SIOUX FALLS – Northeast Conference track and field athletes won state championships, set school records and established personal bests during the Class A portion of the State Track and Field Meet on Friday at Howard Wood Field.
Milbank’s Sam Rick won the triple jump and finished second in the pole vault.
While the junior wasn’t able to match his season-best distance in the triple jump, he still topped the field to earn the top spot on the podium.
“I kind of struggled with some injuries through the year,” Rick said, “but I was able to get through it and still put up a good enough mark to win here.”
Rick has developed a form that features a huge last stride on his way to landing in the pit.
“I don’t really know what happened,” Rick said of his technique. “This year during practice it kind of just came to me. I’ve had college coaches tell me it’s one of the best they’ve seen.”
Rick didn’t even have time to celebrate his state title, because he needed to go run in a relay event, and then it was off to pole vault.
“It’s pretty difficult,” Rick said of his demanding schedule, “but I’ve gotten used to it knowing when all my events are.”
While Rick obviously makes a huge impact regardless of what event he is competing in, he does have a personal favorite.
“I’d say triple jump is probably my favorite,” Rick said. “Pole vault is kind of an iffy year for me, but triple jump I feel this year just came easier for me and it became my favorite.”
Fellow NEC member Eliza Larson of Clark-Willow Lake won the state title in the shot put.
The sophomore had a throw of 39-3 and 3/4, to win the championship by nearly three feet.
“I started off a little rough, but I knew I could do it. I knew I had to get a good one out there if I wanted to have a chance to make it to finals,” Larson said. “I was ranked third and all year I’ve had the goal of getting our school record or becoming a state champion and I got it today, so I’m pretty happy about that.”
Interestingly, the sophomore entered the state meet on a bit of a down note.
“I’ve been going through quite a slump and then in practice on Wednesday right before we left I started praying on it,” Larson said. “I prayed with my team and it helped me get there.”
Britton-Hecla senior Abigail Lee also had a memorable day on the way to a runner-up finish in the triple jump. She finished with a personal best mark of 36-11 1/2.
“It’s my last time ever jumping in high school. Basically, I got mad at myself,” Lee said. “I was like you’ve got to drive your knees really hard. And I was like you’re not ending your last whatever without a PR. I just got mad and went really hard.”
Lee, who is bound for Dakota Wesleyan next year to compete in volleyball and track and field, ended up setting a personal record by more than a foot and also set a school record in the process.
“I got a school record and that’s what I wanted really bad,” Lee said.
She knew she had recorded a good mark when she set her personal record, but did not expect what the actual distance turned out to be.
“I was really hoping a 36,” Lee said. “I did not think a 36-11. That shocked me.”
A pair of other NEC athletes also had solid showings despite not placing.
Hamlin’s Jonathan Leonardi ran the anchor on his team’s 1,600-meter relay squad. The junior has competed in state championship football and basketball games, but said track is just different.
“State track is incomparable to a state football championship or state basketball, just because when you’re up about to get that baton representing your school in front of I don’t know how many fans, (there’s) not as many people out there, everybody’s watching you and not just five guys or 11 guys or nine guys,” Leonardi said. “So I think the state championship atmosphere for track is probably bigger than any sport I’ve competed in.”
Leonardi said it’s special to compete in the 1,600-meter relay in front of a grandstand full of people.
“Honestly, none of them compare to the 4X4 feeling,” Leonardi said, “when you’re crossing the finish line and you’re either victorious or you put up your best time.”
Aberdeen Roncalli’s Rylee Voeller capped off a memorable career of athletics with the Cavaliers by competing in the discus on Friday.
“It’s definitely a little sad. It feels weird. Sports has been my whole life … I’ve made so many friends throughout sports,” Voeller said. “That’s such a nice thing.”
Voeller had a big delegation of family and friends on hand to watch her final performance. She said she learned many valuable lessons through sports.
“It’s really just taught me to rely on those people in my life. It showed me the importance that they have, because no matter what, my family’s always been there to pick up my back after a tough loss, or being with my teammates like after our win against Webster for volleyball this year,” Voeller said. “That was such a big win for us, especially after losing that first set. Winning was the best feeling and my team was right there. It was so exciting. It’s definitely just shown the importance of those people I have in my life, because they are very important to me and they’ve always been there for me.”
The Cavaliers competed in a variety of events on the day.
“A bit of a mixed bag today. We had some athletes with personal best performances and some did not reach a personal best,” said Roncalli co-coach Mark Stone. “A three-day state meet offers some challenges for athletes and teams. And those who do the best at preparing and taking care of themselves during that time and those who are most disciplined are likely to be the ones who experience that success.”
To see complete meet results, click on the following link:
