Titans compete in Nike Heartland Meet

The Tea Area High School cross country team traveled to Yankton Trails Park to participate in another premier Cross Country event, the Nike Heartland Pre-Regional Meet. The Meet featured over 1300 athletes from five states. The Titans turned out a number of amazing performances, recording a high number of personal and season best times, noted as PB and SB. 

The middle school boys race was the first of the day and the Titans were well represented, with 16 Titans in the field of 283. Caleb Jelen used a strong start to push out into the lead group and secure a top ten finish, grabbing 8th place with a personal best time of 10:58.6. Micah Hyronimus started a run of Titan finishers. Hyronimus claimed 71st place (12:38.6), Jordan Detloff 78th (12:45.3-PB), Rhett Wulff 83rd (12:48.5-SB),Owen Hodnefield 92nd (12:56.6-PB) and Bo Davis 94th place (12:57.9-PB).Bently Hart grabbed 167th place (14:19.9-PB) followed closely by David Marandici in 170th place (14:23.2-PB). Zane Curry finished in 201st place (15:02.8-SB) with Tristan Meyer (202nd; 15:06.0), Miguel Teng (206th; 15:08.3-PB), and Night Hermanson (215th; 15:18.3-PB) close behind. Abel Madera claimed 240th place (16:05.9-PB), Dax Browning 259th (16:56.7-PB), Amir Nuriyev 269th (18:21.1), and Benjamin Hyronimus 274th place (18:37.3). The middle school boys finished tenth in the team scoring. 

The middle school girls were the second race of the day and 29 Titans competed in the field. The Titans were led by Kate Davis. Davis moved through the field throughout the race to move up and finish in 8th place (12:36.2-PB). The Titans then had a string of Titan finishers with Hattie Bak in 40th (13:33.8-PB), Hayden Berg 46th (13:46.9-PB), Emilia Marandici 63rd (14:06.1-PB), Stella Carlson 67th (14:10.5-PB), Madeline Olinger 70th (14:13.6-PB), Adalyn Andersen 74th (14:19.6-PB), Samantha Klemisch 88th (14:33.6-PB), Ellery DeGeest 108th (14:48.1-PB), Penelope Porter 111th (14:50.2-PB), Alexis Waldner 112th (14:50.3-PB), Olivia Grunewaldt 114th (14:51.8-PB), Sophia Thomson (15:15.4-PB), Vayda VanBeek 152nd (15:20.8-SB), Michelle Teng 156th (15:28.9-SB), Zo Zebroski 157th (15:30.0-PB), Eliana Kuiken 165th (15:43.7-SB), Kinslee Kerr 166th (15:45.9-PB), AvaLynn Ullom  181st (16:09.6-PB), Thaiann Ektha-nitphong 184th (16:18.2-SB), Everly Dreckman 187th (16:25.8), Elyse Whitley 202nd (16:50.1-PB), Lindsey Reemtsma 206th (16:56.5-PB), Irie Smith 215th (17:30.9-PB), Bergan Imhoff 220th (17:42.3-PB), El Roebuck 224th (17:58.5-PB), and Madison Ollerich 226th (18:05.6-PB). The middle school girls finished sixth in the team competition. 

The JV boys race was the third of the day and eight Titans posted new personal best times. Grant Woodis led the Titans, earning 52nd place (15:55.8-PB). Lincoln Dykstra used a strong finish kick to move up into 75th place (16:28.9-PB) with Eliam Bullis (78th; 16:31.8-PB) and Andrew Mitchell (82nd; 16:39.1-PB) also closing strong. Jace Ullom moved well through the race, earning 101st place (17:09.0-PB), with Noah Sayler (107th; 17:20.6-PB), Ben Will (111th; 17:29.7-PB), and Kadin Zolnowsky (114th; 17:35.0) close behind. Jhett Waltner rounded out the Titan effort, grabbing 161st place (20:51.8-PB). The JV boys finished eighth in the team competition. 

The JV girls race was next and saw all five Titans in the field record personal bests. Carly Castle used a strong start to position herself in the lead group and finished well to finish in 15th place (17:07.4—PB). Angelina Dusa also got out well and grabbed 24th place (17:39.0-PB). Genevieve Decker moved well in the middle parts of the race in her first 4K, finishing in 40th place (18:00.0-PB). Ella Kamps used her strong start to claim 69th place (18:49.7-PB), with Natalie Hyronimus using a strong mid-race stride to claim 72nd place (18:55.7-PB). The JV girls finished fifth in the team competition. 

The Varsity boys raced next with ten Titans in the field. Reid Hammerquist led the Titan effort, becoming only the sixth Titan in school history to run under 17 minutes for 5K. Hammerquist ran strong mile splits to move through the field and claim 30th place (16:41.0- PB). Reece Christian also had a strong start, earning 76th place (17:43.0-SB). Grant Curtis ran his best race yet, finishing in 85th place (17:50.0-PB), with Kaden Christian close behind in 91st (17:55.1-SB). Cooper Thompson battled through some mid-race adversity to grab 115th place (18:17.8-SB). Tate VanLaecken continued to have strong starts, grabbing 133rd (18:28.1-SB). Jonah Klemisch claimed 148th place (18:37.9), with Malachi Kaiser close behind in 153rd place (18:41.6-PB). Jaxon Johanneson claimed 207th place (19:45.9-PB) and Riley Clark earned 241st place (20:48.0-PB). The Varsity boys finished 15th in the team competition. 

The final race of the day was the Varsity girls.

Grace Bialas led the Titan effort, using a strong opening mile to put herself in the lead groups and earn 35th place (19:55.2-SB). Taylor Boehnke used a good middle stride to claim 67th place (20:43.3-PB), with Logan Castle using a strong kick to finish right behind in 68th place (20:43.5-SB). Jayna VanLaecken battled throughout, grabbing 76th place (20:49.7). Lola Underberg used a good opening mile to set herself up well and finish in 88th place (21:05.4-PB). Evelyn DeGeest had a strong finish, earning 107th place (21:38.0). Gretchen Curtis used a good mid-race move to claim 112th place (21:45.9-PB). Abby Hilleson used a good race stride to claim 146th place (22:16.5). The Varsity girls earned tenth in the team competition. 

The Titans will compete in Huron this Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Broadland Creek Golf Course. Varsity girls are slated to begin at 9 a.m. followed by the varsity boys, JV girls, JV boys, Middle school girls and middle school boys.