By Rich Winter

605 Sports

Outdoor spring track meets in March are hard to come by but Thursday’s Comet Classic at Rapid City Christian went off without a hitch. 

Girls performances: Custer’s Josey Wahlstrom had a big meet finishing 2nd in the 200 meters (:25.97), winning the 400 meters (1:01.76), winning the pole-vault (9-6) and running a leg on the Wildcats second-place 4x200 relay. Custer also saw wins in the 1,600-meter run (Ramsey Karim, Custer, 5:26.97), 4x400 relay, shot put (Torri Virtue, 34-1.25) and discus (Alice Sedlacek, 116-5). 

The Custer boys also had a solid first track meet picking up titles in the 200 meters (Blake Boyster, :22.7), 400 meters (Boyster, :51.28), 110 hurdles (Mikael Grace, 16:01), 300 hurdles (Grace, :43.98), Medley relay (4:05), shot put (Justin Doyle, 47-3.5), High jump (Grace 6-00).

Several notable performances on the boys side: 

• Belle Fourche junior Sawyer Clarkson, the 2021 Class A state cross country champion, opened his season running the 1,600 meters in 4:28.67. That time is a personal best and a Belle Fouche school record. Clarkson finished fourth in the Class A 1,600 meters last May with a time of 4:29.72.

• Bison’s Lane Krautschun, the 2021 Class B state cross-country champion, opened his season running the 3,200 meters in 10:17.3. The Bison sophomore finished 4th in the Class B 3200 meters last May with a time of 10:20.85

No team points were kept at this event. 

Girls Results:

100 meters: 1. Dru Keegan, Belle Fourche, 13.74; 2. Kailey Nowowiejski, Belle Fourche, 13.78; 3. Meredith Ramaker, Hot Springs, 13.89; 4. Jocelyn Dirksen, Lead-Deadwood, 13.91; 5. Jacie Devries, Hill City, 14.02; 6. Cheyanne Burke, Hill City, 14.07; 7. Jayna Prince, Lead-Deadwood, 14.10; 8. Emma Malloy, Lead-Deadwood, 14.24

200 meters: 1. Jordyn Larsen, Custer, 25.72; 2. Josey Wahlstrom, Custer, 25.97; 3. Alaina Dean, Hill City, 26.70; 4. Riley Wiese, Hill City, 26.99; 5. Madelyn Host, Jones County, 27.97; 6. Sara Dubois, Hill City, 28.82; 7. Joslyn Koolman, Lead-Deadwood, 28.92; 7. Emma Malloy, Rapid City Christian, 28.92

400 meters: 1. Josey Wahlstrom, Custer, 1:01.76; 2. Paige Kjerstad, Wall, 1:03.62; 3. Jordyn Larsen, Custer, 1:03.99; 4. Rachel Miklos, Custer, 1:06.61; 5. Maggie Preuss, Hot Springs, 1:06.87; 6. Sara Dubois, Hill City, 1:07.18; 7. Taylor McDonnell, Wall, 1:07.28; 8. Reese Larson, Belle Fourche, 1:07.80

800 meters: 1. Abby Cutler, Hill City, 2:31.38; 2. Lillie Ross, Hill City, 2:37.62; 3. Natalie Hanka, Hill City, 2:45.41; 4. Clarissa Heisinger, Lead-Deadwood, 2:46.11; 5. Jolie Dugan, Jones County, 2:49.40; 6. Shaine Weishaar, Belle Fourche, 2:51.02; 7. Abbigail Wagner, St. Thomas More, 2:51.03; 8. Lily Nore, Belle Fourche, 2:52.74

1,600 meters: 1. Ramsey Karim, Custer, 5:26.97; 2. Abby Cutler, Hill City, 5:34.10; 3. Eva Studt, Custer, 5:47.03; 4. Hallie Person, Lead-Deadwood, 5:48.78; 5. Brit Wheeler, Custer, 5:53.93; 6. Lillie Ross, Hill City, 5:58.61; 7. Natalie Hanka, Hill City, 6:12.44; 8. Ava Allen, Belle Fourche, 6:14.52

3,200 meters: 1. Hallie Person, Lead-Deadwood, 12:14.69; 2. Kyra Utecht, Hot Springs, 14:34.51; 3. Esther Burkhalter, Bison, 15:46.96; 4. Ruth Moschell, Wall, 16:03.45

