Babb leads Titans at Nike Heartland Meet

The Titans wrapped up a busy Homecoming week by competing in the Nike Heartland Pre-Regional meet on Saturday, Sept. 13 at Yankton Trail Park. This meet brings in 1232 athletes from over 30 schools and multiple states. The Titans recorded many season and personal bests as they competed against some of the top teams in the State. 

For the varsity girls, senior Jaycie Babb paced the Titans, earning 11th place (18:58.5) in the highly competitive field of 191 runners. Freshman Jayna VanLaecken claimed 32nd place (20:28.8) and eighth grader Evelyn DeGeest 48th (20:59.7). Sophomore Abby Hilleson grabbed 80th place (21:48.3) and sophomore Logan Castle finished 102nd (22:34.7). Seniors Brooklyn Reiners and Meredith Decker finished 148th (23:57.6) and 160th (24:42.2), respectively. Senior Gracie Kramer earned 177th place (26:43.6). The varsity girls finished eighth in the team standings. 

For the varsity boys, senior Jack Campbell led the Titans, earning 47th place (17:21.4). Junior Reid Hammerquist claimed 84th place (17:57.3) as fellow junior Jonah Klemisch finished 104th (18:14.8). Juniors Kaden Christian and Tate VanLaecken grabbed 113th (18:23.7) and 125th (18:37.2), respectively. Freshman Reece Christian earned 174th (19:52.6) with junior Noah Korver (187th—20:15.3) and senior Jacob DeYoung (194th—20:24.7) close behind. The varsity boys finished 19th in the team competition. 

The Junior varsity boys were led by freshman Grant Curtis who continued to impress, clocking a new PR (15:00.4—#9 School Rank 4K) for 12th place. Eighth grader Reed Cerny also posted a new PR (15:23.9) for 20th place. Junior Riley Clark posted a SB (16:14.8) for 43rd place, as junior Malachi Kaiser recorded a new PR (17:09.6) on his way to 79th place. Junior Jaxon Johanneson finished in 95th place (17:33.3), with freshman Lincoln Dykstra right behind in 96th place (17:35.1). Sophomore Kadin Zolnowsky claimed 109th place (17:56.7), and sophomore Zaiden Johnson 128th place (19:09.5). Junior Victor Bruggeman earned 154th place (21:55.7). The JV boys finished seventh in the team standings. 

The JV girls had nine competing and were led by freshman Gretchen Curtis who continued her string of top 20 finishes, earning 13th place (17:51.3). Fellow freshmen Lola Underberg claimed 31st place (18:50.2) and Grace Chapman 53rd place (19:43.7). Sophomore Daphne Decker finished in 75th place (21:06.5) and freshman Sophie Sherwood 82nd (21:29.0). Freshman Ella Kamps earned 87th place, as fellow freshman Natalie Hyronimus grabbed 96th (22:27.9) and senior Kiley Pendergast 97th place (22:40.2). Senior Morgan Sehr earned 103rd place (22:58.4). The JV girls finished fifth in the team competition. 

For the middle school boys, sixth grader Caleb Jelen led the Titans, earning 15th place (11:28.5) in the field of 275 runners. Eighth grader Grant Woodis recorded a new personal best (12:00.8) on his way to 32nd place. Seventh grader Micah Hyronimus finished in 83rd place (12:58.7), while eighth grader Easton Meier posted a new personal best (13:39.2) to claim 120th place. Eighth grader Jace Ullom earned 139th place (14:04.6), while sixth grader Zane Curry earned 187th place (new PR—15:09.6). Eighth grader Jhett Waltner ran near a season best (16:52.3) for 247th place. The MS boys finished 11th in the team standings. 

The MS girls had 16 Titans in the field of 236; they were led by the trio of sixth grader Genevieve Decker, seventh grader Angelina Dusa, and seventh grader Carly Castle, who all posted new personal bests in the race. Decker earned 21st place (12:55.3), Dusa 31st (13:05.6) and Castle 32nd (13:07.7). Seventh grader Lela Kamps grabbed 79th place (season best 14:25.0), as seventh grader Emilia Marandici posted a new personal best (14:50.5) for 97th place. Seventh grader Callie Hawthorne posted a new season best (15:13.2) for 115th place, with sixth grader Madeline Olinger right behind in 116th place (15:13.4). Sixth grader Samantha Klemisch recorded a new PR time (15:34.8) for 134th place, with seventh grader Michelle Teng close behind in 138th place (SB—15:47.8) as well as seventh graders Taytem Petrik (141st—SB 15:48.9) and Olivia Grunewaldt (144th—15:51.8). Sixth grader Vayda VanBeek claimed 160th place (16:31.7), with fellow sixth graders Thaiann Ekthanitphong grabbing 163rd (16:36.6), and AvaLynn Ullom 169th (new PR—16:50.1). Sixth grader Lindsey Reemtsma ran another PR time (18:28.1) for 207th place, and sixth grader Olivia Brockman claimed 223rd place (19:12.3) in her first career race. The MS girls finished eight in the team competition. 

