PAGE 2: SPRING SPORTS 2016 PRESS & DAKOTAN PLAIN TALK Cover Story | Yankton’s Air Force YHS Jumpers Set To Build On ‘15 Success BY JEREMY HOECK Gazelles far exceeded those. “Last year was more of a building year for us, but it ended up going better than we thought,” Oswald When certain teammates are said. close, they can finish each other’s While the three athletes also sentences and nobody really bats compete in other events (Hale and an eye. Stewart, for example, also run in But reciting each other’s perrelays), jumps can be a particularly sonal records to the exact inch? unique situation, Olson said. Events That speaks to an even closer like high jump, triple jump and long bond. That’ll catch your attention. jump – much like throws – require Emma Stewart, Lindsey Hale and plenty of self-motivation. Emily Oswald share just a connec“Track is one of those unique tion. As jumpers for the Yankton sports where it’s team-oriented, High School girls’ track team, the but you have to have a competitive trio knows each other’s strengths spirit,” Olson said. “It’s you and the and tendencies probably better track.” than they do their own. Fortunately for the Yankton trio, “We’ve been doing this together they’ve got each other. for a long time,” Hale, a junior, said, “We all push each other a lot, with a smile. but we’re still really close and we So much so that they rely on have fun,” Stewart said. “We come each other for guidance and advice. in here and we’re not super seriIn an event like long jump or triple ous.” jump, you need someone to be There’s a shared understanding watching your marks – it’s the only that the other jumpers will watch way you know if you need to adjust. the pit during run-throughs to see if There are times when Yankton the next jumper is on her mark. jumps coach Justin Olson can’t be “They all have the same atthere for every attempt, so that’s titude,” Olson said. “They have that where teammates play an especially competitiveness. They all challenge big role. each other.” “That’s the biggest thing about And that could lead to a special us, we all know each person’s spring for the Gazelles. jumps,” Oswald, a sophomore said. Yankton, which finished fifth “Emma can do a run-through and in the Class AA girls’ team race I can automatically tell if her marks at state last year, returns every are on or off. We can help each individual event place winner and other.” all but three individuals who ran on And that help certainly, well, relays at the state meet. helped. Jumps are only one area where At last year’s South Dakota State the Gazelles are deep – hurdles, Class AA meet, the Yankton trio findistance and relays are others. ished among the state’s best in long “It could be a great year if we jump (especially) and triple jump. come out strong,” Hale said. Stewart, now a junior, won the JAMES D. CIMBUREK/P&D When it comes to Yankton’s long jump title, while Hale finished Yankton Gazelles jumpers Emma Stewart (left), Emily Oswald and Lindsey Hale return as some of the top jumps trio in particular, though, second and Oswald finished ninth. the Gazelles know they’ll have all And then in the triple jump, Stewart high school jumpers in South Dakota. three for the next two seasons. Sucwas second, Hale 10th and Oswald cess has presented, and will in the 19th. It’s also one that’s paid off for All of their successes last season have even higher hopes.” future, the trio with some potential Quiet as they may seem on the the three Gazelles. culminated in an eye-opening state Would that include Yankton gooptions beyond high school, Olson surface, each jumper is fiercely As they were able to rattle off meet performance in the long jump. ing 1-2-3 in the long jump? said. competitive. As their coach would during a preseason interview, their “It was definitely a nice surprise, “That’s what we’re hoping for,” “All three, once they’re done tell you. personal bests include: Stewart going 1-2,” Stewart said. “And Oz Oswald said, with a smile. “That’s here, they’ll be names to remem“They don’t like to be beaten,” (18-1.5 long jump, 37-3 triple jump), (Oswald) will be right there this definitely the goal.” ber,” he said. said Olson, an assistant coach who Hale (17-4.25 long, 35-2 triple) and