SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Freeman saved its best for last.
The Flyers captured state championships in both the Class B boys 4×200-meter and 4×400-meter relays Saturday at the South Dakota State Track and Field Championships, using the relay sweep to secure a third-place finish in the team standings at Howard Wood Field.
The quartet of Luke Miller, Luke Peters, Brody Sorensen and Tate Sorensen accounted for 20 points with the two relay victories, helping Freeman finish with 45 points. Class B team champion Philip scored 76 points, while Bennett County finished second with 56.
Freeman opened the day with a dramatic victory in the 4×200 relay. Tate Sorensen held off Gregory anchor Pierce Stukel down the stretch as the Flyers crossed the finish line in a school-record 1 minute, 31.59 seconds, edging Gregory by one-quarter of a second.
The Flyers were even more dominant in the 4×400 relay. Holding a sizable lead entering the anchor leg, Freeman pulled away for a winning time of 3:27.74, nearly five seconds ahead of runner-up Philip.
The relay success capped a season that also saw Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy win the Class 9AA football championship and Freeman capture the Class B boys basketball title.
Freeman added points throughout the meet. Luke Peters placed third in the boys 400-meter dash, Alaric Knittel was runner-up in the javelin, and Luke Miller earned an eighth-place finish in the 800-meter run. The Flyers also recorded fourth-place finishes in both the 4×800 relay and sprint medley relay.
Mitchell Christian’s Luke Mentele added another memorable chapter to his breakout state meet.
One day after winning the 800-meter title, Mentele surged from third place on the final lap to claim the Class B boys 1,600-meter championship in 4:28.36, a personal-best time. He passed teammate Silas Holdeman in the closing stages and held off Philip’s Baylor Burns for the victory.
The Golden Eagles swept the boys distance titles, with Holdeman winning the 3,200-meter run earlier in the meet. Mitchell Christian finished fourth in the team standings with 42 points, narrowly behind Freeman.
Kimball/White Lake senior Lincoln Kranig delivered one of the meet’s most impressive individual performances. Kranig won the 400-meter dash in 49.45 seconds before capturing the 200-meter title in a meet-record 21.89 seconds. He also placed second in the 100-meter dash and was named the Class B boys track MVP.
The senior closed his high school career with two individual state championships and a meet record before heading to Dakota State University.
Area athletes produced several other podium finishes during Saturday’s finals.
Ethan/Parkston’s Mark Deckert was runner-up in the Class A boys 100. Freeman’s Rylee Peters placed second in the Class B girls 100-meter hurdles.
Avon’s Jamisen Pelton earned third place in the Class B boys triple jump, and Corsica-Stickney’s Braylee Bordewyk took third in the Class B girls 400-meter dash.
In relay competition, Freeman’s girls finished second in the Class B 4×400 relay and third in the 4×200 relay. Gregory placed third in the boys 4×100 relay, while Ethan/Parkston recorded fourth in the Class A boys 4×400 relay.
The state championships concluded with team titles going to Philip in Class B boys, Bennett County in Class B girls, Sioux Falls Christian in both Class A divisions, Sioux Falls Lincoln in Class AA boys and Rapid City Stevens in Class AA girls.