Bulldog Track Team Completes Season with Awards

Coach Eric Townsend presented awards to the top runners of the 2017 Bulldog Track Team. The awards were tabulated by scores accumulated during the season. Earning Most Valuable Athlete awards were: Derrick Aho, Jonny Ash, Cole Dockter, Taylor Thue, and Danica Schulte.

Sprinters of the Year awards went to Derrick Aho, Cole Dockter, and Elisabeth Schwenn. Nate Bien and Taylor Thue were named Hurdlers of the Year. Cody Dockter, Jonny Ash, and Molly Rick were Jumpers of the Year. Distance Runners of the Year were Kody Johnson, Nick Batchelor, Gabbi Cummins, and Danica Schulte. Caden Wollschlager and Shea Hooth earned Throwers of the Year.

Also, this season, 14 records made it to the varsity honor roll and the middle school record board. In the girls division, Danica Schulte became the number seven all-time runner in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:02.07. Molly Rick took the number eight position in the long jump with a leap of 15-5. Greta Snaza set the varsity and eighth grade girls school records in the pole vault with a vault at 7-6, and Tori Hooth was number two at 6-9.

For the boys team, Matt Lenards moved into the number three spot in the 100-meter dash with a :10.90. Cole Dockter took over number eight in the 400-meter dash with a time of :51.79, and Cody Dockter seized the number eight spot in the long jump with a leap of 20-7.

Nick Batchelor set the boys seventh grade record in the 800, 1,600, and 3,200-meter runs. His 800-meter time is 2:19.34. His 1,600-meter time is 4:58.82, and his 3,200-meter run time is 10:46.26.

The boys 400, 800, and 1,600-meter relays also made the honor roll list. The 400-meter relay team of Matt Lenards, Jake Anderson, Derrick Aho, and Cole Dockter became fourth all-time with a :44.17. The 800-meter team of Lenards, Anderson, Aho, and Cole Dockter made fifth on the list with a 1:32.50. The 1,600-meter relay team of Aho, Caden Bjordahl, Ash, and Cole Dockter earned the right to sit in eighth place with a 3:31.68.

The seventh grade boys’ 400-meter relay team set a new seventh grade school record with a time of :51.85. Team members were Bennett Schwenn, Ryker Trevett, Isaac Schulte, and Michael Karges.

The boys varsity team repeated as Northeast Conference team champions and Region 1A team champions. The girls team finished third at the conference meet, missing second place by just half a point. The girls were also bridesmaids at Regions.

Twelve girls and 12 boys qualified for the South Dakota State Class A Track and Field Meet this season. State qualifiers were: Mackayla Schuelke, Molly Rick, Sophia Seffrood, Gabbi Cummins, Makayla Johnson, Elisabeth Schwenn, Taylor Thue, Jatana Grajczyk, Tracy Pillatzki, Danica Schulte, Greta Snaza, Madi Thue, Jake Anderson, Caden Bjordahl, Cody Dockter, Tanner Gauer, Kody Johnson, Matt Lenards, Riley Wollschlager, Jonny Ash, Derrick Aho, Cole Dockter, Riley Gauer, and Nick Batchelor.

At the state meet, the boys 800-meter relay team finished seventh. The boys 1,600-meter relay team placed fourth.

“It was another successful season,” said Townsend. “Many personal bests were attained, personal goals were reached, team goals were set and met, and other team successes were achieved.”

Coaches this season were: Lane Lindquist, Kelli Hoff, Ryan Conrad, and John Trevett. Middle school coaches were Melissa Bastian and Josh Schmeichel. Volunteer coaches were Amy Thue, Christine Townsend, and Becky Johnson.

Eleven seniors competed. They were: Brooke Fraasch, Mackayla Schuelke, Jake Anderson, Nate Bien, Caden Bjordahl, Cody Dockter, Tanner Gauer, Kody Johnson, Matt Lenards, Caden Wollschlager, and Riley Wollschlager. “These seniors accomplished much throughout their career and their leadership will be greatly missed,” Townsend said.

Athletes earning a major letter in track and field:
Seniors – Jake Anderson, Nate Bien, Caden Bjordahl, Cody Dockter, Tanner Gauer, Kody Johnson, Matt Lenards, Caden Wollschlager, Riley Wollschlager, Brooke Fraasch, Karlee Mertens, and Mackayla Schuelke.
Juniors – Derrick Aho, Jonny Ash, Cole Dockter, Koben Huber, Mitch Quade, Luke Wold, Isaiah Wollschlager, Shea Hooth, Christina Lusk, Molly Rick, Sophia Seffrood, and Katie VanderWal.
Sophomores – Alec Bien, Riley Gauer, Ben Harstad, Nolan Hanson, Jacob Karges, Jake Sandvig, Kellie Christians, Gabbi Cummins, Makayla Johnson, Elisabeth Schwenn, Taylor Thue, Kimberly Van Sambeek, and Katie Wollschlager.
Freshmen – Zippy Bock, Alex Farrell, Brady Femling, JD Lusk, Max McCulloch, Sam Seffrood, Jatana Grajczyk, Maddie Gustafson, Tori Hooth, Tracy Pillatzki, and Danica Schulte.
Eighth graders – Allison Leddy, Greta Snaza, and Madi Thue.
Seventh grader – Nick Batchelor.