The Lancer track and field teams competed at home at the Mount Marty Opener at the Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse in Yankton, SD on January 11. At the meet which featured five visiting teams, the Lancers claimed a total of seven event titles, two school record, and one NAIA 'A' standard.
Senior Luke Rettedal crushed his own school record in the shot put with a throw of 55' 2.25". Rettedal beat his record by over a foot while hitting the NAIA 'A' standard and claiming a runner-up finish in the event. Rettedal is currently ranked first in the GPAC and in the nation.
The men's team claimed four of the event titles along with five runner-up finishes and three third-place finishes. Event titles came from junior Jacob Kueny in the 800 (2:01.31), freshman Osiel Cantu in the 60H (8.55), junior Michael Beyer in the pole vault (13' 2.25"), and sophomore Cooper Grotenhuis in the triple jump (44' 3.25").
The other runner-up finishes were produced by junior Carl Massa in the 400 (51.84), senior Logan Ferrari in the mile (4:19.91) which is a school record as well, freshman Joseph Cross in the 5,000 (15:32.24), and sophomore James Deseh in the triple jump (40' 2.75"). Ferrari and Cross's performances rank them first in the GPAC. The third-place finishes came from freshman Austin Gobel in 60 (6.94), Ferrari in the 3,000 (8:55.25), and the men's 'A' 4x400 (3:31.37) that featured freshman Christopher Munoz-Sturgeon, freshman Marc Jonathan Van Lien, Massa, and sophomore Zavio Prato.
The women's team claimed three event titles along with four runner-up and third-place finishes. Junior Zelie Sorensen was victorious in the 60 (7.88), 200 (25.87), and the 4x400 relay (4:07.74) that also featured junior Alexis Even, senior Ashinee George, and junior Josey Wahlstrom.
The runner-up finishes were produced by Even in the 60 (7.91) and 200 (26.40), freshman Rachel Erk in the 400 (1:06.48), and freshman Paige Clausen in the pole vault (11' 3.75"). The third-place finishes came from senior Lauren Mitchell in the 400 (1:07.06), Wahlstrom in the 800 (2:27.26), George in the 60H (9.33), and junior Paige Millikan in the long jump (16' 3.25").
Many additional top-eight finishes were produced by both teams. The Lancers will compete at home again at the two-day Mount Marty University Invitational and Multi's Meet at the Ruth Donohoe First Dakota Fieldhouse on January 17-18.
Mount Marty Opener Top-Eight Finishes
Women:
Men:
- Van Lien - Pole Vault (12' 11.5" - 4th), Long Jump (19' 6.25" - 6th)
- Carson Conway - 600 (1:30.83 - 4th), 'B' 4x400 (3:39.31 - 5th)
- Tague Tvedt - 800 (2:05.56 - 4th), 'B' 4x400 (3:39.31 - 5th)
- Prato - 200 (22.67 - 4th), 60 (7.11 - 5th)
- Grotenhuis - Long Jump (19' 11.75" - 5th)
- Gobel - 200 (22.80 - 5th)
- Munoz-Sturgeon - 400 (53.85 - 5th)
- Kueny - 'B' 4x400 (3:39.31 - 5th)
- Owen Koontz - 'B' 4x400 (3:39.31 - 5th)
- Jett Lotz - Triple Jump (35' 6" - 6th)
- Deseh - 60H (10.16 - 7th)
- William Walthier III - 400 (56.54 - 8th)
