Weather cooperates for track & field athletes

By Anne Homan

With the South Dakota spring weather being on the breezy side, the Tea Area High School track and field team had a delayed start to their season. Last Thursday, Apr. 21 the team was able to get their first meet of the season under their belt, traveling to Lennox to compete in the Rich Luther Relays.

In one of the largest meets they will compete in this year, the Titans saw great success with Ethan McKnelly claiming first place honors in the high jump and several other athletes earning second place finishes.

McKnelly cleared 5’10” to win the event. The Titans’ Matthew Rogers and Ethan Vis also competed in the event, but did not place in the top ten.

In the girls’ high jump, the Titans’ Katie Vasecka earned second place after clearing 4’10” in the event. Tea Area’s Reese Hammerquist took ninth in the event, clearing 4’6”.

Vasecka found success in the triple jump as well, capturing runner-up honors there. Vasecka jumped a distance of 32’8” in the event. Hammerquist also competed in the event, taking 17th place.

In the boys’ triple jump, Aidan Hofer earned runner-up honors after jumping a distance of 39’1” in the event. Kayl Broderson took 15th, Jaden Schmidt 19th, and Lane Kelsey 22nd.

In the girls’ 100 meter dash, Tea Area’s Sami Van Tol captures runner up honors clocking a time of 13.40 seconds in the event, just a split second behind first place finish Emma Goehring of West Central. The Titan’s Mya Neuhardt earned fifth place in the event, clocking a time of 13.65. Kennedi Johannsen competed as well taking 14th. Marina Tamargo also competed in the event.

Van Top took fifth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 29.08. Cuppy took ninth place with a time of 29.65. Johannsen took 15th and Shealey Geelan 16th.

Also earning a top three finish in Lennox was the Titan’s Ryan Del Monaco who took third place in the 400 meter dash, finishing with a time of 55.15 seconds. Nathan Babb earned fifth place in the event with a time of 56.37. Michael Halber took 26th and Colton Duffy 27th in the event.

Titans finishing in the top ten at the Lennox Invite included the boys’ 4x800 meter relay team of Holden Helen, Alex Kayser, Jack Campbell, and Jace Rausch. The team took sixth in the event with a time of 9:27.03.

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