A trip to the state track and field championships was on the line Thursday with District meets all over the state of Iowa. In Class 3A, Sheryl Maas Track hosted a district that saw the Spirit Lake Park boys automatically qualify ten events and finish second overall. The Indians collected 119 points, placing behind Bishop Heelan (141). Spencer placed fifth with 65.5 points. Individually, the Indians grabbed first-place honors with Keith Byers in both the 800-meters (1:58.48) and the 1600-meters (4:23.94), and Kevin Martinson in the 400-meter hurdles (55.44). SLP also won the 4×200 (Luke Kabele, Aric Waltz, Bryson McCabe, Martinson; 1:31.10), 4×400 (Martinson, Kabele, Waltz, Kayne Feldick; 3:27.45), and 4×800 relays (Will Norris, Kyle Anderson, Feldick, Byers). SLP will also send four to state following second-place finishes by Will Norris in the 800-meters (1:59.84) and 1600-meters (4:25.83), as well as the Medley (Waltz, McCabe, Kabele, Feldick; 3:35.84) and 4×100 relays (Austin Folsom, Kabele, Waltz, McCabe; 43.88).
On the girls side, Spirit Lake Park again garnered second-place as a team with 124 points. MOC-Floyd Valley won the team title at 146.5 points. Spencer wound up fifth (94.5). The Indians earned five automatic bids to state. Taylor Sieperda won the 200-meter dash (26.94), Kendra Stokke broke the tape in the 400-meter hurdles (68.75), and Dondi Schmidt set the pace in the 1500-meters (5:06.41). Coming in second-place was Emma Dau in the long jump (16’7”) and the 4×400 relay team (Dau, Caitlin Eckerman, Sieperda, Julie Sjuve; 4:11.28).
The Spencer track and field squads qualified six events for the state meet in Des Moines later this month as a result of Thursday night’s Class 3A District meet in Spirit Lake. The Lady Tigers finished third overall, led by Ali Meister winning the 100 hurdles (16.21) and Taylor Glover setting a new school record in the 400-meters with a second-place finish (58.35). Spencer also earned state bids in the 4×800 (Claire Eagan, Kelli Kramer, Daly Tighe, Kari Kramer; 10:04.56) and the Shuttle Hurdle (Kelli Kramer, Ashley Mahrt, Karis Rhode, Meister; 1:10.13) relays, both finishing in second. For the boys, Ryan Bauermeister took second in the 3200-meter to qualify, as did the 4×800 relay team (Jake Krei, Austin Helmink, Blake Altenhofen, Jack Randall (8:20.19). Both the Spencer girls and boys squads finished fifth in the overall team standings.
In Class 2A, Okoboji competed in the district meet at Sioux Center and finished in second place overall in the boys events. The Pioneers received 99 points, ending the night behind Unity Christian at 115 points. Okoboji had seven qualifying times and distances for the state meet, led by Zach Jones winning the 110-meter hurdles and taking second in the 400-meter hurdles. Jordan Hanna won the 1600 meters and Dalton Syverson soared to the best height in the high jump. Three Pioneer relays will also be at state, including the 4×400 (Chris Albright, Taylor Cody, Syverson, Jones), the Shuttle Hurdle (Alex Koepp, Albright, Syverson, Jones), and the Distance Medley relays (Koepp, Syverson, Mark Nielsen, Joe Hilsabeck).
The Estherville-Lincoln Central boys qualified three for state, which included Gable Bonner in the shot put (49’10.25”), Alex Blomquist in the 800-meters (2:02.61), and the 4×800 relay team (Rodrick Fuller, Blomquist, Blake Gjerde, Tyler Swanson; 8:28.30). For the girls, the Midgets will send five to state. The lone champion was the Sprint Medley relay (Sadie Winter, Sara Heywood, Casey Sievert, Emily Kirchner; 1:55), while ELC took second in the Shuttle Hurdle (Winter, Jordan Phillips, Megan Jensen, Megan Karels; 1:11) and 4×800 relays (Macy Dahl, Casey Sievert, McKenzie Woodyard, Brianna Enerson; 9:58), as well as in the 200-meter dash with Sara Heywood (27.3) and the shot put with Caitlyn Clayton (38’5.5”).
Girls Class 3A District Team Scores
1.
2.
3. Bishop Heelan – 119
4. Algona – 103
5. Spencer – 94.5
6. LeMars – 78
7.
8. Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 30
Boys Class 3A District Team Scores
1. Bishop Heelan – 141
2.
3.
4. Algona – 93
5. Spencer – 74.5
6. LeMars – 62.5
7.
8. Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 43
Girls Class 2A District Team Scores
1. Western Christian – 126
2. Sioux Central – 94.5
3. Unity Christian – 79.5
4. Estherville-Lincoln Central – 76
5. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley – 66.5
6. Sheldon – 64.5
7. Sioux Center – 51
8. Okoboji – 48
9. South O’Brien – 46
10. Cherokee – 37
11. North Union – 31
12. Emmetsburg – 20
Boys Class 2A District Team Scores
1. Unity Christian – 115
2. Sioux Central – 99
3. Alta/Aurelia – 71
4. Western Christian – 69
5. Sioux Center – 65
6. Sheldon – 60.5
7. Sioux Central – 52
8. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley – 49
9. Cherokee – 46
10. Estherville-Lincoln Central – 38
11. Emmetsburg – 29
12. North Union – 7.5
