Four local state track & field title winners out of Class B

Minot Daily News

Photo by Al Christianson.

BISMARCK — Local-area teams found success on the track and in the field on the final day of the North Dakota state track and field meet Saturday at the MDU Resources Community Bowl in Bismarck. Des Lacs-Burlington/Lewis & Clark bolstered a pair of state champions in Caitlyn Vogel and Joshua Knutson, both were named Northwest Region Senior Athletes of the Year last weekend. The DLBLC boys placed sixth 45 points and the girls took 11th with 20 points. The Class B boys division was won by Dickinson Trinity (80 points), followed by Kindred (57), Hillsboro/Central Valley (55.50), New Town (50) and Watford City (48.50). The Class B girls division was won by Hazen (65 points), followed by Hillsboro/Central Valley (57), Park River/Fordville-Lankin (50), Rugby (49) and Dickinson Trinity (49). Kenmare senior Jacob Rodin also picked up a state title in the boys 400 and Rugby junior Marisa Blessum won the girls pole vault. Caitlyn Vogel, DLBLC, long jump

From a torn ACL to becoming a state champion, the road to the top spot on the podium wasn’t easy for DLBLC senior Vogel. But, she found an event she could excel in. “I only started (long jumping) this year, so I wasn’t even expecting to place really,” she said. “Then, it just kind of happened.” Vogel was all smiles and laughter when trying to comprehend her winning jump of 17 feet, three and a half inches on Saturday. “I was ahead the whole time with my first jump of 17 feet,” Vogel said. “Then, I just beat my best jump on my final jump.” A feat that would have been unimaginable to some critics after Vogel tore her ACL during her sophomore season. She wasn’t going to let that stop her. “My doctor even told me that I probably should slow down and I wouldn’t be as athletic,” Vogel said. “I just kept pushing, I had a trainer that really helped me and I won state.” Vogel plans to attend Minot State University as a student. Joshua Knutson, DLBLC, 110- and 300-meter hurdles

A week ago, Knutson needed a moment to catch his breath before giving an interview after winning the Northwest Region 300-meter hurdles event. Saturday in Bismarck he got to stand on the podium first with a state championship plaque before meeting with the media, which gave him plenty of time to catch his breath and bask in the moment. “This feels amazing, honestly,” Knutson said. “I’ve worked so hard and I’m glad it paid off in the end.” Knutson adjusted his run in the final of the 300-meter hurdles after realizing he went out too fast in his preliminary heat on Friday and finished third because of it. “I changed it up a little bit from yesterday,” he said. “I slowed down right away because I went out too hard yesterday in the beginning. Then, I just chased (Connor) Dennis and barely got by him.” Dennis from Watford City had the fastest time in the preliminaries and held the lead Saturday until the final hurdle. “In my head, I felt like I could get there,” Knutson said. “I’m just glad I did.” Knutson edged Dennis by 0.04 seconds, finishing with a time of 38.51 seconds. A couple hours later, Knutson doubled up with another state title in the 110-meter hurdles. He bested Dennis again to do so. But, this time instead of chasing him down, Knutson got out of the blocks in first and stayed there. His time of 14.74 seconds was over a second faster than his preliminary time of 15.78 seconds. The two state titles were enough for Knutson to be named the Class boys track and field Senior Athlete of the Year. Jacob Rodin, Kenmare, 400-meter run

Much of the joy Rodin had after winning the 400 was wiped away when Edgeley/Kulm junior Isaac Huber stole what could have been Rodin’s 800 state title as well. Rodin wanted two state titles to wrap up his senior season. He was 0.06 seconds away from winning two state titles. “It’s not how I wanted it to finish,” Rodin said. “But, that’s the way it goes sometimes.” Rodin took control in the 800 early on by leading the pack out of the second corner. That’s where he remained until Huber’s late surge at the finish to beat Rodin by fractions of a second. The two even touched coming to the line, as Rodin’s flailing arms got in Huber’s path. Regardless, Huber powered through for the victory. “He is a great runner, and he deserved it,” Rodin said. “He finished better than what I did.” Rodin won the 400 earlier in the day with a time of 49.49 seconds. Half a second faster than Dickinson Trinity’s Noah Sickler. “My goal was just to keep up with (Noah) Sickler from Dickinson Trinity,” Rodin said. “Stay as close to him as I can and see how it finishes.” No late dramatics were needed in that one, as Rodin held the lead comfortably come down the front stretch. “The fans have supported me to the end and they are literally some of the best fans out there,” Rodin said about his high school career. “I love Kenmare.” Maria Blessum, Rugby, pole vault

Ten feet provided a slight scare, but Blessum didn’t allow the speed bump to derail her from capturing the girls pole vault state title. “At 10 (feet) I kind of got a little nervous because it took me three tries,” Blessum said. “That kind of freaked me out. But, other than that, everything else went fine.” Blessum placed second at state a year ago with a vault of 10 feet, three inches. She cleared 11 feet to capture the state championship on Saturday. “Coming up short last year, I really wanted it this year,” she said. “It feels really good.” Last year’s winner Faith Beck from Dickinson Trinity took second with a mark of 10 feet, three inches. Killdeer’s Sydney Andersen was third at 10 feet. Breaking through the 10-foot barrier was more of a mind game than anything for Blessum. “No,” Blessum said when asked if she did anything differently. “I just told myself that I needed to stop doing bad.” Class B boys Other local notable Class B boys results from Day 2 of the state track and field meet. – Tyson Akers, DLBLC, second in 100. – Wyatt Hanson, Stanley, second in discus and fourth in 400. – Cody Fuchs, Surrey, third in 400. – DLBLC’s 4×400 relay with Tommy Burke, Coy Spooner, Akers and Knutson, third. Spooner was also sixth in the 800. – Rugby’s 4×200 relay with Keith Vetsch, John Butler, Kaden Jaeger and Cody Jundt, fourth. – Noah Rolfe, Stanley, fifth in 3200. Class B girls Other local notable Class B girls results from Day 2 of the state track and field meet. – Madison Uhlenkamp, Rugby, second in the discus. – Kyley Lauf, DLBLC, third in 300 hurdles. – Makenna Vollmer, Harvey/Wells County, fourth in the long jump. – Rugby’s 4×200 relay with Maria Blessum, Anni Stier, Emily Mattern and Kristina Brossart, fifth. Brossart was also fifth in the 100 and Blessum took fifth in the 100 hurdles. – Olivia Lautt, Harvey/Wells County, fifth places in the 400 and 300 hurdles.