GETTYSBURG – The Mobridge-Pollock boys and Wolsey-Wessington girls captured team championships at the Battler Invitational on Saturday.

Mobridge-Pollock scored 140.5 points in the boys’ division, Ipswich was second with 135 and Warner third with 98.5. Wolsey-Wessington finished with 109 points to edge Mobridge-Pollock by four in the girls’ division. Ipswich was third with 90.

Numerous individuals had big days during the meet.

Heidi Olson of Mobridge-Pollock won the 800-meter and 1,600-meter runs and also ran on the winning 1,600-meter relay.

After winning the 1,600 by a healthy margin, Olson found herself in a battle with Kaysen Magee of Stanley County in the 800. The two were nearly side-by-side with 50 meters left before Olson held her off for the win.

I just said ‘I have to have it. I can keep going. I can keep going,’ ” Olson said. “My legs were getting a little tired from running that mile, but I just decided that I’m not giving up and I’m just going to keep fighting to get that victory.”

Olson wasn’t sure exactly where Magee was at, but knew it had to be close by the reaction of the crowd.

“I heard everybody yelling,” Olson said. “I believed in myself that I would not let anybody beat me.”

The freshman was slightly off her desired time, but was still pleased with her effort.

“I was shooting for a 2:28. I got 2:29 which I’m pretty proud of,” she said. “I just keep hoping that I can shave time off each time I run.”

Alec Maier of North Central was also just off his desired time, but still satisfied with his victory in the 400-meter dash. He had to contend with a stiff north breeze down the homestretch.

“Right when I started I was feeling great,” Maier said, “but when the wind caught me there I was just like, ‘Holy Cow, I’m going to die.’ Luckily I finished pretty good, though.”

Maier, who also won the 200-meter dash and ran a strong leg on a relay team, said the quarter mile is his choice of events.

“The 400 is my favorite event. I just love it, because I succeed at it and it’s fun,” Maier said. “I usually puke after every race, but I still enjoy it.”

The senior from Eureka was just off the time he wanted.

“The goal coming into today was like 51 flat and I ran a 51.6,” Maier said. “Not as good as I hoped, but like I said, the conditions weren’t ideal, so it’s all right.”

Warner’s Jackson McNeil did his personal best on the way to winning the shot put. His toss of 46-feet, 5-inches was not only his top throw, it also beat his brother Dawson’s best effort at 44-10 in 2016.

“It definitely felt good,” McNeil said of beating his brother. “I knew it right away.”

While there is no longer automatic state qualifying, the senior said the goal is to keep improving.

“I just want to keep doing better and better,” McNeil said. “There’s always competition. I always try to be number one and try to be the best.”

Stevie Wittler was the best in the girls’ hurdle races during the meet. She won both the 100-meter and 300-meter intermediate hurdles events. There was no denying which one was most satifsying.

“Definitely the 300, because we had done kind of a practice track meet before and I was not feeling too confident about my 300 hurdles. I had actually fallen at the last hurdle,” Wittler said. “It felt awful. This one I was actually having fun. I’m like, ‘Dang, that was pretty fun.’ It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

While the 300 was the most satisfying, the freshman said the 100 hurdles is her favorite event.

“The 100s are more about technique,” Wittler said, “so it makes me pretty proud when I can get my technique down and it’s really consistent.”

Other athletes who shined included Josh McQuarie of Ipswich who won both hurdles races and the high jump, and was third in the triple jump, Faulkton’s Hunter Niederbaumer who won the 1,600 and 3,200, and Kailynn Dorris of Wolsey-Wessington who won the 100 and 200, and ran on two winning relays.

For complete meet results, please click on the following link:

https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/415132/results