GROTON – For one it was a chance to get back to form, for others it was chance at revenge.

Whatever the motivation, area athletes picked up victories during a blustery annual Rob Luecke Invitational track and field meet on Tuesday.

Ipswich senior Trevor Heinz won the long jump with a leap of 21 feet, 1/2 inch as he continues to round back into form after breaking his wrist during basketball.

“It’s been a slow recovery back,” Heinz said. “It’s my second time jumping this year since I broke my wrist; first time without the cast, actually.”

Heinz said the injury definitely took a toll on his normal jumping form.

“I have a specific hitch-kick form where I like swing my arms. My left arm goes a full rotation, my right arm goes a rotation and a half, and my legs cycle through, so it’s a lot of moving and landing,” Heinz said. “So, I just didn’t even risk falling on it for the first couple of weeks of the year.”

In fact, Heinz has had little prep time at all when it comes to jumping this spring. He said there is work to be done and he is ready to do it.

“I haven’t even been able to long jump once in practice, yet,” he said, “so we’ll get after it.”

A group of girls from Milbank were able to exact a measure of revenge during the 3,200-meter relay. After losing to Groton on their home track less than two weeks ago, the Bulldogs returned the favor at Groton.

“We knew the 4X8 coming in, Groton had beaten us before,” said Milbank’s Ashlynn Batchelor, “but we were up for the challenge to beat them and it came through, and it was successful day for that relay.”

While Batchelor was part of two winning relay squads, it was a narrow setback that was her favorite event of the day. The sophomore was in a battle against Heidi Olson of Mobridge-Pollock in the 1,600-meter run.

“Oh, that was fun. Winning is fun, but I love battling with people,” Batchelor said. “It really reminds me of how I love racing.”

Olson led for most of the race, before Batchelor passed her on the final lap. However, she was unable to hold off Olson on the front straightaway in a tight finish.

“My legs were pretty shot from the 4X8,” Batchelor said. “I knew she had a kick and I was going to have to give it all to try to beat her, but she just outkicked me. It was a fun race.”

Batchelor, who ran a 5:31.36, just behind Olson’s 5:30.48, said the duo worked together to bring out the best in each other.

“That was my fastest time this year, so I’d say that’s pretty good considering the conditions,” Batchelor said. “It was just us working together to make a good time.”

Warner seventh-grader Kaydee Mackner used a strong start to hold off the field at the finish in winning the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

Mackner’s lead dwindled as the field battled the wind down the home stretch.

“You had to really put your head down and pump your arms a lot to keep going,” Mackner said.

Mackner said getting an early lead was important, because it forced the others to come from behind heading into the wind.

“Everyone had to run (into the wind),” Mackner said, “so if you get a lead in the beginning it’s easier to win it then.”

When asked how tough it is to clear the final hurdle in the demanding race, Mackner said she just focuses on the end of the race.

“It easier to think about because you’re almost done … so you just push through this last couple meters,” Mackner said.

Kellen Pfitzer of Mobridge-Pollock won the discus. The freshman said the wind can actually be an advantage depending on the direction.

“If I get a wind coming from over on my right side it helps me a lot, because I’m right handed,” Pfitzer said, “but if there’s anything coming from the left at all or from behind me, it pushes it down and doesn’t help it at all.”

Pfitzer said technique is a huge part of discus throwing and something that takes a lot of time to refine.

“I do lots of drills which helps me,” Pfitzer said, “I do quite a bit of live throwing too at my house and I video myself which really helps me.”

Live throwing at home?

Pfitzer explained that his grandpa has a discus ring that was used for Kellen’s uncle Garrett Pfitzer, a standout thrower in the past. The Tigers have a rich history in the discus including the likes of Billy Hardcastle (who went on to compete at Purdue) and Daniel Roberts (the school record holder).

“I try and throw like how far they did, a lot,” Pfitzer said.

There were three athletes who won multiple open events. Ryli Thompson of Mobridge-Pollock won the girls’ 100-meter and 200-meter dashes, and Groton’s Keegan Tracy won the same sprint races in the boys’ division. Milbank’s Emmett Hanson won the 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter intermediate hurdles, while teammate Payton Brown won the 1,600-meter and 3,200-meter runs.

Aberdeen Christian won the girls’ 400-meter relay with a new-look lineup.

“This is the first year we’ve been able to comfortably mix up who’s in the race,” said Knights coach Sam Bjorkman, “and so Hope Ellyson ran that for the first time. That was good and it went well.”

The Knights did the same thing in the 800-meter relay.

“The goal was to just continue to build confidence rotating people in and out,” Bjorkman said, “so we don’t put ourselves in a bind if we to have to rotate somebody out late season.”

Another highlight for Christian was Dylan Hofer taking second place in the triple jump with his best attempts in his career.

“He’s one of the smoothest athletes I’ve ever seen, so it’s fun to see him just starting to put together triple jump; about his fourth-fifth time competing,” Bjorkman said. “He just knows where his body’s at in space, and so he’s learning really quick. So that’s pretty fun. His best six jumps were the six jumps he had today, his best six jumps ever. So that’s pretty cool.”

Roncalli also had a solid meet. The Cavaliers got off to a strong start on Monday during the pole vault and javelin which was held at Brownell Activities Complex in Aberdeen.

“It’s kind of nice being to able focus on our pole vault and javelin on their own little separate thing,” said Roncalli co-coach Brady Lesnar. “I do appreciate that Groton does that.”

Rylee Voeller won the javelin with a distance of 92 feet, 9 inches.

“Rylee had a fantastic javelin meet,” Lesnar said. “She broke the school record I think three times.”

The Cavaliers also had solid efforts in the relays, most notably in the sprint medley where they finished second to Tri-State. Roncalli was unable to catch Tri-State standout Kaleb Foltz who ran stellar anchor leg.

“The best part is that we were even able to keep up with him, which is really cool to see that we were right there with him,” said Roncalli co-coach Sarah Lux.

That’s because Roncalli anchor Joe Perkins ran a very strong anchor leg himself and kept the pressure on.

“He ran a PR according to our times in that,” Lux said. “Our boys overall have a time that’s sitting pretty well in the state with that.”

The Cavaliers were happy for another chance to get an outdoor meet in as they progress through the season.

“We’re just looking to get the meets in really,” Lux said, “and just get on the track and compete is what we want.”

For complete meet results, click on the following link:

https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/539096/results/all