Track and Field: GMLOKS Girls Take Second, Chatfield’s Third at State True Team

It is becoming routine that multiple “Journal-covered” track and field teams make it to the state True Team meet. The 2023 incar-nation at Stillwater High School featured five, the GMLOKS boys and girls, LFCMC boys and girls, and Chatfield girls. Gal teams from GMLOKS and Chatfield were the headliners. Aaron Thauwald’s GM group tried to three-peat as champions, but came up just short. The Bulldogs (510) took second to Luverne (551). Jeff DeBuhr’s Gophers took a strong third (473.5) over Minnewaska Area (459.5), an improvement from fourth at sections last year. LFCMC (415.5) took sixth (of 12 total teams). Luverne had 16 total top five finishes to GMLOKS’ 13. The Bulldogs also had five finishes 20th or better whereas the Cardinals had just three. Luverne also went 1-2 in each throw event. GMLOKS was led by Anika Reiland

(1st 100 > 12.43, 1st 200 > 25.98, 2nd 400 > 59.28) and Chantle Reiland (1st Long Jump > 16’10 ¼”, 2nd 100 > 12.55, 2nd 200 > 26.30), including 1-2 finishes in each short sprint. The 4×400 (4:16.19 > Kendyl Queensland, Lauren Queensland, C-Reiland, Cassidy Redman) gave GMLOKS four total firsts. Lexy Foster (4th Shot Put, 4th Discus) had two top five finishes. K-Queensland (5th-tie High Jump, 8th 800), Katelyn Hauser (5th 100-hurdles, 7th L-Jump), and Breeley Galle (7th 300-hurdles, 10th Triple Jump) each had two top 10 finishes. Gracie Foster (4th 100-H) had a singular top five. The 4×100 (Hauser, G-Foster, Grace Soltau, Lydia Redman) took third. Chatfield had two first places, the 4×100 (51.41 > Chloe Berg, Savannah Peterson, Evy Goldsmith, Lauryn Daniels) and 4×200 (1:47.37 > Peterson, Daniels, Goldsmith, Jaelyn LaPlante) relays. LaPlante also had three individual top sevens (3rd 100, 3rd 200, 7th H-Jump). Berg (4th Triple Jump), Goldsmith (5th 100), Peterson (6th Long Jump), and Daniels (10th 200) added top 10 finishes. Distance runners Aletta Strande (2nd 3,200 > 11:45.86, 6th 1,600) and Lexi Kivimagi (4th 800, 6th 1,600) each had two top sixes. Charlotte Oeltjen (sixth) gave Chatfield two top sixes in the 3,200. Anna Kivimagi (5th 300-hurdles) had a top five finish. Rebecca Copeman (6th-tie Pole Vault), Emma Mulhern (10th P-Vault), and Marley Harris (9th Discus) added top 10 finishes. LFCMC, which competed in its sixth straight state meet, was led by Kammry Broadwater’s two third places (Discus, T-Jump). Ava Jacobsen (H-Jump) also took third. Addie Miner (3rd) and Madison Simon (4th) each were top four in the Pole Vault. Lynsey Ruen (7th 100-H, 8th 300-H) and Lillyan Kiehne (7th 800, 9th 1,600) had two top ten finishes. Kinley Soiney (9th 400), Ava Rein (10th L-Jump), and Kyla Hellickson (10th H-Jump-tie) added top 10 finishes. Last year,

GMLOKS’ girls (568.5) nipped Luverne (564.5) and Minnewaska Area (558.5) for the title while LFCMC (453) took fourth. On the guys side, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winstead (561) took first over Sauk Centre (539) and Maple River (518.5). GMLOKS (430.5) took sixth and LFCMC (421) seventh. The Bulldogs had two strong relays, the first place 4×800 (8:32.95 > Andrew Imm, Erik Shaw, Carter Glynn, Tate Georgen) and second place 4×100 (45.29 > Kale Mensink, Cam Ruechel, Beau Wiersma, Kaaleem Reiland). Georgen (9th 1,600) and K-Reiland (10th 100) added top 10 finishes. Garrison Hubka (3rd 1,600, 5th 3,200) and Lucca Sween (3rd Shot Put, 4th Discus) each had two top five places. Zach Reiland (3rd 300-hurdles, 10th 110-H) and Ayden Howard (8th T-Jump, 10th 300-H) had two top tens. Sam Snitker took second in the High Jump (6’2”). For LFCMC, thrower Lucas Nikoloski (2nd Discus > 145’, 5th Shot) led the way. Boston Wright took second in the Pole Vault (12’6”). Luke Ruen (6th 800, 8th 1,600) and Parker Storhoff (6th P-Vault, 7th 100) had two top eight finishes. Isaac Snyder (5th 800), Henry Liew (7th T-Jump), Chase Christianson (8th H-Jump) had singular top eight finishes. The 4×400 (Sam Springer, Snyder, Mason Howard, Ruen) took third. LFCMC was the defending boys champion, but graduated four top five finishers. Would-be junior standout Jayce Kiehne also did not compete (hamstring). GMLOKS took fifth last year.