Team championships are tough to come by in the world of small school Track. However, the L-N boys' Raiders keep improving this season and at the Del Wick's Invitational last week, they were second out of the seven teams at the meet. They took time to have a team picture taken with their plaque following the event. They are from left (back row) Keaton Mazour, Evan Jacobitz, Chad Holcomb, Logan Menke, AJ Koehler, Rocky Miller, Ayden West, Nolan Ostdiek (front row) Gabe Zikmund, Tyson Kotinek, Devyn Zikmund, Cole Troudt, Erik Wheeland and Trevor Biltoft.
For those who don't know, the Del Wick's Track Meet in Deshler was named after the deceased newspaper publisher of the Deshler paper. He loved the sport and made arrangements for the Deshler School to sponsor the event, long after his death.
That said, the 2021 edition of the Invitational Meet saw the L-N teams do well. No team trophies, but the satisfaction of seeing a lot of improvement in individual events that resulted in the boys placing second out of the seven teams taking part. The girls placed third out of the seven teams.
The boys earned four gold medals and four silver while the girls brought home three gold and four silver.
BOYS: Class C, Thayer Central won this division scoring 158 points. L-N had 101, Deshler 78, Meridian 55, Dorchester 51, Friend 40, Superior 38.
Several points of interest came from the Meet. For the first time this season, L-N scored in the dashes. It was a fifth place finish in the 100 M. Dash, but may be the beginning. Another change saw Logan Menke switch from the 3200 M. Run to the 800 M. Run and brought home the gold medal. The 3200 M. Relay won gold for the first time of the season cutting 35 seconds off their early season time.
The field events also contributed more for this meet than many of the past. Devyn Zikmund and Trevor Biltoft finished first and second in the long jump scoring for the first time this season; each of the other field events saw Raiders score points as well. Individual results: (PR = person record for year.)
100 M. Dash: Devyn Zikmund fifth, 12.30, PR; nine runners within one second of first.
800 M. Run: Logan Menke first, 2:15.0, PR; Nolan Ostdiek 2:18.0, PR. This was Logan's first 800 Run and Nolan keeps cutting time off his mark.
1600 M. Run: Cole Troudt second, 5:11.60, PR; Logan Menke fifth.
3200 M. Run: Cole Troudt first, 10:55.2, PR; Ayden West fifth, 12:03.10, PR; AJ Koehler PR; Cole's third gold of the season; Ayden's first score of the season cutting 50 seconds off early in the season with AJ Koehler improving most every meet.
400 M. Relay: L-N third, :50.0, PR; Erik Wheeland, Trevor Biltoft, Tyson Kotinek, Devyn Zikmund; improved each meet.
1600 M. Relay: L-N third, 4:03.30: Tyson Kotinek, AJ Koehler, Gabe Zikmund, Devyn Zikmund. One second behind second and one second ahead of fourth.
3200 M. Relay: L-N first, 9:06.60, PR: Logan Menke, Tyson Kotinek, Nolan Ostdiek, Cole Troudt. first gold of season, improving by 35 seconds.
Long Jump: Devyn Zikmund first, 17'4.75", PR; Trevor Biltoft second, 17'2", PR: both improved a foot and first time to score this season.
Triple Jump: Tyson Kotinek second, 36'11.75", PR: just 5'5" out of first place.
Shot Put: Keaton Mazour third, 36'4"; Chad Holcomb fourth, 35'9.25", PR: first time points earned in this event for season.
Discus: Keaton Mazour sixth, 99'8"; Rocky Miller, PR; again, first time of season to score.
GIRLS: The L-N girls placed third in team scoring. Again Class C, Thayer Central won this division with 119 points; Deshler had 106, L-N 94, Meridian 68.5, Dorchester 56, Superior 37, Friend 33.
Three gold medal places and four silver medal places paced the girls in this meet. They remain strong in the field events and Hurdles while continuing to improve in the relays and Dashes. Individual results:
100 M. Dash: Elsa Jorgensen fifth, 14.0.
400 M. Dash: Aleah Heikkinen third, 1:10.5.
800 M. Run: Aleah Heikkinen second, 2:49.2; Claire Himmelberg third, 2:50.1.
100 M. Hurdles: Emma Epley first, 17.0; Sydney Biltoft third, 18.1; Emma's second gold of the season.
300 M. Hurdles: Sydney Biltoft second, 51.8.
1600 M. Relay: L-N fourth, 4:44.80: Emma Epley, Aleah Heikkinen, Sydney Biltoft, Elsa Jorgensen.
3200 M. Relay: L-N second, 12:00.50, PR: Claire Himmelberg, Jessica Sole, Tori Miller, Emily Troudt.
Long Jump: Elsa Jorgensen first, 15'9.5", PR: Emma Epley second, 15'6", PR; Tori Miller PR. Elsa and Emma both a foot further than first meet.
Shot Put: Kylie Beard first, 31'8.5"; Emily Troudt PR. Kylie has scored in all meets this season.
Discus: Kylie Beard second, 98'10": again, Kylie has scored in all meets this season.
The Track teams were to travel to Superior on Tuesday but the meet was postponed until Friday. They have an extended time off until the TVC in Red Cloud on May 1.
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