Imperials’ Schmidt a title contender

The qualifying is done and all that remains in the high school track and field season is to decide who is the best of the best.

With many of the girls’ events wide open, there should be plenty of area athletes challenging for state titles this weekend at the state’s Class B meet at the Bismarck Community Bowl.

Napoleon freshman Rikki Schmidt is eyeing three events, but is also looking up at PRFLAE’s Adrienne Thomas in each of them. In the 100 Schmidt is tied with FSHP’s Shelby Krueger and Rolette-Wolford’s Kristyn Nelson for second overall in the state with a time of 12.44. Thomas leads the state with her time of 12.14.

Schmidt is also tied with Milnor-Wyndmere-Lidgerwood’s Cheri Boyer in the 400 (1:00.64), while Thomas is the lone runner in the state to break one minute with her time of 56.66.

In the 200, Schmidt is all by herself for the second-fastest time (25.44), but Thomas again leads the state with her time of 25.14.

It is safe to say that, barring injury, Lindsay Anderson should complete her fabulous high school career with at least three more individual titles: coming in the 800, 1600 and 3200.

Anderson leads Thomas by nearly four seconds for the state’s fastest time in the 800 and leads Griggs County Central’s Tenielle Klubben and Kiley Coles of Hillsboro-Central Valley by just over 15 seconds in the 1600. In the 3200 Anderson’s lead is over one minute with her time of 10:56.84. The state’s second-fastest time comes from New Town’s Shanice Lambert.

Maple Valley-Enderlin’s Kristen Killoran is tops in the state in three events, the 300 hurdles, along with the long and triple jumps.

Killoran leads the state by over a second in the 300 hurdles (45.34), but is fourth overall in the 100 hurdles (15.74).

In the long and triple jumps, Killoran has clearly distinguished herself. The senior’s 19-5 in the long jump is over a foot farther than the next closest competitor, as is the case with her 39-9 in the triple jump.

A year after battling with Ellendale’s Val Glynn for top honors in the high jump, Lisbon’s Veronica Munkeby stands alone atop the state with her mark of 5-5. Two others, teammate Kali Olson and Beulah’s Shelbi Schneider, have each cleared 5-2.

Griggs County Central teammates Kali Hook and Katie Gruman are 2-3 in the state for top shot put throws. Hook is second, behind Rugby’s Leah Wentz (43-7.25), with her toss of 42.2.5, while Gruman is third (38-6).

Gruman is tops in the discus competition, as her season-best 132-7 is six-plus feet further than Beulah’s Tegan Peabody (126-0).

Montpelier’s Sara Jensen is second overall in the state in the javelin with her throw of 130-6. That puts her behind only North Sargent-Sargent Central’s Jamie Drevlow, who tossed 133-9 earlier this season.

In the boys’ division, the West appears to have a leg up on many events, but there are still plenty of openings for a surprise or two.

Ellendale’s Joe Peldo returns to state for the final time of his career, looking for an individual title.

In the 100 his time of 11.04 is one-tenth of a second off the pace set by Rugby’s Eric Nelson (10.94) and has him third overall in the state.

Napoleon’s Damon Weigel is within a second of the state’s top time in the 1600. Weigel ran 4:34.14, putting him second overall in the state and behind Hazen’s Jordan Cieslak (4:34.02).

Lisbon’s Nathan Dykema is third in the state with his time of 15.74 in the 110 hurdles. Bottineau’s Scott Roemmich leads the competition as the only sub-15 second time this season (14.94).

While the state may be chasing Glenburn’s Seth Wistoff in two throwing events, the shot put and the discus, it is Harvey’s Kordel Wolfe that is the pole sitter in the javelin. Wolfe leads the state with his 185-1, just under four feet further than the next nearest competitor.

Wistoff appears without equal in the shot and discus this year. The senior eclipsed 60 feet in the shot (60-4), leading the state by seven feet. His 174-8 in the discus puts him ahead of Lisbon’s Logan Carlblom (157-3) by over 17 feet.

The state track meet will be held in Bismarck on May 23-24.

Sun sports writer Kalen Ost can be reached at (701) 952-8461 or by e-mail at kaleno@jamestownsun.com

Tags: classb, state, track, meet, napoleon