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Six South Dakotans to race in special boys' 800-meter run and girls' 200 dash events on Friday

Roger Merriam, Watertown Public Opinion
·6 min read
Rapid City Stevens' Simeon Birnbaum won three individual races, anchored a winning relay and earned Class AA MVP honors on the track during the 2022 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
Rapid City Stevens' Simeon Birnbaum won three individual races, anchored a winning relay and earned Class AA MVP honors on the track during the 2022 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

Rapid City Stevens distance standout Simeon Birnbaum leads a group six South Dakota high school runners set to compete in special-event races on Friday during the 98th Howard Wood Dakota Relays.

The meet opens at 1 p.m. on Friday with the last event scheduled for 7:45 p.m. The meet concludes on Saturday, starting with the first event at 9 a.m. and the last at 5:30 p.m.

Sixteen runners and two alternates have been selected to compete in two special races on Friday — the boys' 800-meter run at 6:05 p.m. and the girls' 200-meter dash at 6:30 p.m.

The boys' 800 field also included South Dakota seniors Jaxson Fiechtner of Watertown, Isaac Davelaar of Sioux Falls Christian and Sam Castle of Sioux Falls O'Gorman. Juniors Berkeley Engelland of Mount Vernon-Plankinton and Daniela Lee of Colman-Egan are the South Dakota runners in the girls' 200. Alternates include junior Kaleb Foltz of Tri-State (800) and junior Linnea Nesheim of Sioux Falls Lincoln (200).

Watertown's Jaxon Fiechtner (left) chases after Milbank's Nick Batchelor during the Class AA boys' 800-meter run in the 59th Watoma Relays track and field meet on Friday, April 22, 2022 at Allen Mitchell Field.
Watertown's Jaxon Fiechtner (left) chases after Milbank's Nick Batchelor during the Class AA boys' 800-meter run in the 59th Watoma Relays track and field meet on Friday, April 22, 2022 at Allen Mitchell Field.

Runners from Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota round out the groups of runners set to compete in the special races.

The Howard Wood Dakota Relays started in 1923.

Boys 800 Runners

Noah Breker, Robbinsdale-Armstrong, Plymouth (Minn.): Breker, a senior, won the Class AAA 3,200-meter run and finished fourth in the 1,600 at the 2022 Minnesota state track and field meet.

Jonah Dafoe, Red River, Grand Forks (N.D.): The senior and North Dakota State commit placed eighth in the Class A 800 at the 2022 North Dakota state meet. He ran on 3,200 relay teams that placed at state in both 2021 and 2022.

Howard Wood Dakota Relays Schedule: https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23794238-98th-howard-wood-dakota-relays-schedule?responsive=1&title=1

Isaac Davelaar, Sioux Falls Christian: The Charger senior won the Class A 800 and 1,600 runs and finished fifth in the 400 at the 2022 South Dakota state meet. In 2021, he won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 and also ran on the winning 3,200 relay.

Simeon Birnbaum, Rapid City Stevens: The University of Oregon recruit is South Dakota's all-time record holder in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs. He won the Class AA 800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs and ran on the winning medley in the 2022 state meet. He also won the 800 and 1,600 and ran on two winning relays a sophomore in 2021.

Gabe Nash, Sioux City North (Iowa): The University of Nebraska cross country commit took third in the Class AAAA 1,600 run and ran on the sixth-place 3,200 relay in the 2022 Iowa state meet. The senior won the 800 at state in 2022 and also ran on the winning 3,200 relay and sixth-place medley relay.

Sioux City North's Gabe Nash celebrates winning the 4x800 during the 112th annual Drake Relays at Drake Stadium Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Des Moines.
Sioux City North's Gabe Nash celebrates winning the 4x800 during the 112th annual Drake Relays at Drake Stadium Saturday, April 30, 2022 in Des Moines.

Quinn Roehl, Grand Forks (N.D.) Central: Another senior, Roehl took third in the Class A 800, fifth in the 1,600 and eighth in the 3,200 at the 2022 state meet. He also ran on the fourth-place 1,600 relay.

Sam Castle, O'Gorman: The Knights' senior placed fourth in the Class AA 800 at the 2022 state meet.

Jaxson Fiechtner, Watertown: The University of South Dakota commit is a senior who has placed in the 800 at each of the last two state meets. He placed third in 2021 and fifth in 2022. Fiechtner also ran on the seventh-place medley relay last spring.

Kaleb Foltz, Tri-State (Alternate): Only a junior, Foltz won the Class B 800 and 1,600 runs and ran on the winning medley in the South Dakota state meet last spring. He placed sixth in both the 800 and 1,600 as a freshman in 2021. Tri-State has moved up to Class A this spring.

Mount Vernon-Plankinton's Berkley Engelland wins the Class A girls' 400-meter dash during the 2022 South Dakota State High School Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
Mount Vernon-Plankinton's Berkley Engelland wins the Class A girls' 400-meter dash during the 2022 South Dakota State High School Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

Girls 200 Runners

Berkeley Engelland, Mount Vernon-Plankinton: The junior won the Class A 400 and 800, placed second in the 200 and took seventh in the 100 at the 2022 state meet. That came after she won the 400 and 800 and ran on two winning relays as a freshman in 2021.

Jazmin Berry, Dickinson (N.D.): The junior placed in four individual events at the 2022 North Dakota state meet, placing second in the Class A 300 hurdles and long jump and fourth in both the 200 and 400. In 2021, she took fourth in the 800 and ran on the fourth-place 1,600 relay.

Elise Wisnewski, Central Cass, Casselton (N.D.): Another junior, Wisnewski won the Class B 100 and long jump, took second in the 200 and ran on the winning 800 relay at state. In 2021, she won the 100 and 200, took second in the 400 and also placed seventh in the long jump.

Bariborve "Cece" Deebom, Fargo (N.D.) Davies: The senior and University of Nebraska commit won four Class A events at state in 2022 (100 and 200 dashes, 100 hurdles and long jump). She nearly did the same in 2021, winning the three races and taking second in the long jump.

Kelsie Belquist, New Rockford (N.D)-Sheyenne: Belquist and Wisnewski are family Class B foes in North Dakota. Only a sophomore, Belquist won the 200 and 400 dashes and also swept the 100 and 300 hurdles at state last spring. In 2021, she won the 400 and 300 hurdles and took second in the 100 and 200 dashes.

Colman-Egan's Daniela Lee (123) win the Class B girls' 100-meter dash during the 2022 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
Colman-Egan's Daniela Lee (123) win the Class B girls' 100-meter dash during the 2022 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

Brooke Hohenecker, Providence Academy, Plymouth (Minn.): The junior won the Class AA 200 and placed second in the 100 and third in the 400 at the Minnesota state meet. She was eighth in the 100 as a freshman in 2021.

Elliana Harris, Sioux City (Iowa) East: The junior has been picking up the pace after finishing fifth in the Class AAAA 200 and running on the sixth-place 400 relay during the 2022 Iowa state meet.

Daniela Lee, Colman-Egan: The junior Class B speedster won the 100 and 400 dashes and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays at state last spring. The year before, Lee took second in the 100 and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays and third-place medley relay.

Linnea Nesheim, Sioux Falls Lincoln (Alternate): The junior placed eighth in the Class AA 800 and ran on the winning medley, second-place 800 and third-place 400 relay at state last spring. In 2021, she finished fifth in the 100, ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays and also on the seventh-place medley relay.

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

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Fields set for special event races in Howard Wood Dakota Relays