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Area conference track meets scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

roger merriam, watertown public opinion
·11 min read
Kate McElroy of Watertown, Halle Bauer of Great Plains Lutheran and Ashlynn Batchelor of Milbank Area are among the many area athletes set to compete in 2023 conference track and field meets this week.
Kate McElroy of Watertown, Halle Bauer of Great Plains Lutheran and Ashlynn Batchelor of Milbank Area are among the many area athletes set to compete in 2023 conference track and field meets this week.

Watertown and Aberdeen Central are two of the nine schools set to compete Saturday in the 2023 Eastern South Dakota Conference track and field meet at Brandon.

The meet starts with the boys and girls javelin at 9 a.m. Other field events start at 11:30 a.m., followed by running events at noon.

The field also includes Brandon Valley, which has won eight-straight girls division titles and also is the defending champion in the boys division. Brookings, Harrisburg, Huron, Mitchell, Pierre and Yankton round out the field.

"We've only seen a handful of the conference's teams this spring, other than at Howard Wood," said Watertown head coach Chad Rohde. "Brandon Valley's girls will be favored along with Brandon Valley or Aberdeen Central in the boys."

Aberdeen Central finished third and Watertown sixth in the boys division last spring. Aberdeen Central was fifth and Watertown seventh in the girls division.

Watertown junior Owen Spartz is the defending conference champion in the boys' pole vault and eighth-grader Kate McElroy won the girls' 3,200.

Aberdeen Central junior Ciara Frank won the girls' long jump and finished second in high jump in 2022. Seniors Aiden Heimann, Carter Dingman and Drew Salfrank are all back from the Golden Eagles' defending champion 1,600 relay in the boys division.

Aberdeen Central seniors Aiden Heimann, Gabe Johnson, Carter Dingman and Drew Salfrank are pictured after setting the school record in the boys' 1,600-meter relay on Saturday during the 98th Howard Wood Dakota Relays in Sioux Falls. The Golden Eagles will look to repeat as the champion in the event in the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet on Saturday.

"I would love to see us finish in the top half of the team standings," said Rohde, whose teams have competed this spring without a home track due to construction. "We are young and will ask a lot out of young kids to compete in a lot of events. We should see some solid points coming from our veterans."

Other returning ESD place winners include Jaxson Fiechtner (400 and 800), Boaz Raderschadt (shot put), Jack Heesch (pole vault) and Juven Hudson (long and triple jumps) in the boys division; and Eve Hauger (400d dash), Victoria Smith (800 run), McElroy (1,600 run), Emma List (1,600 run), Malia Kranz (shot put and discus), Paige McAreavey (discus), Maddy Rohde (javelin) and Jordyn Padgett (pole vault) in the girls divison.

Salfrank (400 dash) and Heimann (110 and 300 hurdles) also placed in boys division events last May for Aberdeen Central's boys along with teammates Brian Johnson (discus) and Ethan Fergel (pole vault). Gracie Rife (100 and 200 dashes), Taryn Hermansen (shot put) and Grace Kuch (shot put and discus) are returning individual-event placers for the Golden Eagle girls.

Harrisburg senior Tim Bishop won the boys' 100 and 200 dashes in 2022 and Yankton junior Austin Gobel won the boys' 200 dash and long jump. Brandon Valley won four of the five relays in the girls division and three of the five in the boys division.

"We are pretty hindered not having a surface to train on. The training our kids need isn't happening and our creativity to train to our needs gets to be pretty difficult," said Rohde. "Still, our athletes have been amazing and come ready every day."

The complete ESD track meet schedule and events records are listed below.

Great Plains Lutheran's Kyrie Roberts (right) passes the baton to teammate Kate Holmen in the girls' 800-meter relay during the 2022 Eastern Coteau Conference track and field meet held in Watertown.
Great Plains Lutheran's Kyrie Roberts (right) passes the baton to teammate Kate Holmen in the girls' 800-meter relay during the 2022 Eastern Coteau Conference track and field meet held in Watertown.

Eastern Coteau Conference

When and Where: Tuesday at Webster. Field events start at 1 p.m., track events at 2 p.m.

Schools Competing: Britton-Hecla, Dakota Hills, Florence-Henry, Great Plains Lutheran, Tri-State and Waverly-South Shore.