100 meter hurdles: 1. Jaylen Nachtigall, Hot Springs, 17.11; 2. Emma Hunt, Jones County, 18.31; 3. Kiera Allen, Hot Springs, 18.32; 4. Riley Wiese, Hill City, 18.68; 5. Alyssa Koffler, Hot Springs, 19.22; 6. Jozi Schuchard, Bison, 19.42; 7. Paige Fitzler, Custer, 20.11; 8. Allison Keehn, Lead-Deadwood, 20.73: 

300 meter hurdles: 1. Abby Siemonsma, Hill City, 49.94; 2. Anna Dean, Hill City, 50.23; 3. Jaylen Nachtigall, Hot Springs, 52.55; 4. Emma Hunt, Jones County, 52.93; 5. Kiera Allen, Hot Springs, 53.26; 6. Paige Fitzler, Custer, 53.89; 7. Sylvie Mortimer, St. Thomas More, 54.40; 8. Carlie DeBoer, Hot Springs, 54.68

4x100 relay: 1. Hot Springs, 54.06 (Meredith Ramaker, Kiera Allen, Maggie Preuss, Destiny Webb); 2. Wall, 54.62; 3. Jones County, 55.34; 4. Lead-Deadwood, 56.92; 5. Kadoka Area, 1:00.44; 6. Custer, 1:01.25; 

4x200 relay: 1. Hill City, 1:50.74 (Riley Wiese, Sara Dubois, Abby Siemonsma, Alaina Dean); 2. Custer, 1:52.95; 3. Hot Springs, 1:55.13; 4. Wall, 1:55.82; 5. Jones County, 1:57.38; 6. Belle Fourche, 2:01.55

4x400 relay: 1. Custer, 4:25.64 (Ramsey Karim, Eva Studt, Brit Wheeler, Kadense Dooley); 2. Hot Springs, 4:38.74; 3. Jones County, 4:41.55; 4. Wall, 4:49.39; 5. Belle Fourche, 4:52.33; 6. St. Thomas More, 4:57.18; 7. Bison, 5:22.04

4x800 relay: 1. Belle Fouche, 11:32.80 (Shaine Weishaar, Lily Nore, Anika Main, Sara Juelfs); 2. Hot Springs, 11:46.73; 3. Custer, 13:02.11

Sprint Medley relay: 1. Lead-Deadwood, 4:42.32 (Jocelyn Kirksen, Jayan Prince, Joslyn Kooima, Hallie Person); 2. Belle Fourche, 4:43.84, 3. Wall, 5:07.23; 4. Hot Springs, 5:08.71; 5. Jones County, 5:13.74

Shot put: 1. Torri Virtue, Custer, 34-1.25, 2. April Schulz, Wall, 33-3.75; 3. Taylor Thompson, Bison, 32-8; 4. Kayla Dilka, Rapid City Christian, 30-10.25; 5. Lanie Blair, Kadoka, 30-9.5; 6. Alice Sedlacek, Custer, 30-8.75; 7. Javonte Madson, Hot Springs, 30-3; 8. Caddicy Mooday, Hill City, 30-00

Discus: 1. Alice Sedlacek, Custer, 116-5, 2. Lanie Blair, Kadoka, 109-10; 3. Torri Virtue, Custer, 103-10; 4. Kayla Dilka, Rapid City Christian, 98-11; 5. Kylie Dilka, Rapid City Christian, 97-10; 6. Whitney Edwards, Hill City, 87-5; 7. Shelby Moke, Belle Fourche, 84-7; 8. Kadence Kusser, Wall, 84-6

High Jump: 1. Mallory Valburg, Jones County, 5-00, 2. Carlie DeBoer, Hot Springs, 5-00; 3. Kylee Alexander, Hill City, 5-00; 4. Rebecca Shuck, Kadoka, 4-10; 5. Alyssa Koffler, Hot Springs, 4-08; 6. Kiera Allen, Hot Springs, 4-06; 7. Kaitlyn Martin, Lead-Deadwood, 4-04, 8. Madisyn Nemecek, Kadoka, 4-04

Pole Vault: 1. Josey Wahlstrom, Custer, 9-06; 2. Ciana Stiefel, Custe, 9-00; 3. Carlie Schlosser, St. Thomas More, 8-00; 4. Jayna Prince, Lead-Deadwood, 7-06; 4. Clarissa Heisinger, Lead-Deadwood, 7-06, 6. Piper Rogers, Lead-Deadwood, 7-00; 7. Sloan Young, Belle Fourche, 6-06; 7. Hailey Rodriguez, Belle Fourche, 6-06

