While they did not compete head-to-head at the Dewey Donat Classic on Monday, former teammates won events wearing different colored uniforms at the indoor track and field meet at the Barnett Center.
Former Potter County teammates and best friends Dannika Kaup and Emma Schlachter both recorded victories during the meet while competing for different schools.
Kaup is a member of the Hoven squad, while Schlachter runs for Gettysburg. The Potter County cooperative involving the two schools dissolved last year.
“I wouldn’t choose this. I’d rather be wearing PC, but it’s cool,” Kaup said. “My mom was Hoven, my dad was Hoven, so it’s cool.”
Kaup won the 55-meter hurdles, an event she likes better than the regular 100-meter hurdles run outdoors.
“I was trying to focus on not swinging my arms, which I’ve done every single time I’ve done the 100 hurdles,” Kaup said. “It’s getting better, honestly, but I like these because it doesn’t give you time to get tired.”
Kaup also won the 200-meter dash and finished third in the long jump.
The senior, who is no stranger to state meets, will be helping to carry the banner for Hoven this spring at the state meet in Sioux Falls in May.
“I wonder what people are going to think,” Kaup said, “this random team coming up.”
While Kaup and Schlachter did not compete in the same events on Monday, that time will be coming soon.
“I’m not too excited. Me and Emma Schlachter, we have never really run against each other too much, like maybe our freshman year,” Kaup said. “After that we’ve always been together, never seperate. I’m not going to like it, but it’s going to be OK.”
Schlachter, who won the 800-meter run and also ran on a winning relay team, said she and Kaup have practiced against each other, but it will feel a bit different as competitors.
I don’t think we see it as a rivalry,” Schlachter said. “We think of it as we’re making each other better. Best friends on and off the track; just celebrate each other.”
Schlachter competes in a variety of events, but likes the 800 the best.
“It’s just right in the middle. Sprint the whole way,” Schlachter said. “It’s like the middle between sprint and distance. It’s a mixture of both.”
While the calendar still says March, Schlachter said track and field habits start taking shape long before the first gun goes off.
“Honestly, I think it starts in the off season. What you do outside of track. … And even what you eat, how you sleep, the time you spend on your phone,” Schlachter said. “It doesn’t start with just weightlifting and running. It starts with your habits outside of the sport.”
Less than two weeks ago, Dylan Hofer was running up and down the Wachs Arena court competing in the State B Boys’ Basketball Tournament. Monday he was sprinting down the sideline winning the 55-meter dash in a school record time of :06.92, breaking by previous mark of Ben Rohl in 2021 by 0.02 seconds.
“I honestly just wanted to make top eight,” Hofer said, “and try and break seven (seconds).”
The defending state champion in the triple jump, the junior also won that event at the indoor meet and finished second in the 200-meter dash.
When asked if it was different switching from basketball to track and field, Hofer responded, “A little bit obviously because they’re different sports, but in both I just want to win and compete as well as I can.”
Hofer would like to defend his state title this spring and also have the Knights move up in their relays.
“We didn’t lose anyone last year from any of the relays,” Hofer said.
Redfield’s Nicholas Becker got his season off to a solid start, finishing second in the long jump with leap of 19-feet, 5 and 1/4-inches. The senior said the distance exceeded his expectations.
“Honestly higher, because it’s the first meet of the season,” Becker said, “19 was around my max.”
He said preseason training has helped heading into this spring.
“I think it’s our coaches. They’ve been pushing us extra hard this year compared to our previous seasons,” Becker said, “and we’ve been working extra hard this year.”
Becker would like to cap off his prep career by qualifying for the state meet this spring.
“I would love to make it to state,” Becker said. “That would be great. I’ve been trying.”
Christian had a few more athletes out this week compared to last week’s initial indoor meet.
“Got a lot of those basketball guys back,” said Knights coach Sam Bjorkman, “just getting them up and sprinting in competition is always good.”
Of course, Hofer highlighted that group with his school record-effort.
“Dylan earns it. Is he gifted, yeah, he’s gifted. Does he work all year round developing athletically? Yes,” Bjorkman said. “It’s awesome to see success come to a kid like that’s not just pure talent, but really works.”
Bjorkman pointed out efforts from some of his younger athletes, who showed marked improvement from a week ago.
“A number of good performances,” Bjorkman said. “For me, having a small team … I’m thinking about the whole team that way.”
To see complete meet results, click on the following link:
