Track and field athletes were looking to make a mark to open their seasons, as teams from across the region embarked on the Barnett Center for the Fuller Invitational indoor meet on Monday.

Ipswich senior Tyler Hettich won the high jump. He followed the instructions of his coach Todd Thorson during the event to adjust and continue to raise the bar.

“My coach was recording, so I went over and talked to him,” Hettich said. “He just said I gotta lean a little more and attack it, and I got the job done.”

As the bar moved higher, Hettich continued to make adjustments.

“I had to really drive the knee (and) hold my bend a second longer, because I was coming down and I was flicking too soon,” Hettich said. “So, I held it a second longer just so I could get a good rotation so my feet didn’t hit it.”

Estelline-Hendricks junior standout Sadie Johnson was excited to start the season and get off to a good start. Johnson, who won the Class B all-around championship at the State Gymnastics meet in Aberdeen last month, won three events on the day.

“I was just glad to get out here today,” Johnson said. “We haven’t had any practice really. This is like just come out and do your best.”

Johnson is the defending State B champion in the pole vault. She won that event, which she says correlates well with other competitions she is involved in.

“It’s easier and I understand it a lot more than a lot of the other events, because it’s so similar to gymnastics and bars,” Johnson said. “It’s just really easy to correlate those two things together and make it simpler.”

Johnson also earned wins in the long jump and triple jump events.

Leola senior Hans Lapka won the 55-meter dash, noting that he performed better once he was warmed up.

“I ran better in the finals of the 55,” Lapka said. “The first 55 I was kind of slow out of my blocks. I was getting warmed up. Then, when I got into the finals of the 55, I got out of the blocks the best I ever have.

Lapka also placed fifth in the 200-meter dash.

Aberdeen Christian’s Shawnteah La Croix won a pair of sprint events, although she admitted she was not totally ready for the first meet of the season.

“Basically, I was not exactly prepared for today because I, number one, did not practice any of my races until now, and did not practice any of my blocks, so I just came in here and kind of winged it,” La Croix said. “Whatever happens, that was what God did.”

La Croix, a freshman, won the 55-meter dash and the 200-meter dash.

Christian’s Abe Kretchman also won two events, capturing the long jump and the triple jump.

Knights coach Sam Bjorkman said it was good for his athletes to get a meet under their belt early in the season.

“It’s always good to get a first meet down. Kind of knock off the rust. Teach the younger kids what a meet looks like, how it feels, where you need to be, warm up times, that kind of thing,” Bjorkman said. “So that’s really my main focus.”

Bjorkman says there are differences between running on a shorter, indoor track compared to running on a larger, outdoor track.

“It would definitely be hard if you had to switch back-and-forth throughout the season, so it’s

logical of course that it’s at the beginning of the season,” Bjorkman said “These are really tight curves. This is a short indoor track.”

Bjorkman was impressed with how his team performed, especially Kretchman and La Croix in their respective events. Overall, he is focused on inputs rather than outputs this season.

“My most basic, most central expectations are really around inputs rather than results, I guess,” Bjorkman said. “What I’m focused on is kids showing up every day at practice focused, dialed in, and believing that what we’re going to do is make them better.”

There is another meet scheduled at the Barnett Center today.

Participating Teams: Aberdeen Christian, Edgeley-Kulm, Ellendale, Estelline-Hendricks, Ipswich, Leola, Milbank Area, Standing Rock, Stanley County, Warner.

GIRLS’ DIVISION

55-Meter Hurdles: 1, Marley Guthmiller, Ipswich, :09.96; 2, Jalyssa Hutson, Ipswich, :10.65; 3, Lauren Marcuson, Warner, :11.14; 4, Hannah Lematta, Ellendale, :13.00; 5, Anisten Petersen, Ellendale, :13.42.

55-Meter Dash: 1, Shawnteah La Croix, Aberdeen Christian, :07.81; 2, Jaelyn Bertsch, Edgeley-Kulm, :07.89; 3, Elli Lloyd, Edgeley-Kulm, :08.11; 4, Ashley Ptacek, Ipswich, :08.15; 5, Emma Pierce, Estelline-Hendricks, :08.33; 6, Brianna Geditz, Ipswich, :08.37; 7, Teegan Fischer, Standing Rock, :08.42; 8, Ali Isakson, Aberdeen Christian, :08.43.

200-Meter Dash: 1, Shawnteah La Croix, Aberdeen Christian, :28.03; 2, Grace Sargent, Stanley County, :30.29; 3, MaKenna Leidholt, Warner, :30.85; 4, Alyx Hoffman, Leola, :31.14; 5, Kathyrn Kilber, Ipswich, :31.30; 6, Ava Nilsson, Warner, :31.32; 7, Brianna Geditz, Ipswich, :31.51; 8, Anna Nierman, Ipswich, :31.55.

