2014 South Dakota State Meet Special Features are written by South Dakota MileSplit Special Guest, Rich Winter.
You can follow Rich Winter's blog at http://panicbutton.sportsblog.com/.
Photo via Kernit Grimshaw (kernit.zenfolio.com)
How Much Damage Will Ipswich's Macy Heinz do at the State Meet?
By Rich Winter
If you take a look back at the 2013, South Dakota state class B track meet, Ipswich dominated, scoring 116 points to easily outdistance second place Parker who tallied 37.5 points.
With Maci Heinz back to lead the attack you have to think Ipswich will roll to another title.
Heinz is an uncommon combination of speed and distance strength. She has the top ranked Class B time in the 100 (12.1), 200 (25.8), 400 (57.9), 800 (2:16) and 1600 (5:13)
If you start looking at the girls relays in Class B, it's all about Ipswich again.
The Tigers have the fastest time in the 400 relay, 1600 relay, 3200 relay and medley relay. Parker has the fasted time in the 800 relay, but Ipswich is right behind in second place.
It's clear that even without Heniz on a bunch of those relays that the Tigers are still going to score a ton of points, even in the events that Heinz chooses not to run.
Heinz might even have a little something to show her fellow class b competitors as she finished third in last fall's state cross country race.
Clearly she has the top speed of any distance runner in the field and I'm guessing she will dominate the 400, 800 and 1600 meter events and then pick one relay to dominate (Editor's Note: Heinz has been entered in the 100 Meter Dash where she holds Class B's fastest time).
Heinz is a terrific talent and reminds me a bit of former Gayville-Volin and University of South Dakota star, Emma Erickson.
While some of the bigger schools will likely field better 400 and 1600 runners, Heinz has a shot of running the fastest 800 meters of all classes.
Stay tuned, Heinz is likely to take four gold's from the state track meet and her Ipswich team is likely to roll to another Class B championship.