Jase Kraft -- an eighth grader-- runs his leg of the two mile relay

 

Mindy Kraft -- center-- accepts the championship medal in the girls two-mile run

 

THE WESSINGTON SPRINGS BOYS track team holds the 2010 runner-up trophy after an outstanding team effort in the state event. Shown are, from left, coach Becky-Bell Krueger, Corwin Miller, Drew Kraft, Gus Gran, Cordell Muilenburg, Mitch Kraft, Trevor Kenobbie, Kole Kopfmann, and Jase Kraft.

BY BECKY BELL-KRUEGER / HEAD TRACK COACH

The Spartan track & field teams traveled to Sioux Falls on Thursday, May 27 in preparation of the state meet. On Friday the Spartans participated at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls and then on Saturday, all three classes came to Howard Wood Field for the final day.

On Friday the Spartans ended the day with three champions and put three other athletes on the award stand. It started with the girls two-mile relay at 10:30 Friday morning. Lindsey Mettler started the relay with a 2:38 split and handed off to Shyanne Kopfmann who ran a 2:53. The third leg was Devin Tebay who ran a 2:40 as she handed the baton off to Mindy Kraft who anchored the relay with a 2:26 split. The girls improved their time from regions by running a 10:39.46. These girls have had such a successful year in this two-mile relay, from winning many of the track meets to setting a new school record. Even though they didn’t place a state, all four of these young ladies will return next year!

The boys’ two-mile relay took to the track at 11:30 on Friday morning. The Spartans came into the state meet with the fastest time of the field and being undefeated thus far, looking to repeat as state champions. What these four boys wanted most, was to break the school record which was held by Chris Long, Marty Olson, Chris Heim, and Troy Mebius back in 1991 with a time of 8:14.96. The current squad, Cordell Muilenburg, Jase Kraft, Mitch Kraft, and Drew Kraft were close to this record down in Winner, and this being the last time this fabulous foursome would run as a team, there was no time like the present. Cordell started and handed off the Jase with a split of 2:00, a personal best for Cordell and a perfect start toward their overall goal. Jase didn’t back down any as he got the baton and cruised his two lap split in a 2:05. As Jase handed off to Mitch, there didn’t seem to be a doubt that this was going to be a record breaking day for this team. As identical as Mitch and Drew are their running styles do differ, but not in this race. Their splits were as identical as they could be. Mitch went out and ran a 58 first lap and then a 1:02 for the second lap to have a split time of 2:00.50. Drew finished the relay by running a 58 first lap as well and then a 1:02 in the second lap to end with a split of 2:00.46. Together these four finished as back-to-back champions with a time of 8:08.18, which now is a new WSHS school record. Chris Long and Troy Mebius were in attendance and Troy later came to find the boys to give his congratulations to the new record holders.

The next event for the Spartans was the discus where Kole Kopfmann was participating. Kole threw 134’8″ to get into finals. In finals he measured two more throws and had one go out of bounds. Junior, Kole Kopfmann medaled in 7th place, more importantly gaining some valuable team points for the chase in the team championship.

Junior, Lindsey Mettler ran the 400m dash in a time of 1:06.68. In the prelims Lindsey ran in the same heat against her cousin, Kayla McEldowney of Castlewood. Kayla is the daughter of Tom and Deb (Heibel) McEldowney.

The girls’ medley relay consisting of Morgan Tebay, Lindsey Mettler, Devin Tebay, and Mindy Kraft ran a time of 4:51.89. The four heat winners plus the next four best times made it to finals. It has been so much fun this year with these girls. It is nice to have more athletes out for track & field and even better that their hard work has paid off in getting them to the state meet to gain some valuable experience.

The boys’ medley relay was run by Trevor Kenobbie, Gus Gran, Cordell Muilenburg, and Mitch Kraft in the prelims. Here again the four heat winners and the next four best times advanced to the finals on Saturday. The Spartans won their heat with a time of 3:45.02, which was the fastest time going into the finals. The Spartans along with Eureka/Bowdle and Estelline qualified for finals and all three of these teams were in the hunt for the top four spots in the team standings.

