Milbank Area Head Coach Eric Townsend heads into his 16th year coaching track and field. The 2017 season will be his seventh as head coach for the Bulldogs. The first meet is the Whetstone Invitational Tuesday, April 4, at 3:30 p.m.
“We return all 12 girls and 11 boys that competed at the State Class A meet last season,” said Townsend. “These core members of the girls team placed second at both the NEC and region meets. The boys nearly return all of last year’s team, plus a few guys who won last year’s NEC and region meets.”
According to Coach Townsend. “We hope to improve throughout the season and have our season’s bests at the end. Both teams should make serious runs at the Northeast Conference and Region 1A crowns. We want both teams to qualify as many athletes for the State A meet as possible who can score the most points.” He also says, “I feel good about pole vault. I am excited to give our team another event and get some new athletes competing on the team.” Townsend says he feels the toughest competition in the conference is Aberdeen Roncalli for the boys and Roncalli and Redfield for the girls.
Seniors leading the team include: Brooke Fraasch, Karlee Mertens, Mackayla Schuelke, Jake Anderson, Nate Bien, Caden Bjordahl, Cody Dockter, Kody Johnson, Matt Lenards, Caden Wollschlager, and Riley Wollschlager. Tanner Gauer will be a member of the team, but is injured and will not compete in his final season.
Other athletes adding depth to the teams are: juniors Shea Hooth, Christina Lusk, Allison Pillatzki (student manager), Molly Rick, Sophia Seffrood, Katie Vander Wal, Derrick Aho, Jonny Ash, Adam Bury, Cole Dockter, Koben Huber, Chandler Peery, Mitch Quade, Austin Schuelke, Derek Weinkauf, Luke Wold and Isaiah Wollschlager; sophomores Kellie Christians, Gabbi Cummins, Makayla Johnson, Elisabeth Schwenn, Taylor Thue, Kimberly Van Sambeek, Katie Wollschlager, Alec Bien, Gabe DeLaRosa, Riley Gauer, Ben Harstad, Kacen Huber, Jake Karges, Jadus Medicine Crow, Jordan Riley, Jake Sandvig, and Nolan Hanson; freshmen Jatana Grajczyk, Maddie Gustafson, Tori Hooth, Tracy Pillatzki, Danica Schulte, Zippy Bock, Alex Farrell, Brady Femling, Elijah Fraasch, JD Lusk, Max McCulloch, Breyden Miller, Sam Seffrood, Noah Steinlicht, Jordan Lindberg, and Alex Schuelke; eighth graders Allison Leddy, Greta Snaza, and Madi Thue; and seventh graders Maiah Brown and Nick Batchelor.
Assistant coaches are: Lane Lindquist (throws), Kelli Hoff (jumps), and Ryan Conrad (sprints). Volunteer coaches are: Amy Thue (hurdles), and Christine Townsend (throws). Coaches for the middle school athletes are Josh Schmeichel for the boys and Melissa Bastian for the girls.
Bulldogs Track and Field
| Date | Name | Location | Time |
| 4/4/2017 | Whetstone Inv. | Milbank | 3:30 p.m. CT |
| 4/11/2017 | Mil. SDNG | Milbank | 3:30 p.m. CT |
| 4/18/2017 | Webster Area Inv. | Webster | 2:30 p.m. CT |
| 4/25/2017 | Groton/Kiwanis Inv. | Groton | 12:00 p.m. CT |
| 4/28/2017 | Sisseton Legion Relays | Sisseton | 1:00 p.m. CT |
| 5/2/2017 | Milbank VQ Inv. | Milbank | 2:00 p.m. CT |
| 5/5/2017 | Howard Wood | Sioux Falls | TBA |
| 5/5/2017 | Redmen Twi-Light Inv. | Sisseton | 4:00 p.m. CT |
| 5/6/2017 | Howard Wood | Sioux Falls | TBA |
| 5/12/2017 | NEC | Clark | 11:00 a.m. CT |
| 5/18/2017 | Region 1A | Milbank | 12:00 p.m. CT |
| 5/26/2017 | State Meet | Tea | 9:30 a.m. CT |
| 5/27/2017 | State Meet | Sioux Falls | 10:30 a.m. CT |
Seniors pictured:
Boys – back row, left to right, Caden Bjordahl, Caden Wollschlager, Matt Lenards and Cody Dockter. Front, Jake Anderson, Riley Wollschlager and Kody Johnson. Not pictured Nate Bien and Tanner Gauer.
Girls, Brooke Fraasch, left, Mackayla Schuelke, right. Not pictured, Karlee Mertens.
Staff Writer
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