The WSHS boys track team was third in the regional track meet last week. Thinclads competing in the boys and girls state track meet this week are, back row – Kole Kopfmann, Filip Berglund; Middle row- Mindy Kraft, Drew Kraft; Front row- Mitch Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg, Mahmoud Monsour. Not pictured- Trevor Kenobbie.

The Spartan Track and Field team traveled to Freeman to participate in the Region 5B meet on Thursday, May 21 2009. The morning started off full of excitement and more athletes qualifying for the state meet. In order to make it to state from the region meet an individual and/or relay team has to place with 1st or 2nd. The boys’ 3200m relay consisting of Cordell Muilenburg, Mahmoud Monsour, Mitch Kraft and Drew Kraft won the event with an official time of 8:30.7. Right after that race, team mate Kole Kopfmann was in the discus ring and on his first throw he qualified for state with a toss of 140 feet 1 inch. Kole went on to win the discus. Freshman, Trevor Kenobbie threw his personal best to get into the finals of discus. Then Trevor threw his best yet, throwing 115 feet to place 5th. Senior, Jordan VonEye placed 8th with a throw of 107 feet 8 inches. Filip Berglund ran 12.5 to get into the finals of the 100 meter dash. In the finals, Filip ran 12.3 for 8th place.

The 800m relay of Trevor Kenobbie, Alex Muilenburg, Kole Kopfmann, and Filip Berglund ran 1:47.30. The mile run it was teammates pushing each other to qualify. Sophomore, Cordell Muilenburg placed 2nd with his run of 4:48.8. Juniors Mitch and Drew Kraft placed 3rd and 4th with times of 4:51.7 and 4:58.2. Mitch had previously qualified by time and both Cordell and Mitch will participate in the mile run at the state meet. In the 400m dash, Alex Muilenburg ran 1:05 and Trevor Kenobbie ran 1:01. Cordell Muilenburg placed 4th in the 400m dash with a time of 56.00. The medley relay with Cordell Muilenburg and Filip Berglund running the 200s, Drew Kraft ran the 400, and Mitch Kraft anchored in the 800 ran a 3:48.7 for a gold first place medal. This time bettered their previously qualified time and will get them a better lane position at state.

Mahmoud Monsour placed 6th in the 800m run with a time of 2:18.3. Filip Berglund ran a 25.6 in the 200m dash. Running the two-mile run was Drew, Mitch, and Jase Kraft. Mitch and Drew finished neck and neck with Drew picked 1st and Mitch 2nd. Their times were 10:43.4 and 10:43.5. Drew will join Mitch running the 3200m run at state. Seventh grader, Jase Kraft finished 8th with his time of 11:22.2. Trevor, Alex, Kole, and Mahmoud ran the mile relay but did not place. The Spartan boys finished 3rd with 82 points, behind Mt. Vernon and Freeman Academy.

The girls’ 2-mile relay of Shelby Sandmann, Cassidy Musick, Lindsey Mettler, and Mindy Kraft placed 5th with a time of 11:17.6. These girls are young and have only run this relay a couple of times so in the next few years I look for them to run well together. Chelsea Hettinger placed 6th in both the shot, 28’6, and discus, 89’1. Taylor SInkie ran a 15.64 in the 100m dash. Sandmann, Sinkie, Kasey Younie, and Mettler ran the 800m relay in 2:08.95. Freshman, Mindy Kraft ran a 5:32.8 to finish 2nd in the mile run. With this run, Mindy bettered her previously qualified time for the state meet. Musick, Sinkie, Ashley Losing, and Younie ran the 400 relay in 1:02.8. Sophomore, Lindsey Mettler was 5th in the 400m dash, running a 1:06.9. Freshman, Shelby Sandmann also ran the 400m dash in 1:13.6. The medley relay of Musick (200), Younie (200), Sandmann (400) and Mettler (800) placed 8th place running a 5:13.3. Seventh graders Cassidy Musick and Taylor Sinkie ran in the 200m dash with times 32.6 and 35.6. Freshman, Mindy Kraft wanted to break the Region 5B record for the two-mile run of 12:21.3 and set out to do so. Mindy went out taking the lead, running very consistent lap splits. Not only did she break the record, she “smashed” it. Mindy won the two-mile and now will have the two-mile record for region 5B set at 11:54.6! Mindy will participate in the mile and two-mile runs at the state track meet.

Those qualified for the state meet will be leaving on Thursday morning to head to Rapid City and will then practice Thursday afternoon. The class B prelims will be held at the O’Hara Stadium in Rapid City on Friday, May 29. Then on Saturday all three classes, AA, A, and B will run at O’Hara Stadium in Rapid City.

The boys’ two mile relay will run at 10:30am on Friday. The two-mile relay is a final event. At 2pm, Kole will throw the discus. The boys’ medley relay prelims will be at 4pm on Friday. Mindy will run the two-mile run at 5:05pm and Mitch & Drew will run their two-mile run at 5:25pm.

On Saturday, Mindy will run the mile run at 11:00am and Cordell & Mitch will run their mile at 11:20 am. The final heat of the boys’ medley relay will be run at 1:25 pm.