Track team places third at BHC

The Hill City High School Track and Field team had a notable performance at the Black Hills Conference (BHC) meet in Custer last Tuesday, with 33 all-conference performances, nine championships, 61 new personal records (PR) and several broken school records. 

The team didn’t go into the BHC meet with expectations of placing. They went with preparation in mind. 

“Our conference meet was, what do we need to run at conference to be prepared for state? That’s how I approach it,” said head coach Joe Noyes. 

“The only teams to beat us were Sturgis and Spearfish,” said Noyes. “It’s just a numbers game. It’s tough when you’re going against those AA schools.”

For example, “Brensen  (Veneklasen) won the 300  hurdles, but then Sturgis had three guys place in the top eight,” said Noyes. 

Highlights from the meet include championships in the 400, 800 and 3200 relays. The 400 team of Caleb Sobolik, Mason Wiese, Ayden Kurtz and Nick Schroeder reset the school record with a time of 43.48, while Sobolik, Wiese, Dax Frandsen and Schroeder ran a 1:31.01 in the 800.

“They won, and they’ve got the second-fastest time now in class A. It was a good step in the right direction,” said Noyes. 

The 3200 relay team of Brodi Moriarty, James DuBois, Aiden Williams and Frandsen also placed first with a time of 8:25.48.

Veneklasen took home two championships of his own in the hurdles with his personal best time of 15.67 in the 110 hurdles and a time of 41.86 in the 300  hurdles. 

With a time of 4:30.17, Tate Grabow took home the gold medal in the boys 1600 while also placing third in the 400 with his personal best time of 52.31. 

The Rangers had three top placers in the 100, all with personal best times starting with Schroeder in third (11.09), Wiese in sixth (11.36) and Sobolik in seventh (11.37). Wiese also placed fifth with another PR in the 200 with a time of 23.15.

J.T. Isakson placed fifth in the 800 with a time of 2:16.16.

In the field events, Sobolik threw a PR of 127-30, placing eighth in javelin, while Schroeder placed fourth in the long jump with a mark of 19-10. 

Highlights from the girls events include Alaina Dean breaking two school records and placing third in both the 200 (25.85) and in the long jump with a mark of 17-07. Dean also took home first place in the triple jump with a mark of 35-9. 

Andee Frandsen brought home the gold in the 300 hurdles (47.39) and placed second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.92. A. Frandsen also led off the champion 400 relay team along with Eden Wildeman, Macie Ham and anchor Dean with a time of 50.54, resetting the school record.

The 800 really team of Joy Anderson, Ham,  Wildeman and Addysen Kurtz placed fourth with a time of 1:50.94, while the 1600 team also placed fourth (4:22.35) ran by A. Frandsen, Wildeman, Anderson and Daril Frandsen.

Lillie Ham placed placed eighth in the 400 with a new PR of 1:03.81. In the distance running, Dar. Frandsen placed seventh in the 800 with her season best time of 2:32.12, while Jaelyn Peters placed eighth in the 1600 meter with a time of 6:06.

In other field events, Jaeden Richer placed fourth in the discus throw with a mark of 100-1. Demi Schrier placed fourth in javelin with a throw of 99-1, followed by M. Ham in eighth with a mark of 93-6. L. Ham placed third in high jump with a mark of 5-3 followed by Ashley Ronning in seventh (4-11).

Anderson placed eighth in the long jump with a new PR of 16-0 1/2

“There were a lot of good things that happened. We were really encouraged,” said Noyes. “It’s crazy. We’re down to the last nine days until state starts, but we keep getting fresher. I think we’re going to have a really good state meet.”

Tuesday the team competed at the South Dakota School of Mines for the West River Last Chance Track and Field meet. 

“Kids will typically just do like one event at this last chance meet to kind of improve on their seed time,” said Noyes. “We don’t want to overdo the last chance meet and end up overly fatigued for the state meet.”

The Rangers expect to take around 30 athletes to compete at the state meet in Sioux Falls May 28-30. 

“I’m just excited to have an opportunity to do something special with these kids,” said Noyes.