Dakota Relays Day 1 recap: Wagner's Ashlyn Koupal soars to second place in girls' high jump
May 3—SIOUX FALLS — No stranger to jumping her best at Howard Wood Field, Wagner sophomore Ashlyn Koupal tied a personal best by clearing 5 feet, 7 inches, to take second place in the girls' high jump at the Dakota Relays on Friday.
Koupal and Sioux Falls Washington's Nyariek Kur were the lone competitors left after reaching 5-7. Though neither cleared the next height at 5-9, Kur was declared the winner on jumps.
The pair are currently the lone South Dakotans to eclipse 5-5 this season, with Kur the top jumper in Class AA and Koupal atop Class A, where she's the three-time defending state champion.
Mount Vernon/Plankinton's Makenzie Hetland, finished sixth in the event as one of four jumpers to bow out at 5-3.
Here's a look at the other top Mitchell-area placers from Friday's action at the Dakota Relays:
* The Burke quartet of Braelyn Duerfeldt, Addi Hood, Breckynn Pistulka and Piper Hanson claimed the Class B girls' 4x200-meter relay title with a winning time of 1 minute, 48.29 seconds, the best mark in the class this season. To take down the win, the Cougars had to fend off a charge by two-time defending Dakota Relays champion Colman-Egan (1:48.71). Freeman (1:52.39) was sixth in the relay.
* On top of anchoring the winning relay, Burke's Piper Hanson advanced through the preliminary and semifinal heats to reach Saturday's finals in the 100-meter hurdles. Hanson's qualifying time of 15.04 seconds, which stands as the fastest in Class B this season, placed her fifth out of eight finalists.
* In the Class B boys' 4x200-meter relay, Freeman (1:32.45) finished second to Ipswich (1:32.23), as the pair notched the top two marks in the class so far this season. Freeman Academy/Marion (1:34.06) was fourth in the relay.
* Platte-Geddes (1:33.07) took third place while Ethan/Parkston (1:33.30) was fifth in the Class A boys' 4x200-meter relay, which was won by West Central (1:31.82).
* Gregory's Daniel Mitchell took fourth in the boys' high jump, clearing 6 feet, 4 inches. Sanborn Central/Woonsocket's Jeffery Boschee and Burke's Iker Diaz Montilla tied for fifth, with both jumpers also clearing 6-4. Montilla's leap was a new personal record and the new No. 2 mark in Class B this season behind Mitchell. Bennett County's Rush O'Neill reached 6-5 to win the event.
* Four area schools placed in the boys' 4x800-meter relay, with Wessington Springs (8:38.90) in fifth, Freeman Academy/Marion (8:39.25) in sixth, Mitchell Christian (8:40.23) in seventh and Menno (8:44.37) in eighth. Deubrook Area won the relay in 8:14.39.
* In the Class B girls' 4x800-meter relay, Menno (10:16.86) came in sixth, with Deubrook Area winning in 9:54.27.
* Mitchell took seventh place in the Class AA girls' 4x800-meter relay, with Carsyn Weich, Kambyl Wede, Londyn Schroeder and Emerson Smith posting a time of 9:51.36, which ranks fourth in the Class AA this spring. Brandon Valley claimed the title in 9:19.38.
* Scotland's Trinity Bietz posted a seventh-place finish in the girls' shot put with a throw of 39 feet, 11.5 inches, tops among Class B competitor so far this season.
* Hanson's Brock Tuttle placed eighth in boys' shot put with a heave of 53 feet, 3.75 inches, a new personal record and the second-best mark in Class A this season. Tuttle reached the finals with a mark of 52-4.
* Jeran McNichols, of Bismarck (N.D.) broke the meet record in the boys' 200 meters, the special event on Friday evening, notching a time of 21.24 seconds. He will run collegiately at North Dakota State.
* Bismarck Century (N.D.) broke the meet record in the boys' distance medley relay with a mark of 10:39.01.
