There are a lot of numbers associated with track and field. From times to distances, stopwatches and tape measures record the accomplishments for all events.

However, this week, the number that everyone associated with the sport is looking at, happens to be 24. That’s because that is the cutoff for athletes attempting to qualify for next week’s state meet in Sioux Falls.

“I pay quite a bit of attention to that, and I start sooner than I probably really need to, because it doesn’t get serious as far as where you’re going to be at until those last three weeks or so,” said Webster coach Bill Sawinsky. “I also keep track of what the 24th time was the year before, so I know if this year’s number 24, about where it’s probably going to end up. I have a pretty good idea, because year to year it stays pretty close.”

The last week of the regular season is filled with last chance meets, giving athletes one last attempt to try to either crack the top 24 or try to stay in the top two dozen.

“It’s certainly different than the old region system,” Sawsinky said, “because now up until the last minute you’ve always got that chance.”

That’s why meets this week tend to look a bit different than normal meets. Coaches will try get kids who happen to be on the bubble, one more chance to improve their times or distances.

“If you’re sitting there at 24, you might have go to try to maintain your spot,” Sawinsky said.

Of course, there is no guarantee that what you do will work, because athletes all across the state have the same idea.

“Two years ago we went out to Mobridge with a half a dozen kids,” Sawinsky said. “I think every single kid PRd, but we didn’t make it in to the state tournament listings in any of them, because other kids around the state got better also.”

This week Sawinsky took a couple of relay teams to Warner on Wednesday in hopes of bettering their standings, and Webster has a meet today.

“Actually, if the weather cooperates, we’re going to take some of them perhaps even to Arlington on Friday,” Sawinsky said.

While that might sound like a bit much with three meets in three days, Sawinsky said the kids are fully on board with the schedule.

“We talk to the kids first. If they’re not interested, we’re not forcing them to do that or anything,” he said. “But if they’re interested, we can give them the opportunity. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Sawinsky said the key variable to the list is that it can change at the very end regardless of last-minute adjustments, because athletes can only compete in four events at state, and some may be in the top 24 in more than four events and consequently drop out of some.

“To throw another wrench into it, I’ve got a kid that might drop out of the top 24 in the 200, but typically in the 200, you’re going to see some of those kids get dropped out, maybe because they’re going to run relays,” Sawinsky said. “You can’t keep up with who’s hurt and who’s not hurt.”

Sawinsky recalled a situation where an athlete of his got into the top 24 because others dropped out and it turned out to be the best result.

“Two years ago I had a kid that was 34th on the list in the 200,” Sawsinky said, “and he got in in the number 24 spot, and then he placed.”

The veteran coach does his best to inform the athletes where they are at and what they need to do to try and qualify for the state meet.

“I post stuff for our kids right away and I keep track of the top hundred, because that’s what they list on the website,” Sawinsky said. “Any of our kids that are in that, so they know where they’re at, can see what number 24 is and go from there.”

LEADING THE WAY

There are five athletes who top three open events in this week’s leaders.

Ella Boekelheide of Northwestern tops the Class B 800, 1,600 and 3,200. In Class A, Bergen Musser of Lennox leads the 100, 200 and long jump, Halle Braun of Sioux Falls Christian leads the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 400, and Ellie Maddox of Sioux Falls Christian is first in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200, and in Class A Tate Grabow of Hill City sets the pace in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200.

There are 13 athletes who led two open events, including Deuel’s Oliver Fieber in the Class A 100 and 200, and Ipswich’s Kyle Hettich in the Class B 100 and 200.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Sioux Falls Christian girls top the list of team leaders with 10 in Class A.

Other team leaders include Sioux Falls Lincoln in Class AA boys (nine events), Spearfish in Class AA girls (five events), Deuel in Class A boys (four events), Philip in Class B boys (six events), and Bennett County in Class B girls (six events), followed by Colman-Egan (five events).