Conference Track: Milbank sweeps again in NEC meet, Deubrook Area squads take second in DVC
Roger Merriam
BRITTON — Milbank's Bennett Schwenn and Aberdeen Roncalli's Morgan Fiedler each won four individual events and Hamlin's Gracelyn Leiseth set two meet records in the Northeast Conference track and field meet.
Eleven schools competed in the meet. Milbank won the boys division for the sixth-straight time with 198 points, followed by Webster Area at 115 and Aberdeen Roncalli 79. Milbank also repeated as the girls division title with 178.5 points, followed by Aberdeen Roncalli at 157 and Groton Area 70.5.
Schwenn won the boys' 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long and triple jumps to lead Milbank's boys. Fiedler won the same four events in girls division.
Leiseth shattered her own meet record in the girls' discus (155 feet, 6 inches) and also set a new mark in the shot put 48-5.5.
Max Lightfield (110 and 300 hurdles), Garrett Mertens (high jump) and Ryker Trevett (shot put) added event wins for Milbank's boys, who won the 3,200 relay with Payton Brown, Grant Van Peursem, Isaac Graham and Bryan Meyer.
Drew Reetz won the 400 dash and pole vault and ran on the winning 400 and 800 relays for Webter Area. Carson Mount and Brent Bearman also ran both relays. Gavin Witt rounded ouy the 400 and Tayne Dunse the 800. Dunse also won the 300 hurdles.
Other event winners in the boys division included Ricky Berndt of Deuel (800 and 3,200 runs), Tyler O'Neill of Clark-Willow Lake (1,600) and Kaden St.Pierre of Hamlin (discus). Clark-Willow Lake took medley relay with Trey Huber, Jack Helkenn, Brady Jordan and Wyatt Anderson and Groton Area the 400 with Andrew Marzahn, Keegan Tracy, Kaden Kurtz and Teylor Diegel.
Milbank's girls also got wins from Ashlynn Batchelor (800, 1,600 and 3,200 runs) and Isabella Anderson (400 dash) along with the 400 and 800 relays. Laney Forrette, Jacy Dexter, Addisyn Krause and Sierra Wenzl won the 400 and Forrette, Gemma Street, Anderson and Emily VanHoorn the 800.
Other event winners in the girls division were Sarah Thonvold of Clark-Willow Lake (100 hurdles), Ella Ulmer of Roncalli (300 hurdles), Josie Andersen of Deuel (high jump) and Erin Case of Webster Area (pole vault).
Groton Area took the 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Jerica Locke, Kennedy Hanson, Kella Tracy and Laila Roberts ran the 1,600 and Tracy, Faith and Taryn Traphagen and Rylee Dunker the 3,200. Musonda Kabwe, Kelsi Hofer, Cadence Bochek and Kayla Jordan led Clark-Willow Lake to victory in the medley.
Dakota Valley Conference
De SMET — Treven Grimsrud's big day highlighted a pair of runner-up finishes for Deubrook Area's teams in the Dakota Valley Conference track and field meet.
Colman-Egan repeated as the girls division champion with 164 points in the 10-team meet, followed by Deubrook Area at 135 and Arlington 82.5. Elkton-Lake Benton also repeated in the boys division, slipping past Deubrook Area 150-145 for the boys division title. De Smet was third at 76.
Grimsrud won the boys' 100, 200 and 400 dashes and also ranon the winning 1,600 relay with J.P. Rogness, Landon Johnson and Parker Crooks.
Castlewood boys won the 400, 800, 1,600 and medley relays. Logan Eng ran on three relays; Kegan Tvedt, Jaron Tharaldsen, Jeremiah Wiersma and Brock Gisselbeck each two; and Quincy Thu, Paul Everson, Ty Gisselbeck, Jaron Eidson and Jackson Schofield each one.
Damon Wilkinson of De Smet (shot put) and Lane Tvedt of Castlewood (long jump) were other area event winners in the boys division.
Area winners in the girls division included Madalyn Madsen of Arlington (3,200 run), Danielle Hawley of Estelline-Hendricks (shot put), Hadley Carlson of Arlington (high jump) and Sadie Johnson of Estelline-Hendricks (pole vault).
Deubrook Area won the 3,200 relay with Makenna and Taylor Ekern, Kylee Johnson and Ellie Olsen.