On Thursday, May 26, Wagner took 15 athletes to compete in the state track and field meet in Sioux Falls. Two relay teams would compete on this day. First up was the boys 4x800 team made up of Glen Cournoyer, Henry Hayward, Lael Young, and Riley Roberts. This event was split into two heats of 12 teams each. These boys would run in the first heat and run their best time all year clocking in at 8:42.68. They ran a very good race but unfortunately that would only place them 14th overall, which was actually where they were seeded coming into the day.

The next relay was the girls 4x100 relay consisting of Elizabeth Woods, Shalayne Nagel, Eve Zephier, and Alcista Dion. These girls would also run a personal best on the year, improving their time by close to second, no small feat in this race. Their time was 51.46 which was just off the pace as they were edged out of finals by .14. However, this time would be good enough to set a new school record. Congratulations, girls!

Wagner also had three athletes compete in the 100 dash. Matt Link would run for the boys. He sprinted to a time of 11.83 which wound up being 21st overall in class A.

Alcista Dion and Shalayne Nagel ran the same race for girls. Dion would run a time of 13.07 while Nagel timed in at 13.42. These girls would finish in 15th and 22nd, respectively.

Camden Roth was the other competitor on the first day, competing in the high jump. Camden came in with a season best jump of 5’11”. The opening height was set at 5’10” and despite his best efforts, he just wasn’t able to get that height. He made great strides this year in this event as his previous best was 5’8”. Even though it was a bit disappointing, he certainly has much to be proud of as he worked hard to improve and get to the state meet.

On the second day of the state meet Wagner started with three girls competing in two field events. We’ll start with the high jump where Ashlyn Koupal played a different role this year.

Last year she was the hunter, sitting third coming into this meet and gunning for those above her. This year she was most definitely the hunted as Audrey Nelson from Madison made some gains late in the season to pose serious competition. Both competitors cleared 4’10, 5’0”, 5’2”, 5’3”and 5’4” on their first tries. It looked like Ashlyn might be the champion at 5’5” as she cleared it on her second attempt while it came down to Nelson’s third attempt, which she would make. Both would take two tries to clear 5’6”. The bar was then raised to the deciding height of 5’7” where Nelson, who was jumping first, missed on her first attempt. Koupal would take this opportunity to put the pressure on her opponent and cleared on her first attempt. Nelson would try two more times at the height, but it wasn’t to be. Koupal would repeat as champion. This leap would end up being not just the best in class A, but in the entire state. Excellent job, Ashlyn! For the second year in a row Wagner has had an athlete win the Gold Medal at the state meet, as last year Jaden Peters came away with that honor in the pole vault.

Kya Kjeldgaard would once again qualify for the high jump. Her best coming in was 4’11” and opening height was 4’10”. It is a tough thing when the opening height is that close to your personal best. Kya knocked the bar down on her first two attempts. Her third attempt was close, but she caught just enough of the bar to displace it and that was the end. Once again, Kya made gains and worked hard this season, but it just didn’t happen at state.

The other Wagner competitor this morning was Alcista Dion in the pole vault. Her best mark coming into the state meet was 9’0” and that is what she would end up with this day. Things looked shaky to begin as she missed her first two attempts at 8’0” but her and coach Peters got together and righted things and she soared over the bar on her final attempt. Then she would go on to clear her first attempts at 8’6” and 9’0”. The next height proved to be too high as she would bow out at that point. Seven people would end this event at 9’0”. Due to criteria one of those would end up in 4th place while Alcista would wind up in 8th place. Two girls who cleared 9’0” would not place at all.

The girls 4x200 relay would run and try to better their 12th seeded time and make it into finals. The same quartet as the 4x100 (but different order in this relay) of Woods, Zephier, Dion, and Nagel would run in the first heat with a time of 1:49.47, which was an improvement of almost 1.5 seconds. All the girls ran exceptionally well. Nagel would run a great anchor leg catching Beresford in the last 10 meters to ensure a place in Saturday’s final.

Our final field event competitor of the day was Emma Yost, who would compete in the discus throw. Despite her best efforts she was not able to make the podium. She finished in 19th place with a throw of 100’2”.

Woods would run the 100 and 300 hurdles. Her 100 hurdle time was 16.64, which put her in 11th place while her time in the 300 hurdles was 52.61, placing her 23rd overall.

Nagel’s last event of the day was the 200 dash. She would finish with a time of 28.38, good for 21st place in class A.

Jhett Breen has run really hard and really well in the 300 hurdles this year. He came in hopeful of making the finals in this event in 2022. He was stacked up against some good competition this year and would come up short as he ran a time of 43.05 placing 11th, which was where he was seeded coming into the event.

And Jhett, being the solid allaround athlete that he is, also competed in the pole vault. He was sitting in a tough position as his season best in this event was 10’0 and the opening height was 11’0”. He would give it his all but was unable to clear 11’0”.

For the first time ever, at least as far as I know, the South Dakota State Track and Field Meet would have a third day. Wagner would be competing in two events. Emma Yost would be the first competitor as she would take part in the shot put. She no doubt came into this event with some extra motivation to make the podium as she didn’t quite accomplish what she wanted to in the discuss throw. Things started well for Emma as she would throw a personal best 37’4 ¾” on her first throw. That would be her best of her three preliminary throws, and it would qualify her for the finals. In the finals she would improve upon that by ½ inch and would end up 7th overall with a mark of 37’5 ¼”. Very well done.

The only other event for Wagner was the 4x200 relay. This one wouldn’t go quite as planned as there was a miscue on one of the exchanges and the girls would finish in 8th place with a time of 1:54.76.

Wagner’s girls would score 14 points at the meet, tying them for 15th overall in class A.

Our 14 student-athletes who competed at the state meet were a great group to work with throughout the year. Whether they made the podium at the state meet or not, it is an honor to make it and they should all be proud of themselves. They competed and gave their best efforts, regardless of the outcome.

And to those who weren’t fortunate enough to make it to the state meet, keep up the hard work. We as coaches appreciate the numbers we have had the past couple of years. Thank you all for your time and effort and we hope to see you back out next year.