By Rich Winter 

605 Sports

SIOUX FALLS — For the past three years there has been no question the Colman-Egan girls were the best Class B girls track team. The Hawks lost two top-tier athletes in Josie Mousel and Reese Luze, and with a slower than normal start from sprinter Daniela Lee, Colman-Egan is not the heavy favorite as the state track meet begins in Sioux Falls Thursday.

Some late season improvement from Lee and multiple middle-distance athletes make the Hawks a different team than they were a month ago. Lee found another gear late in the year and enters the state meet with second-best times in the 100-meter dash (:12.45) and 200-meter dash (:25.55). The 400-meter relay (:51.5) trails only Herreid/Selby Area (:51.47) and the 800-meter relay (1:48.75) trails only Burke (1:47.95). The Hawks have improved in the longer relays as athletes like Jolie Flatten and Brynlee Landis have improved. Javelin thrower Anna Zwart has Class B’s second-longest throw (113-9).

Must see athletes and events:

• Menno’s Ashton Massey - Massey has Class B’s second fastest time in the 100-meter hurdles (:15.15) trailing only Burke’s Piper Hanson (:15.04). Massey has Class B’s best 300-meter hurdle time (:45.05) and has the best triple jump in the field (37-00). 

• Arlington’s Chloe Raw: The Cardinal junior has gone from being a very good Class B sprinter to the fastest female sprinter in South Dakota this season. Regardless of class, Raw has the fastest 100-meter dash (:12.03) and the fastest 200-meter dash (:24.86). 

• Best rivalry Ella Boekelheide, Northwestern vs. Emery Larson, Chester: These two sophomores have elevated distance running at the Class B level to new heights. Boekelheide will be running the 400-meter dash, 800-meter run, 1,600-meter run and 3,200 meter run. Larson will be running the 800-meter run, 1,600-meter run and 3,200 meter run. Boekelheide has the fastest 800-meter run time in the field (2:15.07), Larson the best time in the 3,200-meter run (10:50.28). One of the most interesting Class B races will be the 1,600-meter run where Larson (5:05.43) has the slight lead over Boekelheide (5:05.78).  

• Best relay matchup, girls 3,200-meter relay: Deubrook Area looked rock solid at Howard Wood winning with a time of (9:54.27). Entering the state meet four teams have run under 10-minutes with Lemmon (9:53.62), Potter County (9:53.68) and James Valley Christian (9:57.27) joining Deubrook Area in what should be a very competitive race. 

• Best field event to watch, girls long jump: Four girls enter the meet having jumped over 17-feet. Defending champion Courtney Sees of Avon leads the field with a jump of 17-5. Aberdeen Chrstian’s Shawnteah LaCroix (17-4), Wall’s Nora Dinger (17-2.5) and Centeville’s Emma Marshall 17-1, along with Arlington speedster Chloe Raw (16-9.75) could all challenge for the state title.

Gregory and Ipswich expect to challenge for Class B team title

The Class B boys team race came down to the wire in 2023 with Gregory and Ipswich tying for the team title. The Gorillas and Tigers each scored 54 points with Deubrook Area right behind with 41 points.

The Gregory boys aren’t quite the threat in the sprints as they were a year ago but they still have the second fastest 400-meter relay (:44.80), the fifth fastest 800-meter relay (1:33.72) and the third best sprint medley relay (3:44.65). One of the keys to Gregory’s success this weekend is Finn Adams who has the fifth fastest 800-meter run (2:01.99) and the anchor of that sprint medley relay. If Gregory wins the title they will have to do well in the field events. Daniel Mitchell has Class B’s best high jump (6-7) with teammate Colt Keiser (6-3) tied for fourth place. No Class B team took better advantage of the newest event, the javelin, than the Gregory Gorillas. Rylan Peck has Class B’s second best throw (167-00), Rane Kenzy the fourth best throw (153-3) and Trey Murray the seventh best throw of (149-1). 

Ipswich counters with senior Trevor Heinz who has the best long jump in the field (22-6.50). Heinz anchors Class B’s fastest 400-meter relay (:44.11) and 800-meter relay (1:31.30). The Tigers have the best pole vaulter in the field with Rasmus Loken (13-0). Brody Davis has cleared (11-6) tied for fourth in the field. Points in the 100-meter dash from Heinz or Kyle Hettich, and in the 200-meter dash from Hettich and Maxwell Kulesa or Logan Rasmus in the hurdling events would be extremely beneficial to  the Tigers state title hopes. 

Philip and Deubrook Area will also be in the mix for the team title.

Must see athletes and events: 

• Lucas Flemmer and Jovi Wolf in the 200 and 400-meter dash: Both extremely accomplished athletes with state meet experience. Flemmer has the fastest 200-meter dash (:22.30) with Wolf right behind (:22.37). In the 400-meter dash Flemmer has the top time (:50.50) with Wolf, the defending Class B champion, slightly behind at (:50.68)

• Mitchell Christian freshman Silas Holdeman: Holdeman has Class B’s second fastest 800-meter run 2:00.80, fastest 1,600-meter run (4:29.65) and second fastest 3,200-meter run (10:02.66). Freeman Academy/Marion’s Finley McConniel has the fastest 3,200-meter time (10:01.48) and could challenge in both the 1,600-meter run and 3,200-meter run. 

• Luke Campbell, Viborg-Hurley hurdles: Campbell has Class B’s top times in the 100-meter hurdles (15:00) and 300-meter hurdles (:39.82)

• Class B throws: Region 7B produced some monster throwers this year and any chance to catch the shot put or discus will be worth it. White River’s Ethan Watson leads the shot put (60-6.5) with Kadoka Area’s Lincoln Koehn right behind (57-3.75). Koehn has the best discus throw in the state (184-2) while Philip’s Evan Kroetch has thrown (167-7) and Watson (154.6). 

• Best relay to watch, Sprint Medley: Deubrook Area has the top time (3:41.46) but Northwestern (3:42) Gregory (3:44.65), Wall (3:45.26), Philip (3:45.45), Menno (3:46.6) and defending champion Wolsey-Wessington (3:46.79) could all contend for this relay title.