SIOUX FALLS — A motivated Potter County girls 3,200-meter relay team pulled away from the field Friday to win a championship

Seeded as the second fastest team, the Battlers won with a 10:08.63, edging defending champion Deubrook Area (10:16.74).

“We always run with purpose but this year gives us an extra amount of motivation,” Emma Schlachter, Potter County anchor said. 

At the end of the track season the Potter County co-op will disband going back to the original schools of Gettysburg and Hoven. 

Leadoff runner Dannika Kaup, a junior, started the race with the mentality of putting her team in good position. 

“My mindset for this face was to not get boxed in first of all,” Kaup said. “I always like coming from behind and never like leading the race. I got myself in a good spot and got behind two runners and at the end I caught them because I wanted to put Paige in a good position.”

By the end of her carry Kaup had all but closed any gap giving second runner Paige Ahlemeier some room to run her own race. 

Ahlemeier wove around some traffic and then tucked in behind the nearest girl.

“Once I got around the corner I just kept going,” she said. “I passed the final girls and it made me feel good and happy that I was able to give Jadyn (Ahlemeier) the lead for the third carry.” 

Ahlemeier not only kept that lead but extended it throughout her carry giving anchor Emma Schlachter plenty of maneuvering room for the final leg. 

“It was a good race and I’m proud of what we did,” Jadyn Ahlemeier said. “We knew coming in that it was going to be a tough race but we gave it everything we had. We had the right mindset today and believed in ourselves and had faith that we could do it.”
When junior anchor Emma Schlachter received the baton she had at least a 30-meter lead and didn’t relinquish an inch of that over the final two laps.  

“The whole experience felt good because it means a lot to me because this is the last season I’ll run as a Potter County Battler,” Schlachter said.

Schlachter and the Ahlemeier’s will all run for Gettysburg next season. Kaup intends to run for Hoven and talks about how much this relay title meant to her. 

“I didn’t expect this today but I’m glad we did it,” Kaup said. “It kinda means a lot because this is our last year together and my last year with them.”