While many teams are stuck inside due to the extended winter, the Wadena-Deer Creek Track and Field teams traveled to Bemidji to take part in the annual Lion’s Invite at the Gillette Recreation Center at Bemidji State University.
The boys team finished with 45 points, earning a sixth place finish. The girls team earned 27 points, finishing in eighth place overall. Grand Forks Red River swept the team titles, finishing with 146.50 points for the girls, while the boys finished with 150 points.
“It was a great start for all of our athletes,” Wadena-DC head coach Marc Reynolds said. “Many of our boys and girls continue to progress from last season and we saw some new faces step into big roles for our team.”
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It was a nice start to the season for Hunter Hawkins. He ran a personal best in the 400 meter run, finishing with a time of 53.90 seconds for second place. He anchored the 800 meter relay, which finished second as well. He was joined by Jonathan Pantages, Bereket Loer and Isaac Hale in that event. Hawkins excelled in the field events as well. He finished fourth in the long jump at 19-9 and sixth in the triple jump at 39-9. His triple jump is the fourth best in school history.
The Wolverines had two place in the finals of the 60 meter hurdles with Wyatt Peterson taking fifth and Cade Kapphahn coming in seventh. Pantages was seventh in the 60 meter dash and 10th in the long jump. Steven Erkenbrack earned a fourth place finish in the shot put. Lucas Hinojos earned third place honors in the 800 meter run. Hinojos finished at 2:15.22 in his second race ever.
Cody Wheeler finished eighth in the pole vault, while Jayson Young, Chase Domier and Cooper Folkestad took home ninth place honors in their respective events.
Kennedy Gravelle paced the Wadena-Deer Creek girls team. She finished second in the 1600 meter run, ending with a time of 5:46.28. It was a new personal best for Mikaela Malone in the 60 meter dash when she finished third at 8.26. Malone, Ellie Miron, McKenna Wangsness and Carla Bukowski earned fourth place honors in the 800 meter relay at 1:57.05. Miron finished fifth in the shot put, while Eve Collins came home in sixth in the 400 meter dash.
Abby Motschenbacher came in ninth in the 800 meter run. Motschenbacher held the anchor spot in the 3200 meter relay. She was joined by Collins, Sam Malone and Johanna Brunsberg in ninth place. Hailey Peterson earned 10th place honors in the pole vault.
The Wolverines will close the indoor portion of its schedule with a meet on April 3 at Bemidji State University.
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Lion’s Invite
Girls Team Results
Grand Forks Red River 146.50, Grand Forks Central 86, Pequot Lakes 53.50, Park Rapids Area 52.50, Hibbing 46, Bemidji 40, Thief River Falls 32.50, Wadena-Deer Creek 27, Grand Rapids 23, Fertile-Beltrami 19, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 16, International Falls 19, BGMR/Freeze 9, West Marshall 7, Nevis 4, TrekNorth 2, Bigfork 1, Bagley/Fosston 1
Wadena-DC Top 10 results
3200m relay-8, WDC, 11:17.91; 400m dash-6, Eve Collins, 1:07.58; 1600m run-2, Kennedy Gravelle, 5:46.28; 60m dash-3, Mikaela Malone, 8.26; 800m relay-4, WDC, 1:57.05; 800m run-9, Abby Motschenbacher, 2:45.47;Shot put-5, Ellie Miron, 36-7.50; Pole Vault-10, Hailey Peterson, 6-00.
Boys Team Results
Grand Forks Red River 150, Bemidji 74.50, Grand Rapids 68, Pequot Lakes 63, Grand Forks Central 48, Wadena-Deer Creek 45, Park Rapids Area 36, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale 28, Hibbing 16, Bagley/Fosston 15, Nevis 12.50, Bigfork 10, International Falls 9, Clearbrook-Gonvick 7, Thief River Falls 2, TrekNorth 1
Wadena-DC Top 10 Results
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3200m relay-9, WDC, 9:47.42; 400m dash-2, Hunter Hawkins, 53.90; 60m hurdles-5, Wyatt Peterson, 9.69; 7, Cade Kapphahn, 9.92; 60m dash-7, Jonathan Pantages, 7.52; 9, Chase Domier, 7.54; 800m relay-2, WDC, 1:36.87; 800m run-3, Lucas Hinojos, 2:15.22; 9, Jayson Young, 2:18.58; Pole Vault-8, Cody Wheeler, 9-00; Long Jump-4, Hunter Hawkins, 19-9; 10, Jonathan Pantages, 18-6; Triple Jump-6, Hunter Hawkins, 39-9; Shot put-4, Steven Erkenbrack 43-0; 9, Cooper Folkestad, 39-9.