year. She was super close. There were also relatively high works with jumpers. “That’s a qual- Oswald (16-6 long, 33-9 triple). “She was still really young, so we goals last year at this time, and the Follow @jhoeck on Twitter ity you love to see in any athlete.” jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net Track & Field: Expectations High For Gazelles BY JEREMY HOECK veloping the way they have, this could be a breakout year for them.” Most of the same events It could be a special – jumps, hurdles, distance – spring for the Yankton Gaagain look to be strengths for zelles. the Gazelles. That is, as head coach Junior Emma Stewart, Luke Youmans would tell last year’s Outstanding Field you, as long as the Yankton High School girls’ track team Performer at the state meet, takes advantage of last year’s won a title in the long jump momentum and continues to and was second in the triple jump, while junior Lindsey improve. Hale was second in the long “We’ve got one of the most talented groups of girls jump and 10th in the triple we’ve had here in a long time, jump. Sophomore Emily so it’s got to be about capital- Oswald just missed out on the podium in the long jump izing,” Youmans said. “And (ninth). capitalizing big.” Senior Savannah Woods A year ago, the Gazelles won the 3200-meter run and finished fifth at the South was sixth in the 1600-meter Dakota State Class AA meet run, while junior Madason – their second consecutive Tessier was third in the 100 top-5 finish at state. hurdles and third in the 300 And fueling the optimism hurdles. Sophomore Kate for 2016 is this fact: Yankton Budig was eighth in the 300 returns every individual hurdles, and senior Adrienne event place winner and all but three individuals who ran Kusek finished eighth in the discus and 10th in the shot on relays. put. “We could see this comA bulk of Yankton’s relay ing,” Youmans said. “It’s not quartets also return after like it just showed up this strong showings at state a year. year ago. The Gazelles bring “The writing was on the wall. As long as they kept de- back three runners from the jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net YANKTON: Savannah Woods Welcome to delicious.® Tim Letcher, General Manager TRUE BLUE SINCE 2003 3208 Broadway Ave. 605-689-3200 FARMERS & MERCHANTS STATE BANK “We Have A Way With Money” Bloomfield, NE 402-373-4321 www.fandmstatebank.com Member FDIC Branches in Hartington, Crofton, Center, Niobrara & South Yankton TRACK & FIELD Mar. 15 Mar. 21 Apr. 2 Apr. 5 Apr. 9 Apr. 12 Apr. 16 Apr. 19 Apr. 29 May 3 May 6 May 6-7 May 14 May 19 May 27-28 Bob Prince Early Bird — Dan Lennon Inv. — Steve Berseth ESD 2nd/2nd SCE/SCW/SFW — Br. Valley Inv. 10:30 a.m. vs. Mitchell/Br. Valley 4 p.m. Corn Palace Relays (Mitchell) 9 a.m. vs. S.F. Washington/S.F. O’Gorman/at Br. Valley 4 p.m. First Dakota Relays 2 p.m. vs. O’Gorman 4 p.m. O’Gorman Inv. 10 a.m. Howard Wood Dakota Relays 2 p.m./9 a.m. ESD (Harrisburg) 11:30 a.m. Last Chance (Brandon) 4 p.m. State AA (Brandon/ Sioux Falls 9:30 a.m./9 a.m. seventh-place 800 relay, three from the seventh-place 400, and two each to fifth-place 1600 and 3200 relays. The distance group also figures to see a boost out of last fall’s cross country lineup, which saw sophomore Madison McClure take third and eighth-grader Lauren Eidsness finish 13th. The Gazelles recorded 65 points at the state track meet a year ago, and to be able to catch up to the likes of Rapid City Stevens and Brandon Valley (both of whom scored over 100 points), Yankton will have to find ways to step up in other events, according to Youmans. “We’ve gotten to the point where we don’t want to just go out and compete anymore,” he said. “We want to compete at the highest level.” The Yankton Bucks, on the other hand, will be looking for new faces to rely on this spring. Having won the Eastern South Dakota Conference (ESD) title a year ago, the Bucks graduated most of their points from the state meet – where they finished eighth in Class AA (with 33 points). “We went through a big transitional period from last year,” Youmans said. “We lost some really talented kids, but it was a great year for our program to get back on top of the ESD.” Yankton isn’t, though, without returning