By Rich Winter 

605 Sports

IPSWICH — Don’t be fooled by the mild mannered and good looks, Ipswich senior Trevor Heinz is as tough as they come. 

In Ipswich’s basketball game against Potter County late in the season, Heinz went up to contest a layup and had his legs taken out falling on his wrist.

“He broke his wrist on that play but kept on playing through three quarters and ended up scoring 23 points,” Ipswich track and field coach Todd Thorson said. “That’s a true testament to the kind of competitor and teammate he is.” 

 Heinz was heartbroken by not being able to finish the season and wondered how the injury would affect his track and field season. A key cog on the 2023 Ipswich track and field team that tied Gregory for the 2023 Class B state title, Heinz had experience with injuries. 

Prior to the start of his sophomore year Heinz suffered an avulsion factor to his hip and just before the start of basketball season he broke his left foot. Heinz, one of the best long jumpers in South Dakota, changed from long jumping off his dominant left leg to his right that season.

“In the spring of my sophomore year we had a very fast 400-meter relay team,” Heinz said. “I was dealing with another avulsion fracture to my other hip. At the state meet we were icing it and it felt pretty good going into the prelims.”

Ipswich finished 10 in the prelims of that 400-meter relay in 2022, failing to advance to the finals. All of the injuries only made the Dakota State basketball and track recruit appreciate every opportunity to compete. 

“I feel like I’m someone that plays with a lot of heart,” he said. “Competition isn’t a guarantee, it’s a privilege.”

In his first few track meets of the season Heinz long jumped with a cast. He finished third in the long jump (21-10) at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays and anchored the 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay to Class B titles.

A few days later he extended his own school record in the long jump (22-6.5). 

“That was our conference meet and it was a pretty cold day,” Heinz said. “I feel like I’m a lot stronger than I was a year ago.” 

At the state meet Heinz will long jump, run on two relays and in the 100-meter dash. 

Ipswich back in the hunt for a Class B track title

An injury-free Heinz made a splash at the Class B state track meet winning the long jump 21-11.75, and running on three top-three relays that helped his team tie with Gregory for the Class B team title.

The Tigers got off to a slow start this season with weather canceling all but two of their meets in April. 

“We lost a lot of really good seniors from that team,” Thorson said. “I felt like our younger guys really stepped up in the weight room during the offseason.” 

Despite those losses Ipswich is among the contenders for the Class B team title.

“We’ve had a lot of younger kids that have really stepped up and everyone has completely bought into what we’re doing,” Heinz said. 

In fact the quartet of Kyle Hettich, Brody Davis, Casey Geditz and Heinz now have school records in the 400-meter relay (:44.11) and 800-meter relay (1:31.40). Those two relays are the fastest Class B times entering the state meet. 

As athletes taper down for the state meet this week Ipswich worked on their relay handoffs over the weekend, tightening up their already good handoffs. Heinz feels like the team is ready to give their best efforts of the season. 

“State is our biggest day of the year,” he said. “We’ve just focused on keeping that pop and tempo to our routine.”