By 605 Sports Staff

SIOUX FALLS — The Chester girls got off to a fantastic start Friday when sophomore Emery Larson won the 3,200-meter run (10:53.66). 

On Friday afternoon Larson finished second in the 800-meter run (2:19.42). Teammate Emmerson Eppard finished fourth in the 800-meter run (2:24.75). The combined 23 points from the Flyer athletes propelled Chester into the team lead after Day 2 of the state track and field meet.

Chester has 33 points, ahead of Burke (26) and Ipswich (26). Deubrook Area (24) and James Valley Christian (17) round out the top-five girls teams. 

Ipswich picked up 18 big points Friday when Jalyssa Hutson (10-8) and Marley Guthmiller (10-8) finished first and second in the pole vault. 

Burke’s title hopes were aided by state championships from two athletes. Eighth-grader Emily Diekmann won the Class B high jump (5-2) on FrIday morning. In the afternoon session, Paige Bull repeated as Class B discus champ with a heave of 145-2, that missed the meet record by a mere three inches. Burke’s 800-meter relay broke a school record and had the top qualifying time (1:46.48).

The Philip boys used a second-place finish from Evan Kroetch in the discus (160-9), a fifth-place finish from Layton Terkildsen in the high jump (6-0) and a seventh-place finish from Tukker Boe in the 800-meter run (2:07.24) to score points. Senior Wakely Burns broke the school record in the 3200-meter run (10:02.65, fourth place) and Baylor Burns finished seventh in the 3,200-meter run (10:15.94) to take the lead in the Class B team competition. 

The Philip boys have 31.5 points, ahead of Freeman Academy/Marion (28) and Gregory (28). Northwestern (22) and Deubrook Area (21.5) round out the top-five teams.