400-Meter Dash: 1, Kali Norton, Ellendale, 1:07.29; 2, MaKenna Leidholt, Warner, 1:09.92; 3, Riley Goehring, Ellendale, 1:11.17; 4, Kyleigh Schopp, Warner, 1:11.46; 5, Jaelyn Bertsch, Edgeley-Kulm, 1:12.58; 6, Mataeya Mathern, Edgeley-Kulm, 1:12.65; 7, Macy Norton, Ellendale, 1:12.90; 8, Elli Lloyd, Edgeley-Kulm, 1:12.92.

800-Meter Run: 1, Kaysen Magee, Stanley County, 2:36.35; 2, Mataeya Mathern, Edgeley-Kulm, 2:38.91; 3, Kathryn Steger, Aberdeen Christian, 2:43.46; 4, Grace Sargent, Stanley County, 2:44.91; 5, Rachel Nemec, Stanley County, 2:51.25; 6, Addisyn Heinrich, Warner, 2:52.09; 7, Kennadee Wiedebush, Warner, 2:52.25; 8, Josetta Buffalo Boy, Standing Rock, 2:55.55.

1,600-Meter Run: 1, Madisyn Gellhaus, Ipswich, 5:55.95; 2, Rachel Beaner, Aberdeen Christian, 6:11.86; 3, Gracyn Kadlec, Ipswich, 6:39.14; 4, Sarah Fosheim, Stanley County, 6:40.10; 5, Gracie Olson, Stanley County, 6:55.58; 6, Alice Gackle, Edgeley-Kulm, 7:10.85.

Shot Put: 1, Alyx Hoffman, Leola, 32-10.50; 2, Tristan Geditz, Ipswich, 28-2.25; 3, Stacia Carda, Warner, 27-5.50; 4, Emily Anderson, Leola, 27-4.75; 5, Natalie Ebbers, Estelline-Hendricks, 27-0; 6, Rachael Runge, Stanley County, 25-9.50; 7, Hannah Lematta, Ellendale, 24-8.25; 8, McKenzie Haag, Edgeley-Kulm, 24-6.25.

High Jump: 1, Kaylin Slivoskey, Ellendale, 4-10.50; 2, Gracie Lange, Ipswich, 4-6.25; 3, Sophia Hoeft, Warner, 4-5; 4, Riley Goehring, Ellendale, 3-10.

Long Jump: 1, Sadie Johnson, Estelline-Hendricks, 15-8.25; 2, Kaylin Slivoskey, Ellendale, 14-10; 3, Gracie Lange, Ipswich, 14-4; Lauren Marcuson, Warner, 13-11.50; 5, Sophia Hoeft, Warner,13-4.75; 6, Kaitlyn Mueller, Leola, 13-4; 7, Raegan Taylor, Stanley County, 13-0.75; 8, Emily Nemec, Stanley County, 11-9.

Triple Jump: 1, Sadie Johnson, Estelline-Hendricks, 30-8.50; 2, Macy Norton, Ellendale, 28-4.25; 3, Norah Moen, Warner, 26-11.75; 4, Kaitlyn Mueller, Leola, 26-6.25.

Pole Vault: 1, Sadie Johnson, Estelline-Hendricks, 9-6.25; 2, Jacy Dexter, Milbank Area, 9-0.25; 3, Katie Kruger, Milbank Area, 8-0; 4, Katilyn Williams, Ipswich, 8-0; 5, (tie) Maggie Kruger, Milbank Area, 8-0, and Marley Guthmiller, Ipswich, 8-0; 7, (tie) Kathryn Kilber, Ipswich, 8-0, and Jalyssa Hutson, Ipswich, 8-0.

1,600-Meter Relay: 1, Ipswich (Ashley Ptacek, Madisyn Gellhaus, Gabby Wald, Vanesa Diaz), 4:45.29; 2, Stanley County, 4:45.78; 3, Ipswich, 4:55.13; 4, Aberdeen Christian, 5:04.09; 5, Warner, 5:08.32.

BOYS’ DIVISION

55-Meter Hurdles: 1, Hunter Cramer, Warner, :08.72; 2, Rasmus Loken, Ipswich, :09.62; 3, Greg Fuher, Ellendale, :10.10; 4, Grant Weiser, Ipswich, :10.35; 5, Porter Glynn, Ellendale, :10.62; 6, Kaden Weig, Ipswich, :10.77; 7, Nate Bass, Ipswich, :11.06; 8, Landon Schmidt, Ellendale, :11.92.

55-Meter dash: 1, Hans Lapka, Leola, :06.93; 2, Brendon Bothwell, Stanley County, :07.06; 3, Abe Kretchman, Aberdeen Christian, :07.13; 4, Kyle Hettich, Ipswich, :07.20; 5, Mattix Hausman, Estelline-Hendricks, :07.22; 6, Joe Kramlich, Edgeley-Kulm, :07.24 7, Zachary Wood, Warner, :07.28; 8, Logan Permann, Warner, :07.58.

200-Meter Dash: 1, Brendon Bothwell, Stanley County, :25.06; 2, Abe Kretchman, Aberdeen Christian, :25.39; 3, Dreux Kidder, Standing Rock, :25.57; 4, Kyle Hettich, Ipswich, :25.77; 5, Hans Lapka, Leola, :26.05; 6, Hunter Cramer, Warner, :26.07; 7, Joe Kramlich, Edgeley-Kulm, :26.18; 8, Zachary Wood, Warner, :26.30.

400-Meter Dash: 1, Turner Thorson, Ipswich, :56.40; 2, Dreux Kidder, Standing Rock, :57.61; 3, Logan Permann, Warner, 1:00.70; 4, Camden Hobbs, Estelline-Hendricks, 1:01.03; 5, Payton Volk, Warner, 1:01.31; 6, Devon Woolsey, Warner, 1:01.48; 7, Noah Fischbach, Warner,1:01.75; 8, Casey Geditz, Ipswich, 1:01.91.

800-Meter Run: 1, Maxwell Kulesa, Ipswich, 2:11.12; 2, Adian Thurber, Ellendale, 2:13.70; 3, Braedon Kinzler, Edgeley-Kulm, 2:14.21; 4, Luke Kaiser, Aberdeen Christian, 2:17.86; 5, Clayton Dulaney, Warner, 2:28.83; 6, Tyson Peterson, Stanley County, 2:30.95; 7, Walker Miller, Ellendale, 2:31.02; 8, Justin Trebbe, Stanley County, 2:34.16.

1,600-Meter Run: 1, Theo Thurber, Ellendale, 5:09.80; 2, Braedon Kinzler, Edgeley-Kulm, 5:14.98; 3, Xavier Kadlec, Ipswich, 5:36.44; 4, August Harms, Edgeley-Kulm, 5:47.20; 5, Jace Bender, Leola, 5:51.74; 6, Tyler Gellhaus, Ipswich, 6:01.15; 7, Micah Girard, Ellendale, 6:01.30; 8, DJ Waldo, Ellendale, 6:02.02.

Shot Put: 1, Jon Nefzger, Estelline-Hendricks, 47-9; 2, Dustin Wurtz, Leola, 42-11.75; 3, Lucas Rowland, Ipswich, 42-8.25; 4, Marcus Henry, Standing Rock, 42-6; 5, Helexio Eagle, Standing Rock, 39-0.50; 6, Braxton Jongeling, Estelline-Hendricks, 36-11.75; 7, Matthew McAninch, Estelline-Hendrick, 36-6.25; 8, Zach Evans, Warner, 36-5.75.

High Jump: 1, Tyler Hettich, Ipswich, 5-10; 2, Hunter Cramer, Warner, 5-7.75; 3, Chays Mansfield, Warner, 5-2.25; 4, Ty Bauer, Ipswich, 4-10.50; 5, Drew Bakeberg, Warner, 4-7.

Long Jump: 1, Abe Kretchman, Aberdeen Christian, 20-3; 2, Trevor Heinz, Ipswich, 19-10.25; 3, Paxton Deal, Stanley County, 17-9; 4, Lucas Gulbranson, Leola, 17-7.50; 5, Payton Volk, Warner, 17-1.25; 6, John Luger, Standing Rock, 16-8.75; 7, Tanner Wolberg, Warner, 15-9.50; 8, Austin Jenkins, Leola, 15-4.75.

Triple Jump: 1, Abe Kretchman, Aberdeen Christian, 37-1.25; 2, Lucas Gulbranson, Leola, 34-7; 3, Landon Schmidt, Ellendale, 30-3.75; 4, Jace Bender, Leola, 25-6.75.

Pole Vault: 1, Jayden Johnson, Milbank Area, 12-6; 2, Sam Rick, Milbank Area, 10-0; 3, Brody Davis, Ipswich, 9-6.25; 4, (tie) Parker Grabow, Milbank Area, 9-0.25, and Chays Mansfield, Warner, 9-0.25; 6, Rasmus Loken, Ipswich, 8-0; 7, (tie) Paxton Johnson, Warner, 7-6, and Karsten Saathoff, Estelline-Hendricks, 7-6.

1,600-Meter Relay: 1, Stanley County (Brendon Bothwell, Paxton Deal, Justin Trebbe, Tyson Peterson), 4:05.08; 2, Ellendale, 4:15.51; 3, Warner, 4:24.16.