athletes who competed at the state meet. Joseph Kelly tied for ninth in the pole vault, while Chris Kinsley was 10th in the triple jump and 13th in the long jump, and Kenneth Schroeder finished 19th in the triple jump. Coleton James returns to the 800-meter relay squad and Blake Savey returns to the 1600 relay squad, while the Bucks also bring all four runners in the 3200 relay quartet (Gabe Dannenbring, Lincoln Megard, Jared Rafferty and Savey). Yankton should also benefit from having a number of football players on the track team this spring, according to Youmans. “It always helps to have some success before you get here, and what we had happen during football will definitely help,” he said. There are also a pair of transfers who could help the Bucks this spring. Senior Devin Millen and junior Nick Rokusek, both of whom played football for Yankton last fall, should be able to help the team in areas like jumps and sprints. And then, of course, there will be some up-and-comers who could have an impact, according to Youmans. “I think we’ll have a lot of guys that maybe weren’t on our radars last year that could be some of our big dogs this year,” he said. Yankton started its season with three indoor meets; two each at the University of South Dakota and one at South Dakota State. Highlighting the schedule for the Bucks and Gazelles will be the First Dakota Relays (April 29, Yankton), Howard Wood Dakota Relays (May 6-7, Sioux Falls), ESD YANKTON: Coleton James Conference meet (May 14, Harrisburg) and the S.D. State meet (May 27-28, Brandon set us up for another good and Sioux Falls). season.” By the point of some of NIOBRARA-VERDIGRE those late-season meets, both Follow @jhoeck on Twitter Yankton squads should have COUGARS a better grasp of who could help at ESD and state, accordTrack & Field BLOOMFIELD Mar. 24........Warrior Relays (Creighton) ing to Youmans. Mar. 29..................................... HCC Inv. BEES/QUEEN BEES “It’s a great mix when you Apr. 5 .......................... Knox County Inv. Apr. 12 ..Neligh-Oakdale Inv. (Plainview) can throw in some of those Track & Field Apr. 20 ............... St. Mary’s Inv. (O’Neill) big dogs with some young Mar. 24........Warrior Relays (Creighton) Apr. 26 ...........Boyd County Inv. (O’Neill) kids,” he said. “That should Mar. 29..................................... HCC Inv. Apr. 28 ............................Norfolk Classic Apr. 5 .......................... Knox County Inv. Apr. 14 .................................. O’Neill Inv. Apr. 19 ............. Wildcat Inv. (Hartington) Apr. 23 .................... Wausa Inv. (Pierce) Apr. 28 ............................Norfolk Classic May 3 .................. Bronco Inv. (Atkinson) May 11 ..............District D-1 (Hartington) May 22-23.......................State (Omaha) Boys’ Golf (With Wausa) Apr. 5 .................................at Hartington Apr. 16 ..............................Plainview Inv. Apr. 18 ...................................Ponca Inv. Apr. 23 ......... Osmond Inv. (Rolling Hills) Apr. 30 ...................................Pierce Inv. May 2 ............Lewis & Clark (Hartington) May 4 ...................Niobrara-Verdigre Inv. May 9 ................................Randolph Inv. May 16 ............... District C-3 (Plainview) May 24-25..................... State (Kearney) Apr. 30 ...........................NVC (Atkinson) May 3 .................. Bronco Inv. (Atkinson) May 12 ...................District C-9 (Burwell) May 22-23.......................State (Omaha) Boys’ Golf Mar. 29..vs. Clearwater-Orchard/Santee Apr. 5 .................Crofton Inv. (Lakeview) Apr. 12 ............. vs. Clearwater-Orchard/ ............................................ at Plainview Apr. 13 ............Ewing Inv. (Summerland) Apr. 16 ..............................Plainview Inv. Apr. 18 .......................... Creighton Quad Apr. 21 ......Lutheran High Northeast Inv. Apr. 23 ......... Osmond Inv. (Rolling Hills) Apr. 26 ...................... NVC (Bassett CC) Apr. 30 ..............................West Holt Inv. May 4 ...................Niobrara-Verdigre Inv. May 9 .......Highway 20 Inv. (Bassett CC) May 16 ..........District D-3 (Summerland) May 24-25................State (North Platte)