Rangers achieve new championship placings

The Hill City Ranger track team has had to stay flexible this track season, as uncooperative weather continues to cause cancellations and postponed meets across the region.

Following a weather cancellation for the Belle Fourche meet April 18, the team was able to take advantage of the nicer weather, participating in a combined junior varsity/varsity meet at O’Harra Stadium at the South Dakota School of Mines Tuesday hosted by Rapid City Central. 

“It was kind of out of our normal training routine to go to a Tuesday meet and take the whole team,” said head coach Joe Noyes. “I’m glad we did. We took advantage of it.”

The team delivered a strong performance, achieving 49 personal records (PR) and 12 season-best marks, along with two championship finishes.

The boys sprint medley relay team of Caleb Sobolik, Mason Wiese, Mason Buehler and anchored by Tate Grabow, finished first, posting a time of 3:39.60. 

The other championship title came from Jaeden Richer in the girls discus with a throw of 92 feet. Richer also placed sixth in the shot put with a mark of 31-3.

Other top placings included the boys 1600 team of Buehler, Grabow, Brensen Veneklasen and Brodi Moriarty, who were the runners up with a time of 3:31.96. Placing third in the 800 relay were Sobolik, Wiese, Dax Frandsen, and Nick Schroeder, who ran a combined 1:33.94.

Individual placers, all improving their best personal times, included Schroeder, placing third in the 100 with 11.14, Moriarty, placing second in the 800 with 2:03.90 and James DuBois with a seventh place finish in the 1600 with a time of 4:49.81.

Veneklasen continues to stay at the top of the placings in the hurdles with a fifth-place finish in the 110, improving his PR with a 15.91 run.

Top placers for the girls side included Alaina Dean with a third-place finish in the 100 dash with a time of 12.94 and a fourth-place finish in the 200 with a new PR of 26.48. 

Daril Frandsen finished third in the 1600, running a 5:35.35, while Phoebe Bentley-Buschur placed sixth in the 3200 with a time of 13:32.26. 

Andee Frandsen continues to show her strength in the hurdles with a fifth-place finish, running a 16.29, while also leading off the second place 800 relay team along with Eden Wildeman, Macie Ham and Dean (51.26). The 800 team placed sixth with a time of 1:53.57 run by Addysen Kurtz, Lillie Ham, Kinsey Dilavou and anchored by Joy Anderson. Anderson also led off the medley team followed by Eden Wildeman, A. Frandsen and Dar. Frandsen for a third-place finish, running 4:28.13.

In the field events, Demi Schrier placed fourth in Javelin throwing 97-7 inches, her new PR while L. Ham placed fourth in the high jump with a leap of 4-11 inches.

The Rangers hope to carry their success into next week as they prepare to travel to Sioux Falls to run at the Howard Wood Dakota Relays.

“That meet we used as preparation, and we’re just getting ready this week for Howard Wood,” said Noyes. “What we do there is really load up our relays. The purpose of the meet is to run our relays against the other class A schools.” 

He said, “Being the size school that we are, it’s important to have an idea of where we sit in each relay.”

The team will leave Thursday to travel for the Friday/Saturday meet.