STATE TRACK: MASSEY’S GRAND EXIT

One of Menno’s best track and field athletes of all time is a triple state champion yet again; Ulmer continues to shine in 1600

Ashton Massey saved her best for last, and given her decorated career, that’s saying an awful lot. And it’s not surprising.

Competing in the final event as a multi-sport athlete at Menno High School, Massey — long driven by better technique and self-improvement mentally and physically — turned in a career-best performance in both the 100-hurdle and 300-hurdle finals at the SDHSAA State Track and Field Championships in Sioux Falls last Saturday. She won gold in both, and with the triple jump championship locked up two days early, Massey repeated as a three-time state champion.

The six gold medals she earned at the state meet her junior and senior years make Massey a generational athlete and among the best Menno has ever seen.

“Grateful,” Massey said when asked for a few words at the conclusion of the state meet held May 23, 24 and 25 at Howard Wood Field. “Disbelief. Crazy. Thankful. It’s been a crazy four years.”

Massey’s effort last week wasn’t without its drama — again. While the standout got it done in the triple jump, like last year, it wasn’t exactly easy.

In the same way she did her junior season, Massey scratched on her first two attempts and needed a last-ditch effort just to make the finals, let alone defend her 2023 title.

“Going into the day I was like, ‘I feel so much better than last year. I feel so much more confident mentally and physically and it’s not going to be like last year,’” she said afterward. “And then it was like last year.”

One of the issues may have been a slight distraction due to a rolled ankle during Massey’s warm-ups, which she admitted caused panic initially.

“But we put on a brace and worked through it,” she said.

And, as she has done so many times during her decorated prep career, Massey got it done when it mattered the most. After hearing words of encouragement from one of her coaches, Shaylee Schultz — “just do the same thing you’ve done hundreds of times” — the standout posted a 35-plus on her third attempt and then, after scratching again in her first attempt of finals, went for a title-winning 35-9 ¾.

“I knew I had done it before and could do it again,” Massey. “It’s obviously nice to come away with another win. I was a little disappointed with my performance, but it makes me hungrier for the hurdles.”

The Augustana University-bound standout — the school record holder in her three signature events and also part of the record-holding 4×800 relay team — said it was hitting her on Saturday that this was it for her active relationship with the Wolves.

“I was walking behind the grandstand, kind of looking down at my uniform after the 300 hurdles, and I thought, ‘That’s it,’” she said. “That’s my high school career.”

Massey, who also anchored the 4×800 team of Ellyana Ulmer, Nora Robb and Zoe Schaeffer to sixth, said that she was able to do her very best while saying goodbye “means everything.”

“All the hours of work and blood, sweat and tears, this was a full-circle moment,” said Massey, whose effort led the Menno girls to sixth place as a team — their third time on the podium the past five years. “I dreamed of the podium when I was a freshman and to find myself on top again this year was crazy.”

Massey’s showing at state wasn’t the only one that had Menno fans cheering.

Among the highlights was an inspiring finish by Ulmer in the 1600 — a race that became her signature event at the Cornbelt Conference meet earlier this month, when she shattered her previous best and broke a 31-year school record with a time of 5:27.70.

Ulmer did it again last week, using a big kick in the final 120 meters to pick up a couple of places and finish with a new school record of 5:23.92 — and seventh in all of Class B.

“That was amazing,” she said after the race. “I got a little nervous during the race, though, because I was quite aways back from where I wanted to be. But I knew I could do it. I just needed to go out there and prove it to myself and everyone else.”

As for her kick at the end — “I don’t know where that came from,” said Ulmer, who also competed at state last week in the 800.

Schultz, who just finished her first season as one of Menno’s assistant track coaches and teaches fifth grade in the district, said it’s a pleasure working with driven athletes like Ulmer and Massey — and all the athletes she has come to know and respect.

“They’re fantastic,” said Schultz, who is a 2019 graduate of Deubrook Area, herself a 300 hurdles champion, a triple jump champion and multiple gold medal winner in the 4×400 and 4×800 relays with the Dolphins who also ran track and played basketball at Dakota State University. “They’re just awesome kids on and off the track, in the classroom and out of the classroom,” she said. “They’re hard workers and that work ethic carries over into everything they do.”

It’s not surprising, then, that Schultz was grinning ear to year after watching Ulmer crack the top-eight in the mile — symbolic of that work ethic she was talking about.

“She just decided she wanted it,” the coach said. “Track and field is a hard sport; you really have to be mentally tough. And that’s one thing I’ve really learned about these girls, is that they do want it. Down to the grit they want it so bad, and sometimes that’s more what it’s about than the talent.”

As for working with Massey, “it’s been extremely rewarding,” Schultz said. “I’m still pretty fresh out of competition and it’s nice to know there are other kids out there who want it — who love to compete. That’s the kind of athlete I was, and I hope that continues in Menno for a long time. I would love to see that from some of our younger kids moving forward — just that sheer determination.”

Sattler leads boys

The Wolves saw a number of other strong performances at Howard Wood Field last week, including that of Zoe Schaeffer in the 3200. While she didn’t medal, she cut her incoming time of 13:06.37 down to 12:52.31 and went from 19th to 14th in the field.

And the boys? Well, they did alright, too.

Junior Bryce Sattler medaled twice for the Wolves, finishing fourth in the 400 with a PR of 51.54 and sixth in the 800 with a 2:06.12.

“He’s been doing that all season,” said head boys coach Ken Bruckner. who on Saturday was recognized by the SDHSAA for being inducted into South Dakota high school cross-coutnry and track and field hall of fame. “He’s a workhorse and a gifted athlete; I don’t think realizes how good he can be.

“I thought all our kids performed really well,” Bruckner continued. “I was proud of them.”

Senior Isaac Fergen, second in the pole vault a year ago, finished third by matching last year’s state meet best of 12-0.

Sophomore Hunter Yosten finished third in the shot put and also competed in the javelin, and the Menno boys brought home two medals in the relays. The sprint medley team of Fergen, Micah Goehring, Sattler and Ulmer finished fifth while the 4×800 relay team of Ulmer, Mirik Vaith, Fergen and Sattler placed seventh.

Also competing for the Wolves last week was:

Seth Ahalt and Kylie Guthmiller in the discus; Goehring in the pole vault; the girls 4×100 relay team of Maggie Miller, Robb, Lexie McNinch and Kaelie Derby; the girls 4×400 relay team of Derby, Robb, Miller and Schaeffer; the girls medley relay team of Miller, McNinch, Robb and Ulmer; the boys 4×200 relay team of Trent Guthmiller, Jaxon Stoebner, Erick Buechler and Gohering; and the 4×400 relay team of Fergen, Buechler, Adam Munkvold and Guthmiller.