Defending Team Champions: Great Plains Lutheran has won the boys division 16-straight years and the girls division 12-straight years.

Top Returning Athletes: Tri-State senior Grayson Madsen (won boys' 1,600-meter run and ran on winning 800 relay last spring), Tri-State junior Kaleb Foltz (won boys' 3,200 run and ran on winning 1,600 relay), senior Trinity Watson of Florence-Henry (won girls' 400 dash and 800 run and ran on winning 1,600 relay), junior Halle Bauer of Great Plains Lutheran (won girls' 800 and 1,600 runs), senior Kyrie Roberts of Great Plains Lutheran (won girls' 300 hurdles and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays) and eighth-grader Keturah Schleusener of Great Plains Lutheran (won girls' 200 dash and ran on winning 400 and 800 relays).

Cristhian Rodriguez of Hamlin takes his turn in the boys' discus during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.
Cristhian Rodriguez of Hamlin takes his turn in the boys' discus during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.

Lake Central Conference

When and Where: Tuesday at Hayti. Field events start at 2 p.m.

Schools Competing: Castlewood, Clark-Willow Lake, De Smet, Deuel, Estelline-Hendricks, Flandreau, Hamlin and Sioux Valley.

Defending Team Champions: Sioux Valley's girls and Flandreau's boys.

Top Returning Athletes: Senior Mackenzie Everson of Castlewood (won girls' 200 and 400 dashes and ran on the winning 800 and 1,600 relays in the 2022 LCC meet), Flandreau freshman Faith Wiese (won girls' 800 and 1,600 runs and ran on winning 3,200 relay), Sioux Valley sophomore Adison Renkly (won girls' 100 and 300 hurdles) and Hamlin senior Gracelyn Leiseth (won girls' shot put and discus).

Gracie Lange of Ipswich is pictured in the girls' long jump during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.
Gracie Lange of Ipswich is pictured in the girls' long jump during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.

Lake Region Conference

When and Where: Tuesday at Ipswich. Field events start at 11:30 p.m. and track events at 1:30 p.m.

Schools Competing: Aberdeen Christian, Faulkton Area, Frederick Area, Ipswich, Langford Area, Leola, North Central, Northwestern and North Central.

Defending Team Champions: Ipswich's girls and boys.

Top Returning Athletes: Freshman Ella Boekelheide of Northwestern (won girls' 800 and 1,600 runs and ran on the winning 1,600 relay in the 2022 LRC meet), freshman Marley Guthmiller of Ipswich (won the girls' 100 and 300 hurdles and the pole vault) and senior Carter Geditz of Ipswich (won boys' 110 and 300 hurdles).

Iroquois-Lake Preston's Hadlee Holt participates in the girls' shot put during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.
Iroquois-Lake Preston's Hadlee Holt participates in the girls' shot put during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.

281 Conference

When and Where: Tuesday at Huron. Track events start at 10 a.m., field events at noon.

Schools Competing: Highmore-Harrold, Hitchcock-Tulare, Ipswich-Lake Preston, James Valley Christian, Sanborn Central-Woonsocket, Sunshine Bible Academy, Wessington Springs and Wolsey-Wessington.

Defending Team Champions: Wolsey-Wessington's boys and girls.

Top Returning Athletes: Senior TJ Salmen of Hitchcock-Tulare (swept the boys' 110 and 300 hurdles the 2022 LRC meet), sophomore Abby Hinman of Sunshine Bible (won girls' 200 and 400 dashes and ran on the winning 1,600 relay) and freshman Autumn Fallis of Highmore-Harrold (won girls' 1,600 and 3,200 runs and ran on the winning medley relay).

Northeast Conference

When and Where: Thursday at Groton. Field events start at 11 a.m., track events at noon.

Schools Competing: Aberdeen Roncalli, Britton-Hecla, Clark-Willow Lake, Deuel, Groton Area, Hamlin, Milbank, Redfield, Sisseton, Tiospa Zina and Webster Area.

Defending Team Champions: Milbank's boys have won six-straight NEC titles and Milbank's girls two in a row.

