State high school track meet: Top 10 Class A athletes/relays to watch

Sioux Falls Christian appears to be a heavy favorite to repeat as the state Class A boys track and field champion this week at Howard Wood Field, but the Chargers don't plan on stopping there.

Christian's girls team has the potential to make it a clean sweep for the Chargers in the three-day state meet that runs Thursday through Saturday.

Sioux Falls Christian's boys have placed first or second in each of the past five state meets (the 2020 state meet wasn't held due to COVID-19), a streak highlighted last May by the Chargers' 133.67-66 margin of victory over runner-up Milbank.

"We're going to have a tough time catching them," Milbank head coach Eric Townsend send of the boys race. "They could win every relay and they also have (Isaac) Davelaar in all three distance events. I don't know if they'll score as many points as last year, but they should get close to 100."

Milbank's boys recorded their highest finish at state since claiming the 2005 Class A title last spring, holding off Custer, which finished third. Those two teams are among a handful that could create an interesting battle for second place.

Speaking of interesting battles, the girls division had one last May when West Central won its first state title since going back-to-back in 2011 and 2012. The Trojans scored 82 points, followed by Custer (66), Mount Vernon-Plankinton (53), Sioux Falls Christian (50), Parker (41) and Hamlin (40).

Many of those same teams have talented athletes back and could have something to say about how the team race goes.

"I haven't really studied the girls division as closely, but I think there could be a lot more teams in the mix for the state title," said Townsend.

Here are 10 Class A athletes to watch at the meet.

Isaac Davelaar, Sioux Falls Christian

Davelaar shared outstanding track athlete honors in the Class A boys division as last year's state meet after winning the boys' 800, 1,600 and 3,200-meter runs and also running on the winning 1,600 relay for the state champion Chargers.

Now a junior, Davelaar hasn't slowed down. He's recorded the fastest times in the 800 (1:53.78) and 1,600 (4:25.08) and the second-fastest in the 400 (50.35). He's also a part of the strong relay mix for the Chargers.

Gracelyn Leiseth, Hamlin

Another junior, Grace Leiseth is the outstanding Class A girls' field events athlete, winning the honor at state last May after taking both the shot put and discus.

Part of rich family history in South Dakota throwing events, she is the state's new all-time record holder in the shot put. She broke the record at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays earlier this month and improved it recently with a toss of 49 feet, 3.25 inches. She also has the second best throw in the discus (155-6).

Kellyn Kortemeyer, Custer

Leiseth isn't guaranteed to earn a repeat sweep in the throwing events and that's because of Kellyn Kortemeyer. She set the all-time state girls' shot put record last spring and held it until Leiseth took it over.

Heading into the state meet, she has the top throw in the discus (157-1) and second-best throw in the shot put (46-11). She finished second in the both events at state last year.

Special mention needs to go to Leiseth's teammate Kami Wadsworth, who finished third in both events last spring and has the No. 3 throws in both events so far this spring.

Bennett Schwenn, Milbank

Like Leiseth, Bennett Schwenn is the returning outstanding field events athlete, only in the boys division. He won the long and triple jumps in last year's state meet.

The senior is a University of South Dakota recruit who is expected to try his hand as a multi-events athlete for the Coyotes. Counting relays, he's qualified for state in a long list of events the past two years.

This week, he's slated to compete in the triple jump (No. 1 in the field), long jump (No. 2), 200-meter dash (No. 4) and 1,600-meter relay (No. 1).

Berkeley Engelland, Mount Vernon-Plankinton

As a freshman last spring, she won the 400 and 800-meter dashes and also anchored the winning 1,600 and 3,200 relays in the state meet for the Titans.

She currently has the top times in both the 400 (57.24) and 800 (2:11.75) and fourth-best times in the 100 (12.6) and 200 (26.04).

Blake Boyster, Custer

On the topic of speedsters, it make sense to continue with Custer junior Blake Boyster, who enters the state meet with the top times in the 200 (22.01) and 400 (49.28) and the second-fastest time in the 100 (10.84).

Boyster won the 400, took third in the 100 and fourth in the 200 and also ran on the third-place 400-meter relay at last year's state meet. His spring performance including winning the boys' special 200 event at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays in early May.

Ellie Maddox, Sioux Falls Christian

Eighth-grader Ellie Maddox should be one of the leaders in the Chargers' bid for a state title. She leads the field in the 1,600 (5:06.27) and 3,200 (11:13.86) runs after winning the state Class A cross-country championship last fall.

She's also ran on Christian's 1,600, medley and 3,200 relay teams that have the fastest times in the class. A year ago, Maddox took second in the 3,200-meter run and ran on the third-place 3,200 relay in the state meet.

Aiden Giffin, Belle Fourche

Senior Aiden Griffin could pose a big threat to Boyster in the sprints and Schwenn in the long jump. He currently holds the top time in the 100 (10.7) and the best long jump (23-0), along with the third-best time in the 200 (22.6).

Lily Sidel, West Central

Sidel should spearhead the Trojans' bid to repeat in the girls division. She has the best long jump (17-5) and is a member of the West Central 400 and 800 relay teams that have the best times in the state.

Sidel ran on the winning 400-meter relay and added second-place finishes in the long jump and 800 relay at last year's state meet.

Sioux Falls Christian relay teams

The Chargers are loaded in the relays for both boys and girls and it showed at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, where they won nine races.

Christian's boys have the top times in the 400, 800, 3,200 and medley relays and the third-best time in the 1,600. The girls have the best times in the 1,600, 3,200 and medley relays and are also second in the 400 and third in the 800.

Others to watch

Middle-to-long distance runners Nick Batchelor of Milbank, a senior, and Sawyer Clarkson of Belle Fourche, a junior, are also very capable.

Custer freshman Jordyn Larsen has the top time in the girls 200 (25.72) and the second-best time behind Even (12.48) in the 100.