SIOUX FALLS – The Aberdeen Central boys positioned themselves for a big final day and set a school record in the process Friday during the second day of the Class AA State Track and Field Meet at Howard Wood Field. The Golden Eagles also grabbed a medal on the girls’ side when Taryn Nieman finished third in the discus.

The junior accomplished a goal with her top-three position in the event.

“I wanted to get all-state,” Nieman said, “so top three, which I’m happy that I made it.”

Nieman, who didn’t qualify for state in the discus last year, said offseason conditioning made a big difference this year as well as having solid teammates.

“I started lifting a little bit more during the winter,” Nieman said. “My teammates have always been really good to where they help me push and get better. We kind of build off each other.”

That can make practices pretty interesting.

“Practice is really fun, actually,” Nieman said, “but at the same time it’s really competitive.”

Nieman’s performance did not come as a surprise to Central girls’ coach Jim Appl.

“Wednesday night I looked at her when we were having our team meeting in the hotel and I looked right at her and said, you know you didn’t make all-conference top three, but you’re going to make all-state throwing 120,” Appl said. “And I was wrong. She threw 122. She’s had it in her the whole year, you knew that.”

Nieman, along with Taryn Hermansen who finished runner-up in the shot put on Thursday, and Grace Kuch, who is ranked in today’s javelin event, help to form the core of a potent throwing group.

“They have the confidence, because they’re coached so well over there in those three throw events,” Appl said. “The kids have faith in their coaching, they have faith in themselves, along with their abilities, so that’s good.”

Central’s boys set a new school record in the prelims of the 800-meter relay. The quartet of Gabe Johnson, Avery Ligon, Carter Dingman and Drew Salfrank broke their previous school mark they set at the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet two weeks ago with a time of 1:29.33.

“We wanted to break it again,” Ligon said. “We broke it by fourth-tenths of a second.”

The squad was able to set the new record despite breezy conditions at Howard Wood Field.

“When it came to the wind, we were a little bit worried about that,” Ligon said, “but then we’ve been practicing with it a lot, so we just kept pushing.”

So what is the goal for today’s final?

“Break it again,” Ligon said, “try to get 1:28 something.”

Central’s 1,600-meter relay also qualified for the finals as did many other Golden Eagles, setting up a big day for the squad when action concludes today.

“We have about eight kids going tomorrow. Kind of a little different than it has been the last couple of years when you lose some field event guys, but it’s still fun,” said Central boys’ coach Greg Murley. “The last day, having a lot of guys on the track, and kind of taking care of business today. We were pretty focused overall and I thought we had a really good day.”

One of the individuals who will be competing in the field events today will be Brian Johnson in the discus.

While the senior did not place in the shot put, he is looking forward to competing in the discus.

“I really love the discus,” Johnson said. “It’s just really fun just to go out there and sling a hunk of metal as far as you can.”

He said footwork is a key to the discus. Johnson, who played on the line in football, said the footwork on the gridiron carries over to track.

“Me being able to have that pop, whether I’m blocking a guy on the D-line or tackling somebody when you have that pop, you have that strength, the same way as the discus,” Johnson said. “You’re able to throw it as far you can, use that pop, use that strength that you have, whether it’s on the football field or vice versa.”

Johnson also brings another dimension to the team with his positive attitude and outlook on life.

“Usually, a lot of people like to get down on themselves. A lot of people are down in the dumps sometimes. You have to realize there’s always a fun outcome whether you can see that or not,” Johnson said. “If someone is having a bad time, I always try to pick them up and help them, cheer them up in a way.”

That positive perspective has had a major impact on his teammates as well as others who look up to him, according to Murley.

“He’s kind of made himself a little bit of a legend. I had a seventh-grader the other day that was so stoked that Brian Johnson gave him a shout out on Eagle Zone,” Murley said. “He’s a nice kid. He’s respectful to people. He’s put himself in a position where the community is looking at him.”

And it’s always easy to spot Johnson whether he is on the football field, cheering on the basketball team from the baseline student section, or at a track and field meet.

“He brings a lot to everywhere he goes,” Murley said. “There’s a little bit of pizzazz everywhere he goes.”

To see meet results, click on the following link:

https://results.dakotatiming.com/display.html?event_id=1245