Top Returning Athletes: Senior Drew Reetz of Webster Area (won boys' 400 dash and pole vault and also ran on the winning 800 and 1,600 relays at the 2022 NEC meet), senior Ricky Berndt of Deuel (won boys' 800 and 3,200 runs), senior Max Lightfield of Milbank (won boys' 110 and 300 hurdles), freshman Ashlynn Batchelor of Milbank (won girls' 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs) and Leiseth (won girls' shot put and discus).

Sadie Johnson of Estelline competes in the girls' pole vault during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.
Sadie Johnson of Estelline competes in the girls' pole vault during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.

Dakota Valley Conference

When and Where: Thursday at Elkton, 10 a.m. start.

Schools Competing: Arlington, Castlewood, Colman-Egan, Dell Rapids St. Mary, De Smet, Deubrook Area, Estelline-Hendricks, Elkton-Lake Benton, Iroquois-Lake Preston and Oldham-Ramona-Rutland.

Defending Team Champions: Colman-Egan's girls and Elkton-Lake Benton's boys have each won the past two conference titles.

Top Returning Athletes: Senior Treven Grimsrud of Deubrook Area (won boys' 100, 200 and 400 dashes and ran on the winning 1,600 relay in the 2022 DVC meet), junior Jaxon Quail of Deubrook Area (won boys' 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs), sophomore Blake DeVries of Elkton-Lake Benton (won boys' 110 and 300 hurdles), junior Daniela Lee of Colman-Egan (won girls' 100 and 200 dashes and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relay), senior Reese Luze of Colman-Egan (won girls' 400 dash and 800 run and ran on the winning 800 and 1,600 relays) and junior Sadie Johnson of Estelline-Hendricks (won girls' pole vault and long jumps).

Sioux Valley's Skylar Trygstad leads Brenton Westberry of Flandreau, Ricky Berndt of Deuel and Landen Johnson of Deubrook Area during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.
Sioux Valley's Skylar Trygstad leads Brenton Westberry of Flandreau, Ricky Berndt of Deuel and Landen Johnson of Deubrook Area during the Pat Gilligan Alumni track and field meet on Tuesday, April 25, 2023 in Estelline.

Big East Conference

When and Where: Thursday at Salem. Field events start at 2 p.m. and track events at 3 p.m.

Schools Competing: Baltic, Beresford, Chester Area, Garretson, McCook Central-Montrose, Parker and Sioux Valley.

Defending Team Champions: Chester Area won the boys division in 2022. Girls division champion not listed on athletic.net.

Top Returning Athletes: Junior Jovi Wolf of Chester Area (won boys' 100, 200 and 400 dashes and long jump in the 2022 BEC meet) and Baltic junior Andrew Atwood (won boys' 800 and 1,600 runs and ran on the winning 1,600 relay).

Central South Dakota Conference

When and Where: Saturday at Miller. Field events start at 10 a.m. and track events at noon.

Schools Competing: Faulkton Area, Highmore-Harrold, Miller, Mobridge-Pollock, Potter County Sunshine Bible Academy, Sully Buttes and Wolsey-Wessington.

Defending Team Champions: Mobridge-Pollock's boys and girls.

Top Returning Athletes: Junior Simon Fried of Mobridge-Pollock (won boys' 300 hurdles and 800 run and also ran on the winning 1,600 relay in the 2022 CSD meet), junior Heidi Olson of Mobridge-Pollock (won girls' 1,600 and 3,200 runs), junior Stevie Wittler of Sully Buttes (won girls' 100 and 300 hurdles), senior Lydia Hill of Sully Buttes (won girls' shot put and discus), sophomore Morgan Kolda of Miller (won girls' 100 dash and triple jump) and junior Ryli Thompson of Mobridge-Pollock (won girls' 400 dash and ran on the winning 800 and 1,600 relays).

2023 ESD Track Meet Schedule, Records

Saturday at Brandon

• Note — All-time meet records listed in parentheses.

Field Events

9 a.m.

Girls Javelin (Kaitlyn Disbrow, Harrisburg, 110-8, 2022)., followed by Boys Javelin (Carson Barnett, Harrisburg, 168-2).

11:30 a.m.

Boys Shot Put (Cooper Mack, Watertown, 66-9, 2021), followed by Girls Shot Put (Jane Swenson, Brandon Valley, 43-2.25, 2008).

Girls Discus (Karen McDonald, Pierre, 157-3, 1980)., followed by Boys Discus (George Amundson, Aberdeen Central, 189-3, 1969).

