Jonathan FernandezSioux Falls Argus Leader
The Brandon Valley track and field team mixed up their relay teams on Thursday, the first day of the South Dakota state track and field meet, spreading their talent across their teams to maximize their points.
Less than a week and a half ago, the 4x800m relay team of Mia Wentzy, Addison Scholten, Lily Rude, and Sarah VanDeBerg broke the all-time state record in the race with a time of 8:59.50. But on Thursday, the Brandon Valley coaching staff decided to switch Wentzy, one of the best middle distance runners in the country, out of the 4x800m relay race to save her for the open events.
Thursday's relay team was composed of Addison Scholten, Lily Rude, Sarah VanDeBerg and 7th grader Ellie Anders, with VanDeBerg filling Wentzy’s role as the team's anchor.
The result was a testament to the Lynx’s depth. Even without one of the more talented runners in the state, Brandon Valley easily finished in first place, running a time of 9:22.21, beating Spearfish, the next closest team, by over 10 seconds.
“We're just really, really blessed to have that many athletes. We've had those years where you don't have that advantage,” Brandon Valley track and field coach Troy Sturgeon said. “Now we actually have five or six that can step in and run that mile relay or the two-mile relay. So we’re really blessed that those kids all accept that role.”
The Lynx 4x800m team also won the event's gold medal, which is given to the team with the best time in the event, regardless of class. This is the third consecutive year the Brandon Valley 4x800m team has taken home the gold medal.
“It’s a great accomplishment for the girls to keep the tradition going, like they have and to strive to keep that going,” Brandon Valley distance coach Tony Thoreson said. “We're really proud.”
Sioux Falls Christian 4x100m sets Class A record in second consecutive year
It wasn’t necessarily the goal, but for the second consecutive year the Sioux Falls Christian 4x100m team set a new meet record. The team of Halle Braun, Katie VanderLeest, Ashlee VanDriesen, and Mya VanDonge ran a 48.99 time to finish first in the preliminary heat, break the meet record, and set a new school record.
It was another yet another record-breaking moment under Sioux Falls Christian coach Luke VanderLeest, who relished in the accomplishment.
“It's really special and not only as a coach, but also as a dad,” VanderLeest said. “My daughter was the second leg on the relay, and so that's a pretty special moment for our family as well.”
The Chargers graduated two members of last year’s record setting team, and the new 4x100m team had been close to breaking their record a couple of times, making Thursday even more remarkable.
“We hope we can run that fast again on Saturday in the finals,” Vander Leest said.
Brandon Valley's Jayaunna Stroh wins her third state title in the high jump
Stroh saved her best performance for the biggest meet of the season. She posted a season best leap of 5-06 in the high jump, has the Brandon Valley school record, and won her third consecutive state title – and she’s still only a sophom*ore.
Stroh started her high school track and field career as a seventh grader and has been a star in the high jump ever since, even placing third in her first year on the team.
“(Our jump coach) just really noticed that she was going to have that kind of ability to be able to do that,” Sturgeon said. “She picked up on it really really quickly.”
Sioux Falls Christian girls 4x800 team win state title
A week ago, the Chargers 4x800 team ran the third fastest time in state history. Their team looked a bit different on Thursday though.
VanderLeest inserted sophom*ores and eighth graders onto the team, still confident they could compete for the state title.
The newly formed team of Ellie Maddox, Jerica Glasser, Sadie Pettengill, and Natalie Smith finished the race with a 9:34.00 time, beating Lennox by more than 10 seconds.
"They were great. You know, it's a big crowd and a big atmosphere," VanderLeest said. "Having Howard Wood here a few weeks ago, they all had a chance to run there also so yeah, they handled the pressure really well."
The Lynx beat O’Gorman with late-race surge to win girls sprint medley and set a new meet record
Brandon Valley trailed O’Gorman with two of the best runners in the state – Mia Wentzy and Libby Castelli – each set to anchor their teams, setting up a thrilling finish.
Castelli held the Knights lead over Wentzy and the Lynx through the first lap and a half. As the two competitors turned the final corner, Wentzy made her move. The University of Arizona commit accelerated, nipping at Castello's heels as the O'Gorman junior tried her hardest to hold onto the lead.
Both teams shattered the previous meet record, but Wentzy and the Lynx pulled away in the final moments to win the race and set the new meet record of 4:02.68.
Brandon Valley set the all-time state record in the girls sprint medley at the Last Chance meet last week, but after making changes to half the team, the Lynx were still able to put together the second quickest time in state history Thursday.
More notes and milestones:
- Harrisburg senior Beau Karst broke his own all-time state record in the boys pole vault with a height of 16’4”.
- Lincoln senior Jack Smith won the javelin throw with a 176-03 hurl. Smith set the all-time state record earlier in the year with a 193-foot throw.
Jonathan Fernandez covers high school and college sports for the Argus Leader. Contact him atjfernandez1@argusleader.com. Follow him on Twitter at@JFERN31
