EUREKA – The Ipswich Tigers track and field team won a combined 13 events on the way to sweeping the team championships at the Eureka Lions Meet on Tuesday.
On the boys’ side, Ipswich’s Trevor Heinz won three events, including the 100, 200, and long jump. Maxwell Kulesa won the 800-meter run, while Tyler Hettich won the high jump. The Tigers also captured the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relays.
Potter County picked up four wins, with Nicholas Schlachter collecting two of those in the 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs. Carter Luikens won the 400-meter dash, while the Battlers also won the 3,200-meter relay.
Herreid-Selby Area’s Brayden Goehring (110-meter hurdles) and Brenden Begeman (shot put) each won events, while Timber Lake also earned two wins. The Panthers’ Gracen Hansen won the 300-meter hurdles, while Timber Lake also won the 800-meter relay.
Other boy’s winners included Leola’s Dustin Wurtz in the discus, McLaughlin in the Sprint Medley relay, Aberdeen Central’s Parker Helwig in the pole vault, and Aberdeen Christian’s Abe Kretchman in the triple jump. Kretchman won with a leap of 41 feet, 4 inches.
Christian coach Sam Bjorkman noted that it was the senior’s best jump of the season.
“He got close to what he jumped at a state meet last year, so that was really cool,” Bjorkman said. “First time he’s been above 40 feet the whole year.”
Bjorkman was also impressed to see how much Kretchman has developed in the past year.
“For him, last year it was just about developing the rhythm, getting lots of opportunities throughout the year,” Bjorkman said. “So, for him to be at that, 41 feet, right now, that’s really good to see.”
Kretchman also placed second in the long jump, while the Knights also finished second in the 400-meter and 800-meter relays.
Bjorkman said the relay teams have made great strides this season.
“That boys 4X1 and 4X2, they’re figuring things out,” Bjorkman said. “They have three seniors and a freshman and there’s just a learning curve. When you’re running at 20 miles-per-hour and trying to hand off a metal stick, it’s just not something you do naturally, and so it’s really about honing in those handoffs on those relays.”
Just like on the boys’ side, Ipswich also had a phenomenal day on the girls’ side, claiming six events, with Gracie Lange leading the way with wins in the high jump and long jump. Madisyn Gellhaus won the 1,600-meter run, while Marley Guthmiller won the 100-meter hurdles. Quincy Olivier captured a win in the pole vault, while Ashley Ptacek picked up a victory in the triple jump.
Potter County collected four wins, including the 1,600 and 3,200-meter relays. Emma Schlachter won the 800-meter run, while Dannika Kaup won the 300-meter hurdles.
Herreid-Selby Area picked up wins in the 800-meter relay and Sprint Medley relay, and also received a win from Katie Allbee in the 3,200-meter run. Timber Lake’s Shay Kraft won the 400-meter dash, while the Panthers also won the 400-meter relay. Aberdeen Central’s Taryn Nieman won the shot put, while Taryn Hermansen won the discus.
For Aberdeen Christian, freshman Shawnteah La Croix continued her dominance in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, earning wins in both races, including a personal best :12.62 in the 100-meter dash. Christian’s Rachel Beaner and Katie Steger placed second and third in the 1,600-meter run, although both set personal bests in the race.
Looking ahead, Bjorkman knows the athletes are excited for the Howard Wood Relays on Friday and Saturday in Sioux Falls.
“We go have fun at Howard Wood and get exposure to the good competition,” Bjorkman said. “It’s a good practice run and hopefully we’ll put out a similar group at state in a few weeks. That’s the key thing to me for Howard Wood. It’s a blast and the kids love it.”
For complete results, click on the following link below:
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/488912/results/all