Boys High Jump (Jason Sutherland, Watertown, 7-0, 1992), followed by Girls High Jump (Alayna Falak, Watertown, 5-8, 2019).

Girls Long Jump (Alexis Gannon, Brookings 2014, and Emma Stewart, Yankton 2016, 18-1.5), followed by Boys Long Jump (Josh Olson, Watertown, 23-1.25, 2003).

Boys Triple Jump (Brad Monahan, Watertown, 47-3.25, 2007), followed by Girls Triple Jump (Alexis Gannon, Brookings, 38-3, 2014).

Girls Pole Vault (Leslie Brost, Watertown, 13-0, 2007), followed by Boys Pole Vault (Owen Spartz, Watertown, 15-5, 2022).

Track Events

Noon — Girls 100-meter hurdle prelims.

12:15 p.m. — Boys 110 hurdle prelims.

12:30 p.m. — Girls 3,200 relay (Aberdeen Central — Weisbeck, Waterman, Wagge, Flakus — 9:26.77, 2012).

12:45 p.m. — Girls 100 dash prelims.

1 p.m. — Boys 100 dash prelims.

1:15 p.m. — Boys 3,200 relay (Brandon Valley — Schultz, Hogie, Kilian, Brockmueller — 7:57.72, 2010).

Break

3 p.m. — Girls 100 hurdles finals (Brielle Dixon, Brandon Valley, :14.53, 2021) and Boys 110 hurdles finals (Parker McKittrick, Pierre, :14.31, 2011).

3:10 p.m. — Girls 100 dash finals (Jill Theeler, Mitchell, :11.8, 1997) and Boys 100 dash finals (Chris Fisher, Yankton, :10.44, 1994).

3:20 p.m. — Girls 800 relay (Brandon Valley — Badger, Nuebel, Thompson, Tingle — 1:42.64, 2017) and Boys 800 relay (Brandon Valley — Grode, Immeker, Reinschmidt, Holmes — 1:29.41, 2014).

3:45 p.m. — Girls 1,600 run (Ellie Abraham, Brookings, 4:56.32, 2018) and Boys 1,600 run (Steve Heidenreich, Watertown, 4:09.6, 1971).

4 p.m. — Girls 400 relay (Watertown — Nancy Cummings, Patty Neisen, Traci Fie, Jill Mohrer — 1980) and Brookings (Amari Ward, Maddix Archer, Riley Weisbeck, Landree Wilson — 2021), both :49.6; and Boys 400 relay (Watertown — Shay Bratland, Jesse Poppen, Mason Hericks, Joe Foley — :42.83, 2014).

4:20 p.m. — Girls 400 dash (Courtney Dowling, Pierre, :55.57, 2016) and Boys 400 dash (Cam Holmes, Brandon Valley, :48.44, 2014).

4:45 p.m. — Girls 300 hurdles (Jeana Hoffman, Mitchell, :45.58, 2003) and Boys 300 hurdles (Lukas Bernard, Watertown, :38.55, 2011).

5:05 p.m. — Girls medley relay (Watertown — Amber Pickrel, Shannon Patek, Stacy Schooley, Jessica Fox — 4:17.24, 1998) and Boys medley relay (Watertown — Jim Byer, Brad Woldt, Paul Myers, Steve Heidenreich — 3:31.9, 1970).

5:30 p.m. — Girls 800 run (Kay Stormo, Watertown, 2:14.3, 1977) and Boys 800 run (Brad Brane, Mitchell, 1:56.43, 1977).

5:45 p.m. — Girls 200 dash (Courtney Dowling, Pierre, :24.68, 2016) and Boys 200 dash (Chris Fisher, Yankton, :21.4, 1994).

6:05 p.m. — Girls 3,200 run (Annie Kruse, Yankton, 10:57.44, 2014) and Boys 3,200 run (Larry Beesley, Madison, 9:27.4, 1975).

6:35 p.m. — Girls 1,600 relay (Brandon Valley — Hendrick, Tingle, Bickley, Bickley — 3:52.92, 2015) and Boys 1,600 relay (Brandon Valley — Austin Vigants, Carson Mashlan, Joey Anderson, Julian Watson — 3:24.54, 2021).

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on Twitter @PO_Sports.

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: A look at the ESD and other area conference track meets this week