Looking for their third True Team state title in four years, GMLOKS girls track and field came agonizingly close. Aaron Thauwald’s group (519.5) took second to Luverne (521) by an agonizing 1.5 points. It came down to the last race (the 4×400). GMLOKS took third, Luverne second. Had GMLOKS took second they would have won a state title. Coach Thauwald had praise for his last runners’ efforts. “I was extremely pleased and impressed with our 4×400. They went out and gave everything they had for a chance to win a state championship. They dropped 10 seconds from their section time in order to put us in a chance to win and I have not been more pleased with a performance in my coaching career.” GMLOKS has now taken first or second four years running. Junior Chantle Reiland had four top five finishes (1st 100 > 12.40, 2nd Long Jump, 3rd 200, 5th 400) to lead the way. Breeley Galle had three top six finishes (3rd 100-hurdles, 6th 300-hurdles, 6th Triple Jump). Sisters Lexy Foster (2nd Discus, 2nd Shot) and Gracie Foster (1st 100-H > 16.25; 4th T-Jump) each had two top four finishes. Lauren Queensland (8th 1,600, 9th-tie High Jump) and Naomi Warmka (9th 800, 9th 1,600) each had two top 10s. The 4×400 (Queensland, Warmka, Brynna Nelson, Galle) was the top relay, taking third. Lydia Redman (5th 100), Nevaeh Shaw (7th-tie H-Jump), and seventh grader Halli Frank (9th L-Jump) added top 10 finishes. Luverne (551) also topped GMLOKS (510) for first last year. LFCMC’s girls, in their seventh straight state meet, took 10th (of 12). Kinley Soiney took sixth in the 100, 200, and 400. Kammry Broadwater (7th Discus, 8th T-Jump, 10th 400) also had three top 10’s. Autumn Rakosnik (1,600) and the 4×800 (Kyla Hellickson, Eliza Cullen, Brooklyn Simon, Sahara Morken) took fifth. Lillyan Kiehne (7th 800) and Elizabeth Clarke (10th-tie Pole Vault) finished top 10. On the guys’ side, St. Charles (543.5) topped Montevideo (509) with LFCMC (482) taking sixth and GMLOKS (456) seventh (of 12). It was LFCMC’s sixth straight state meet, GMLOKS’ fourth. Jayce Kiehne led the Burros with a first (800 > 1:56.15) and a second (1,600 > 4:26.34*), breaking Brian Hoff’s decades-old program record, while anchoring the first place 4×400 (3:32.59 > Isaac Snyder, Luke Ruen, Kyle Daniels). Boston Wright (Pole Vault) and the 4×800 (Jaxon Huntington, Maddex Rindels, Daniels, Snyder) took third. Lucas Nikoloski (4th Discus, 6th Shot), Henry Liew (6th T-Jump, 7th L-Jump), and Will Harvey (8th 300-H, 9th 110-hurdles) had two top 10s. Michael Rein (6th Discus) and Brody Niemeyer (7th Shot) helped in the throws. Ruen (7th 800) and Greg Kennedy (8th 200) added top 10 finishes. For GMLOKS, Tate Georgen (3rd 800, 4th 1,600) and Ayden Howard (3rd T-Jump, 10th L-Jump) had two top 10s. Sam Snitker (6’4”) won the High Jump. Kaleb Yunker (4th 300-H) and Beau Wiersma (5th L-Jump) had top five finishes. The 4×200 (A-Howard, Zach Reiland, Nathaniel Drees, Bently Wiersma) took fifth. Rowan Sween (7th Discus), Drees (8th 400), Brede Nelsen (9th P-Vault), Dylan Schultz (10th-tie P-Vault), Erik Shaw (10th 800), and Landon Chilman (10th 300-H) finished top 10. Individual events had 24 competitors, relays 12 teams.