Long Jump: 1. Matyaya Ward, Belle Fourche, 16-0.50; 2. Alaina Dean, 15-9.25; 3. Maya Tennyson, Custer, 14-9.75; 4. Ava Dinger, Wall, 14-9.25; 5. Meredith Ramaker, Hot Springs, 14-6.25; 6. Jacie Devries, Hill City, 14-3.25; 7. Riley Wiese, Hill City, 14-3.5; 8. Dylan Stedillie, Belle Fourche, 13-9.25

Triple Jump: 1. Mataya Ward, Belle Fouche, 34-3.75; 2. Carlie DeBoer, Hot Springs, 31-2.5; 3. Ava Dinger, Wall, 30-3.25; 4. Bailey Cass, Custer 30-1.5; 5. Dylan Stedillie, Belle Fourche, 30-0.75; 6. Katelyn Lee, Belle Fourche, 29-10; 7. Reeve Schuchard, Bison, 29-7.75; 8. Jacie Baxendle, Belle Fouche, 28-6

Boys Results: 

100 meters: (No times or places reported)

200 meters: 1. Blake Boyster, Custer; 22.7; 2. Willie Walther, Hill City, 24.4; 3. Ryan Porch, Rapid City Christian, 24.65; 4. Gabe Heck, Belle Fourche, 24.99; 5. Livermont, James, 25.03; 6. Kellen Weber, St. Thomas More, 25.3; 6. Aidan Mason, St. Thomas More, 25.31; 8. Chastin Tollakson, Jones County, 25.36

400 meters: 1. Blake Boyster, Custer, 51.28; James Pierce, Lead-Deadwood, 52.68; 3. Willie Walther, Hill City, 52.72; 4. Caleb Rickenbach, Hot Springs, 55.70; 5. Ryan Porch, Rapid City Christian, 56.18; 6. Phillip Sneesby, Lead-Deadwood, 58.04; 7. Carl Massa, Hot Springs, 58.95; 8. Luke Haertel, 59.46; 

Defending Class A 400 meter state champion Blake Boyster opened his season with wins in the 200 and 400 meters - Photo Courtesy of South Dakota Public Broadcasting

800 meters: 1. James Pierce, Lead-Deadwood, 2:11.80; 2. Ezra Wildeman, Rapid City Christian, 2:15.21; 3. Devin Buehler, Hill City, 2:16.68; 4. Brandon Escalante, Hill City, 2:17.3; 5. Nic Lambert, Belle Fourche, 2:17.27; 6. Luke Rupert, Hill City, 2:18.67; 7. Leighton Aves, Hill City, 2:19.33; 8. Brandon Ramirez, Hill City, 2:20.32

1,600 Meters: 1. Sawyer Clarkson, Belle Fourche, 4:28.67; 2. Miles Elman, Custer, 4:47.15; 3. Gage Grohs, Custer, 4:50.7; 4. Luke Rupert, Hill City, 4:58.13; 5. Preston Drew, Custer, 5:04;88; 6. Drew Lehman, Custer, 5:07.11; 7. Leighton Aves, Hill City, 5:09.12; 8. Ezra Wildeman, Rapid City Christian, 5:11.54

3,200 meters: 1. Lane Krautschun, Bison, 10:17; 2. Aiden Voyles, Belle Fourche, 11:36; 3. Hudson Taylor, Kadoka, 12:26; 4. William Burkhalter, Bison, 12:35; 5. James Ohrmund, Hot Springs, 12:39; 6. Tobyn Teigen, Wall, 13:55

Bison's Lane Krautschun opened his track season with a 10:17, 3,200 meters

110 meter hurdles: 1. Mikael Grace, Custer; 16:01; 2. Warren Russel, Hot Springs, 17.1; 3. Jarett Schuchard, Bison, 17.34; 4. Mical Grace, Custer, 18.24; 5. Grayson Rahn, Hill City, 18.24; 6. Lev Sharp, Wall, 19.12; 7. Blair Blasius, Wall, 19.41; 8. Kayden Hansen, Hot Springs, 20:02

300 meter hurdles: 1. Mikael Grace, Custer, 43.98; 2. Grayson Rahn, Hill City, 46.26; 3. Levi Sharp, Wall, 46.39; 4. Warren Russel, Hot Springs, 46.54; 5. Cedar Amiotte, Wall, 47.44; 6. Mical Grace, Custer, 49.25; 7. Dylan Well, Hot Springs, 49.86; 8. Jarrett Schuchard, Bison, 49.95

