Class AA boys track: Roosevelt, Lincoln shooting for title
The past four years have represented a changing of the guard on the boys side at the Class AA state track and field tournament. Between 1977 and 2008, only two Sioux Falls squads earned team titles. The rest belong to West River squads, especially Rapid City Stevens, as well as a smattering of ESD upstarts.
Washington changed that in 2011, ripping off three-straight championships before Lincoln usurped the crown a year ago.
While the Patriots have the firepower for a repeat title, Roosevelt is in a position to perhaps make the championship change city hands again — and could be the front-runners this weekend in Sturgis and Rapid City.
For now, the Riders are just eager at the chance.
"I like our chances — we've got a good group," said Coach Jason Wagoner. "We've got a little more depth this year than we've had in the past, which is going to help us. But it isn't going to be easy by any means."
Coverage: Reporters Dave Nicholson and Mick Garry and photographer Jay Pickthorn are covering the state track meet. Preview story continues below #SDTrack15 tweets.
Roosevelt strengths are in sprints and relays, but Mayuen Akok gives the Rough Riders a boost in the hurdles — where he's a favorite in the 300-meter race with the state's top time this season (38.90 seconds) and will be in the mix in the 110.
Future SDSU football teammates Taryn Christion and Chase Vinatieri will battle it out in the 100-meter dash, where Christion finished third a year ago. Christion is also back to defend his long jump title, while Vinatieri is one of the favorites in the 200.
Watertown's Mason Hericks and Howard Wood Dakota Relays 100- and 200-meter champion Damian Hall of Spearfish will also challenge for the state sprint crowns.
Roosevelt also carries in the top relay times in the 400, 3,200 and sprint medley, and have the second best 1,600 relay time behind Washington. The Rough Riders also get a boost in the mid-distance events, with Jacob Goehring (800) and Jesus Urtusuastegui (1,600 and 3,200) posting some of the top qualifying marks in 2015.
"The big thing for us is that we're going to be able to run some different combinations," Wagoner said. "It's going to come down to the little things — if we do those, we're going to have a chance."
When it comes to the distance events, though, defending champion Lincoln has an edge with the versatile Nathan Schroeder and possibly history-making Will Lauer. Schroeder placed at state a year ago in the 1,600 and 3,200 with Lauer out injured.
Now healthy, Lauer and defending champion Jacob Simmons of Sturgis could be in for a dogfight in the 1,600.
The 3,200, however, is Lauer's to lose, and the Stanford track and cross country recruit has a legitimate chance to contend for the state record. Lauer's time of 9:01.60 — nearly 22 seconds better than the next fastest South Dakota mark this season — isn't far off 9:00.19 set by Brookings standout Addison DeHaven in 2013.
It's not as though a record hasn't occurred to Lauer. At Lincoln's end of year awards banquet this week, recent graduate was given a plaque to commemorate his school record in the 3,200.
"I made a joke that I might have to re-print the plaque after this weekend," said Coach Jim Jarovski. "It's a goal of Will's to break that nine-minute barrier. … Hopefully we will have to re-print that plaque."
Lincoln will also be paced by Ned Sudbeck, who Jarovski called "one of the premier middle-distance runners in South Dakota." Sudbeck carries in the top 400 mark and the third-best in the 800, and will help solidify the Pats' relays.
How the final points shake out is anybody's guess, but Jarovski is content with what he sees as underdog status for his Patriots this time around.
"I think Roosevelt is a little bit of the favorite," Jarovski said. "The underdog role will suit us. … We're going to have to have guys step up — getting even one place higher in an event is going to be big for us."
STATE TRACK MEET
The state meet runs Friday and Saturday in the Black Hills. All three classes are in Rapid City on Saturday. On Friday, Class AA is in Sturgis, 'A' in Spearfish and 'B' in Rapid City.
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