The Britton-Hecla track squad came up with a strong showing in its outdoor season opener at Milbank on Thursday.
The local thinclads hosted the Orville Pfitzer Relays yesterday (Tuesday), travel to the Redfield Relays on Thursday, and compete at the Groton Relays on Tuesday.
“We had a great first meet in Milbank,” said B-H coach Stephanie Symens. “It’s great when you get to run in nice weather. We posted good times, throws and jumps in our first meet out and that makes us coaches really excited for the rest of the season. We also have kids in the top 24 which is a great place to be.”
Britton-Hecla won seven events in the Milbank meet and both the boys and girls placed fourth as a team.
Ben Suther took the 200 dash and teamed up with Jaxon Zuehlke, Drew Heitmann, and Jack Teveldal to claim the 3200 relay title. Abby Lee was a double winner, taking both the long and triple jump, Daynika Zuehlke was the javelin champ, Avalon Dinger won the 100 hurdles, and Marley Sundin, Abby Lee, Elsa Bosse-Faulhaber, and Daynika Zuehlke teamed up to win the medley relay.
The first ranking of the top 24 athletes in each event was published Monday and Britton-Hecla had 11 spots on the Class A list. The top 24 at the end of the regular season qualify for the state meet.
Among the top 24 in the boys’ division are Chaz Vietor, tied for ninth in high jump; Suther, Zuehlke, Heitmann, and Teveldal were 11th in the 3200 relay and the same group was 14th in the 1600 relay; Suther is 15th in the 400 and 24th in the 200 dashes; and Zuehlke stands at 17th in javelin.
On the girls side Lee is fifth in triple jump and ninth in long jump; Zuehlke is fifth in javelin; Jaelee Grupe in a tie for 14th in high jump; and Sundin, Lee, Bossse-Faulhaber, and Zuehlke are 18th in the medley relay.
