state meet."

Toennies was the 1A champion in the 400 meters (57.32), the 200 meters (26.30) and anchored Belle Plaine to the sprint medley title.

She was the runner-up in the 100, finishing in 12.88 seconds -- 0.07 behind Caitlyn Stroud of Corning.

"Her sprint speed surprised me," Mantz said. "I knew that she had success as a 400 runner, but I was surprised how well she did in the 100."

As a freshman at Fort Wayne Homestead, she placed sixth in the Indiana state meet 400 meters. Indiana's meet is not classed; she was sixth in the entire state.

A few months later, the family moved.

"I think it was a good decision," she said. "My grandparents are getting a little older, and we wanted to move closer," she said.

Mantz describes Toennies (pronounced TENN-ee-ess) as "strong, both physically and mentally. She's not someone who's ever satisfied with herself."

"I can be kind of hard on myself," Toennies said. "I always think I can do better."

Toennies' state itinerary for her junior campaign might be the same as last year. Two other legs of the sprint medley (Larissa Fowler and Julie Long) also return.

Mantz is trying to extend Toennies' stamina by putting her in some 800s. She ran one at the Wartburg Indoor on Tuesday, anchoring a winning distance medley relay with a 2:35 split.

"Not a good time," said Toennies, who also ran cross country last fall. "I need to get a lot better at that. I know the colleges like their 400 runners to be able to run 800s too."

Toennies' father, Mark, was a hurdler as a high schooler in Wisconsin. Now can be found near the finish line, encouraging his daughter.

"He stands in the corner near the end of the 400," Toennies said. "I can always hear him, and when I hear him, I always think, 'I can do it.' "