SPORTS

Class A state track preview: S.F. Christian girls in hot pursuit

Mick Garry
mgarry@argusleader.com

The Sioux Falls Christian girls track team has steadily moved its way up the chain in the Class A state meet's team competition recently. To continue that trend, there is only one remaining option.

"We have a very mature group of kids," said Chargers coach Bob Garry. "The last three years they've finished sixth, third and second. I guess that doesn't leave much to the imagination about where they want to land this year."

With some remarkably quick relay teams and a core group of sprinters who get out in front and tend to stay there, the Chargers are regarded as the favorite to win the school's first state title since 1985.

The school's fastest time in the 1,600 relay (3:58.60), a team which usually includes Kara Koth, Kristin Stern, Miranda Velgersdyk and Stacy Smidt, is more than six seconds faster than any other Class A team has clocked during the season.

Jordyn Oostra and Shelby Zomermaand are 1-2 in both the 100 and 300 hurdles, Koth is top-ranked in the long jump and triple jump and Allison Brooks has the best mark in the pole vault.

All of which is undeniably going to make for some nervous moments for a lot of athletes with high expectations today in Madison and on Saturday at Howard Wood Field.

Garry and the Chargers – as they've done all season – have accepted that challenge head-on.

"We've decided to make friends with the elephant in the room," Garry said. "We're embracing the chance to do this, not duck it. This weekend we want to continue to have the kind of season we've had so far. In high school track you have people moving on and leaving but this isn't about that, it's about finishing the job. It's a great opportunity for them to seize and enjoy the moment."

Individually, Custer's Tori Glazier will be attempting to win the 800 and 1,600 again as an eighth-grader after taking both as a seventh-grader. She'll be a big favorite to win the 800, but the 1,600 will include Hailey Streff, a Madison freshman who has the fastest time (5:14.90) and also is going to be a contender in the 3,200.

The Bulldogs will have a competitor in every event other than the shot put.

"We're about as solid as we've been in a long time," Madison coach Kevin DeCurtins said. "We have realistic expectations that we can score points in a lot of those events."

The boys competition does not include quite as strong favorite, although the number of quality runners being brought east by Custer is going to make things difficult for everyone else. The Wildcats finished second two years ago and dominated last year, becoming the first school from the far west side to win the title since Hill City won the championship in 1998.

Leading the way for the defending champions is Brennan Witt, who has the opportunity to win the 800 for the fourth consecutive time. The senior, who also won the 1,600 last year, is a strong favorite to repeat in his featured event.

"Winning four times in one event is something you just don't see very often – especially on the boy's side," Custer coach Craig Black said. "Winning the 1,600 is going to be a little tougher to pull off, but he's been competing very well in that race, too."

Teammate Logan Burns has the top posted time in the 3,200 and the second-fastest time – ahead of Witt – in the 1,600, so trying to keep the Wildcats from scoring pivotal points in the distance events is going to have a lot to do with giving other schools a shot.

"I feel like Custer is the definite favorite here," said Dell Rapids coach Doug Fiedler, whose Quarriers will be counting on senior sprinter Zach Schroeder to stay with the leaders. "If things go right for them, I don't think any other school can score what they're going to score. Strange things can happen, though."

Schroeder has the top time in the 200 and the second-best time, behind Tayler Anderson of Madison, in the 100.

"The only time he's been beat is at the Howard Wood Relays this year," Fiedler said. "He's healthy and he's looking really good right now."

Anderson was the winner in the long jump last year and has the third-best effort in that event this year behind Hudson Priebe of Chamberlain and Bret Nichols of Dell Rapids.

Priebe also has the best times in the 100 and 300 hurdles and poses a series threat to win multiple events. Senior discus and shot-put athlete Tyler Lems is another. The Canton senior has the top discus effort at 171-10, three inches ahead of Madison's Tyler Currey. He also has the best mark in the shot at 53-9.50.

"I don't think we can discount any team or any athlete," Black said. "You're always going to see some athletes pop out and do some incredible things. Hopefully we do our share of popping out."

READY TO RACE

Event: The 109th running of the state high school track meet begins today, with Class AA at O'Gorman High, Class A in Madison and Class B at Howard Wood Field. All classes will conclude the meet Saturday at Howard Wood.

Tickets: $10 (adults) $6 (students)

Athletes: There will be a total of 2,422 individual competitors from 163 schools at the meet.

Inside: Read a preview of the Class B field entering the state meet and see a schedule for all classes. Page 3D

Online: Watch a replay of Sports Web Live previewing the meet with longtime track announcer Greg Merrigan and preps guru Dan Genzler at argusleader.com and get updates from every meet on Twitter searching hashtag #arguspreps.