Britton-Hecla is sending its largest delegation to the state track meet in a number of years with 13 state qualifiers in 10 events set to compete at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls Thursday through Saturday.
Six boys and seven girls earned state spots for Coach Stephanie Symens’ squad.
“The kids just want to run their best times/distances of the year when they are down there and have lots of people watching,” said Symens. “And we would love to be able to run in a couple finals events on Saturday.”
Action gets underway at 10 a.m. for field events and 11 a.m. for running events on Thursday. Friday start times are 9 and 9:30 a.m., and on Saturday the meet begins at 9:30 a.m. with field events and 10 a.m. for running events. The top 24 times/ distances in each event advanced to the state competition.
Junior Daniel Person is a four-time state qualifier for the Braves. He ranks 11th in the 1600-meter run (4:45.23) and is a member of the 1600, 3200, and medley relay quartets. Junior Dashel Davidson is the other boys individual qualifier, sitting in the 22nd spot in the 100-meter dash (11.66).
Joining Person on the 3200 relay, ranked in the 13th spot (8:55.45), are freshman Ben Suther and sophomores Jaxon, Zuehlke and Will Richter. Rounding out the medley unit that is ranked 17th (3:52.51) are Davidson, sophomore Bryce Hawkinson, and Suther. The 1600 quartet holds down the 24th spot (3:43.71) and also includes Suther, Hawkinson, and Richter.
Three B-H girls qualified in individual events. Sophomore Abby Lee qualified for the second straight year in the triple jump and ranks 12th (33-1). Eighth grader Kara McLaen is 18th in the 1600meter run (5:48.51), and freshman Marley Sundin stands in the 23rd spot in the 100 dash (13.38).
The girls 3200-meter relay will also run in the state meet, qualifying in the 15th slot (10:43.33). Members of the quartet are freshman Daynika Zuehlke, junior Jeris Stark, senior Jayden Bender, and sophomore Ava Teveldal.
Britton-Hecla wrapped up its regular season at Warner last week Tuesday where both the boys and girls teams placed fourth in a 10-team field. Event winners in that meet included Daniel Person in the 1600 run, the boys 3200 relay, Chaz Vietor in the high jump, and Abby Lee in the triple jump.
Jalee Grupe was the only B-H athlete to compete in a meet at Webster on Thursday with hopes of coming up with a state qualifying high jump. Grupe had jumped 4-10 in a recent junior high meet that would have qualified for state. She came up with a varsity-best 4-8.25 effort but fell just short of the 4-9 height to advance to the state event.
