Bulldog Runners Find Success At State Cross Country Meet

The Lady Bulldogs cross country team went the distance at the 2016 State Class A meet in Huron on October 22. The girls finished in eleventh place with 182 points. Custer was crowned the Class A champion. They had 62 points.

“The girls’ 11th place finish is the highest place for a Milbank girls team since 2009,” said head cross country coach Eric Townsend. “We figured going into the meet we could be around the top 10 teams. Compared to the other region schools, we ran very well. We would have beaten all the region schools if this would have been the region meet. Taylor, Danica, Amaya, and Jatana all ran very well.”

Taylor Thue led the team with a 38th place finish. Danica Schulte was close behind in 40th place, Amaya Street finished 61st, and Jatana Grajczyk, 81st. Allison Leddy placed 113th. Maiah Brown, who ran in her first state meet, was 119th.

Seventh-grader, Nick Batchelor, was the only male runner for Milbank Area. He was also competing in his first state meet and finished 34th overall. “Nick ran very well for his first season,” said Townsend.“

Complete results for Milbank Area runners included:
Varsity Girls
Team scores – Custer, 62; St. Thomas More, 84; Hill City, 88; Sioux Falls Christian, 102; Beresford, 107; Winner Area, 124; Vermillion, 130; Todd County, 162; Mt. Vernon/Plankinton, 170; Redfield-Doland, 176; Milbank Area, 182; Garretson, 195; Flandreau, 212; Aberdeen Roncalli, 213; Madison, 219; Chamberlain, 220; Webster Area, 237; West Central, 301.
Taylor Thue, 38th, 21:18.94; Danica Schulte, 40th, 21:22.76; Amaya Street, 61st, 21:50.26; Jatana Grajczyk, 81st, 22:30.69; Allison Leddy, 113th, 23:33.74; Maiah Brown, 119th, 24:19.98.
Varsity Boys
Nick Batchelor, 34th, 18:15.70.