Thursday’s Early Bird track and field meet in Algona proved to be a successful one for the Okoboji boys’ team, as the Pioneers collected eleven first place finishes. Zach Jones was a two-time individual champion, crossing the finish line first in the 110-meter hurdles (14.84) and the 400-meter hurdles (56.64). Taylor Cody took gold in the 400-meter dash in 53.47 seconds. In the field events, Alex Koepp was tops in the long jump at 20’1/2″, Dalton Syverson dominated the high jump at six feet, and Jacob Sauter launched the discuss 125’3″ to grab top honors. Okoboji also broke the tape in five relay events. The 4×200 team (Koepp, Gabe Goehring, Chris Albright, Jacob Hand) won in 1:37.11. The 4×400 (Mark Nielsen, Taylor Cody, Albright, Jones) ran a top time of 3:32.79. In the 4×800, the Pioneers (Joe Hilsabeck, Cody, Nielsen, Jordan Hanna) logged a finishing time of 8:28.40. Also in first were the Medley Relay (Goehring, Nielsen, Syverson, Hilsabeck) at 3:50.23, and the Shuttle Hurdle (Koeep, Albright, Syverson, Jones) in 1:01.03. Okoboji also claimed six seconds and three thirds.
Click here for comments from Okoboji boys coach Brad Peter.
On the girls side of the competition, Okoboji tallied four second place finishes, along with four thirds. Hanna Grovener was runner-up in the 100-meter dash (13.83), while Olivia Albright grabbed second in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:13.13. In the relays, the Pioneers 4×200 ran a time of 1:53.93 to take second, and the 4×400 relay team crossed the finish line second in 4:25.69.