Running the 800m run, or sprint as I call it, was Senior Drew Kraft. Drew ran a great race leading the way after the first lap with a 57.5 and then trying to hold on at the end to finish 4th overall with a time of 2:00.70. Next was Lindsey as she ran the 200m dash for the Spartans. Her time was 29.20. I am very proud of how hard Lindsey has worked and it really paid off for her in qualifying these two open events for the state meet.

Troy Maroney/mugsbymaroney.com Mindy Kraft leads the field through a turn at the 2010 High School State B Track Meet in Sioux Falls.

After Lindsey’s 200m dash it was the two-mile run for the Spartans, having Mindy Kraft, Mitch Kraft and Jase Kraft all entered. Mindy entered the event with the third best time coming in. As the gun went off, Mindy went out with one thing on her mind, leading the race and keeping that lead. Indeed that is what she did. Mindy ran very consistent lap splits and kept a smart race strategy. Mindy is your Girls’ State B Champion in the two-mile. Her time was 11:49.96 which breaks her own school record of 11:54.6 from 2009. Mitch also went into the race with the third best time and Jase has the fourth best. Mitch and Jase were running one, two for the first mile. In the end it was Mitch hanging on down the final stretch to capture the two-mile crown, with a time of 10:06.10. Jase finished a great race and improved his personal best with a time of 10:16.8 to capture fourth place.

The boys’ mile relay consisting of Corwin Miller, Gus Gran, Cordell Muilenburg, and Drew Kraft ran 3:46.63 in the prelims, but didn’t qualify for finals on Saturday. As the first day wrapped up, the Spartan boys’ were in the lead of the team standings knowing that Saturday would bring a big challenge to hold off the Scotties of Philip but also some satisfaction that they had taken care of business doing all they could in hopes of carrying that momentum to Saturday.

On Saturday, the Spartans had the mile run in which Mindy Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg, and Mitch Kraft all participated. Mindy ran a strong race after all she had run on Friday in the heat. On Saturday it didn’t let up as the temperature was well into the nineties. Mindy’s mile time was 5:32.27 and got her up on the podium in 6th place. Mitch’s time was 4:35.08 for 2nd place and Cordell’s time of 4:42.60 put him in 6th place as well. Cordell ran his best mile time and really helped pick up those important team points.

The last event that the Spartans were in was the medley relay. In the finals it was Trevor Kenobbie, Gus Gran, Crodell Muilenburg and Drew Kraft. What a race it was, it went to photo finish I think as no one knew who had won the race! It was one of the closest finishes of the weekend, as the Spartans captured first place by three one-hundredths of a second. Their winning time was 3:45.37 and that gave us a boost in the team standings.

After that race, we knew Philip would capture the team championship as they had a thrower in the finals of shot put and a mile relay. The race was now for second place. The Spartans are the Class B Runner-Up Champions finishing with 53 points. The boys from Philip won with 61 points, Springs 2nd with 53 points, Eureka/Bowdle was 3rd with 44 points, and placing 4th was Estelline with 39 points.

As the season has come to an end, I can’t express how much they kids deserve this! They have worked so hard for this moment. For the seniors, Mitch and Drew it was the meet of a lifetime to cap off their outstanding athletic careers here at WSHS. It will be hard to fill their shoes not only with the success that they had but more-so with the leadership and commitment they led by.

I encourage all young athletes to plan on participating in the track & field camp that Lindsey Mettler will be leading later this summer in August.

State champion two-mile relay team - Jase Kraft, Mitch Kraft, Drew Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg

THE WESSINGTON SPRINGS HIGH SCHOOL BOYS medley relay team captured first place at the 2010 South Dakota State B Track and Field Meet in Sioux Falls last weekend. Members of the team were, from left, Mitch Kraft, Cordell Muilenburg, Trevor Kenobbie, Drew Kraft and Gus Gran.

Cordell Muilenburg running the anchor leg of the state champion two-mile relay

Gus Gran runs his leg of the medley relay championship race

Corwin runs the mile relay

Drew Kraft in the medley finals