Prior to their Heartland Pre-Regional Meet, the Titans competed at Canton on Tuesday, Sept. 9 with both the girls and boys taking team titles. 

The varsity boys race started the day and saw all five Titans finish in the top ten. Freshman Cooper Thompson used a great mid-race surge to move up and claim second place (17:24.84). Junior Reid Hammerquist started a run of Titans as he finished fourth (17:46.25), junior Jonah Klemisch fifth (18:04.71), and senior Jack Campbell sixth (18:16.43). Junior Tate VanLaecken grabbed tenth place (18:56.39). The varsity boys finished 27 points ahead of the runner up. 

The varsity girls race was next and had an exciting finish for the Titans as all six secured medal finishes. Freshman Jayna VanLaecken led the Titan effort, earning third place (20:16.32) with sophomore Grace Bialas close behind in fourth (20:23.48). Eighth grader Evelyn DeGeest grabbed sevneth place (21:21.23). Sophomore Logan Castle used a strong finish kick to pass to competitors in the final 300m and secure the team win for the Titans with her 11th place finish (22:33.31). Senior Brooklyn Reiners claimed seventh place (23:55.40) and freshman Taylor Boehnke grabbed 20th place (24:38.42). The varsity girls finished just three points ahead of runner-up Vermillion. 

The JV boys race was third and the Titans were dominant, with eight in the top ten (including the first five finishers). Kaden Christian led the Titans (and the race) wire to wire, earning his first race win of the season in a time of 14:46.25. Grant Curtis finished second (15:11.05), Jacob DeYoung third (15:41.96), Reed Cerny fourth (15:42.83), and eighth grader Caden Schuster fifth(16:17.36). Riley Clark claimed seventh place (16:32.89), with Noah Korver right behind in eighth (16:46.72). Jaxon Johanneson earned tenth place (16:57.13). Malachi Kaiser grabbed 18th place (17:49.17) with Lincoln Dykstra right behind in 19th place (17:55). Kadin Zolnowsky earned 25th place (18:19.36), Zaiden Johnson 34th (19:27.26) and Victor Bruggeman 40th (22:05.71). 

The JV Girls race was next and the Titans continued their streak of great races, with six in the top ten and all in the top 20. Gretchen Curtis led the Titans, earning second place (17:43.12), with fellow Lola Underberg close behind in third (18:00.88). Grace Chapman continued her strong start to the season, claiming fifth place (19:34.72). Gracie Kramer claimed seventh place (20:03.52), with fellow senior Kiley Pendergast close behind in 9th (20:33.6). Natalie Hyronimus grabbed tenth place (20:34.06), as Ella Kamps finished 13th (21:07.71). Daphne Decker earned 19th place (21:42.62) with Morgan Sehr right behind in 20th place (22:04.2). 

On Saturday, Sept. 20 the Titans will compete at Broadland Creek Golf Course in Huron. Race order is varsity girls at 9 a.m., follow by varsity boys, JV girls, JV boys, MS girls, and MS boys.

The MS combined race closed the day and saw more strong performances from the Titans. For the MS boys, 6th grader Caleb Jelen used a strong start to put himself in good position and finish 2nd (11:36.38). 6th grader Zane Curry grabbed 19th in his first career race (16:23). For the MS Girls, 6th grader Genevieve Decker claimed her first career race win, clocking a time of 13:10.38 for 1st. 6th grader Vayda VanBeek recorded her first top ten finish, earning 7th place (15:09.06). 6th grader Samantha Klemisch claimed 11th place (15:48.04), while 6th grader Thaiann Ekthanitphong earned 15th (17:20.11). 6th grader AvaLynn Ullom finished in 18th place with a new personal best (17:24.49), and 6th grader Lindsey Reemtsma also ran a new personal best (19:42.87) for 19th place. The MS combined team finished 4th in the team competition.