4x100 relay: 1. Wall, 47.03 (James Livermont, Malcolm Heathershaw, Rylan McDonnell, Cedar Amiotte); 2. Belle Fourche, 47.31; 3. Hot Springs, 48.29; 4. Lead-Deadwood, 48.82; 5. Custer, 49.04; 6. Kadoka, 51.01; 7. Jones County, 53.37

4x200 relay: 1. Wall, 1:36.01 (Brodi Sundall, Reid Hanson, Rylan McDonnell, Cedar Amiotte); 2. Hot Springs, 1:39.35; 3. Belle Fourche, 1:40.35; 4. Lead-Deadwood, 1:45.6; 5. Hill City, 1:46.45; 6. Kadoka, 1:52.83; 7. Jones County, 1:54.67; 8. Custer, 2:01.36

4x400 relay: 1. Lead-Deadwood, 3:46.17 (Greyson Baumberger, Philip Sneesby, David Morris, Landon Williams); 2. Custer, 3:46.95; 3. Hot Springs, 3:51.79; 4. Belle Fourche, 3:54.85; 5. Jones County, 4:05.31; 6. Wall, 4:09.07; 7. Bison, 4:24.41

4x800 relay: 1. Hill City, 9:04.53 (Devin Buehler, Brandon Escalante, Eli Isakson, Brandon Ramirez), 2. Custer, 9:22.96; 3. Hot springs, 9:23.92; 4. Wall, 9:32.19

Sprint Medley relay: 1. Custer, 4:05.91; 2. Belle Fourche, 4:06.99; 3. Wall, 4:10.71; 4. Hot Springs, 4:28.44

Shot put: 1. Justin Doyle, Custer, 47-3.5; 2. Kurt Gringman, Rapid City Christian, 40-10.75; 3. Reece Ohrtman, Kadoka, 37-5; 4. Tanner Davis, Hill City, 36-9.75; 5. Matt Merrill, Custer, 35-4.25; 6. Dylan Webb, Hot Springs, 34-11.5; 7. Reid Saufley, Custer, 34-8.5; 8. Logan Hilt, St. Thomas More, 32-7.75

Discus: 1. Reece Ohrtman, Kadoka, 127-4; 2. Justin Doyle, Custer, 119-00; 3. Tanner Davis, Hill City, 113-4; 4. Reid Saufley, Custer, 109-4; 5. Matt Merrill, Custer, 108-2; 6. Kurt Dringman, Rapid City Christian, 100-9; 7. Dylan Well, Hot Springs, 99-08; 8. Cody Groven, Hill City, 97-02

High jump: 1. Mikael Grace, Custer, 6-00; 2. Adam Stimes, Rapid City Christian, 5-06; 3. Dawson Reckling, Kadoka, 5-06; 4. Devin Buehler, Hill City, 5-04; 5. Reid Hanson, Wall, 5-04; 6. Harvey Walding, Belle Fourche, 5-02; 7. Carter Erikson, Jones County, 5-00

Pole Vault: 1. Chase Maher, Rapid City Christian, 13-00; 2. Robbie Emery, Custer, 12-00; 3. Winston Prill, St. Thomas More, 11-06; 4. Lane Longbrake, Belle Fourche, 10-00; 5. Luke Ponto, 9-06; 6. Harley Rivera, Belle Fourche, 8-06; 7. Jordan Sandoval, Belle Fourche, 8-06; 8. Isaac Foster, Lead-Deadwood, 8-00

Long jump: 1. David Morris, 20-7.5; 2. Tom Solano, St. Thomas More, 19-1.5; 3. Nolan Wahlfedt, Belle Fouche, 19-0.25; 4. Ethan Jensen, Belle Fourche, 18-11; 5. Chastin Tollakson, Jones County, 18-8.5; 6. Reid Hanson, Wall, 18-7; 7. Malcolm Heathershaw, Wall, 18-1.5; 8. Carter Erikson, Jones County, 17-10.5

Triple Jump: 1. Reid Hanson, Wall, 41-2.25; 2. Rylan McDonnell, Wall, 41-2; 3. Nolan Wahlfeldt, Belle Fourche, 40-6.75; 4. Ethan Jensen, Belle Fourche, 40-4; 5. James Pierce, Lead-Deadwood, 39-10.75; 6. Anthony Staley, Belle Fouche, 38-2; 7. Kincade Lehman, Custer, 37-2.5; 8. Chastin Tollakson, Jones County, 36-3.75