STATE TRACK: MENNO BOYS PUT UP 31 POINTS ON FIRST DAY

Hayden McNinch, a senior from Menno, picked up another point for the Wolves by finishing eighth in the shot put early Friday afternoon, giving the MHS boys 32 points midway through the state meet. McNinch bettered his incoming best by almost 2 feet and recorded a heave of 45-8 1/2. His incoming best was 43-11 1/2.

Later on Friday, Owen Eitemiller competed in the 300 hurdles, and Bryce Sattler and Kadeyn Ulmer ran the open 800, and none advanced to the finals on Saturday. However, the Wolves ended the day on a bright spot with the medley relay team of Brayden Sattler, Cody Fischer, Bryce Sattler and Kadeyn Ulmer finishing fifth in the preliminary race to earn a spot in the final on Saturday afternoon.

Also for Menno on Friday, Alana Fergen finished eighth in the discus.

EARLIER

The Menno boys got the first day they wanted.

Competing at the 2023 South Dakota Track & Field Championships on Thursday, May 25 — and with eyes on a strong team finish come Saturday — the Wolves finished in the top two in three events and fourth in another.

Senior Owen Eitemiller won the pole vault, junior Isaac Fergen finished second in the event, and the 4×800 relay team of Brayden Sattler, Izayah Ulmer, Bryce Sattler and Kadeyn Ulmer ran to a runner-up finish.

And later on Thursday, the sprint medley relay team of Cody Fischer, the Sattler brothers and K. Ulmer finished fourth, which gave the Wolves a one-day total of 31 points — well in front of the rest of the field (although the majority of the finals won’t take place until Saturday).

The Menno boys will have another busy day on Friday:

• The Wolves are set to run in the 4×200 and 4×400 prelims;

• Brayden Sattler will compete in the 400 prelim;

• K. Ulmer and Bryce Sattler will run the 800 final;

• Eitemiller will take part in the 300 hurdles prelim;

• And Hayden McNinch will throw the shot put.

And on Saturday:

• Cody Fischer will compete in the high jump;

• Izayah Ulmer will run in the 1600

• If qualified, the 4×200 and 4×400, Sattler in the 400 and Eitemiller in the 300 hurdles would compete in the finals.

Here are other highlights for local athletes on the first day of the state meet:

• Freeman Public’s Joey Baer and Rocky Ammann both tied for sixth in the pole vault;

• Menno junior Ashton Massey and Freeman eighth grader Rylee Peters both advanced to Saturday’s final in the 100 hurdles with strong showings in Thursday morning’s preliminary race. Both will also run in the 300 hurdles prelim on Friday, with Massey going in with the fastest and Peters the third-fastest time in field;

• The Freeman Public girls 4×100 relay team of Makenzie Scharberg, Rylee Peters, Kate Miller and Zenovia Butler advanced to Saturday’s final with the third-fastest time in Thursday’s prelim and another PR — their fifth in a row;

• The Freeman Academy/Marion boys placed in the 4×800, as Tavin Schroeder anchored the Bearcats to eighth. The team also includes Finley McConniel, Seth Balzer and Jackson Donlan;

• The Menno girls took their first medal of the meet as Ellyana Ulmer, Ervin Schrock, Zoe Schaeffer and Ashton Massey ran to sixth in the 4×800;

• The Freeman Academy/Marion girls relay team of Alivea Weber, Elizabeth Piehl, Estelle Waltner and Jada Koerner finished eighth in the medley.