Track meet was held at Concordia College

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The New York Mills Eagles opened their season on Tuesday at the Pine to Prairie Indoor Meet at Concordia College in Moorhead. The Eagles were led by three top 10 finishes, including a fifth place finish by Shaila Roberts in the shot put. Roberts finished with a distance of 30’ 10 3/4” to lead the charge for NY Mills.

Also picking up a top 10 finish was Justin Kassa in the 200-meter dash as he took eighth place with a time of 25.59. The 4×200-meter relay also took eighth place with a time of 1:48.13. Team members included: Chevy Herron, Grayson Meyer, Elijah Geiser and Kassa. 

NY Mills track members who competed, but did not place in the top 10 include: 

• Elijah Geiser – 200m Dash – 27.59 and 400m Dash – 1:01.66

• Wyatt Helmbrecht – Long Jump – 11’2 ½” and 55m Dash – 8.44 and 200m Dash – 31.32 and High Jump – NH

• Chevy Herron – 400m Dash – 1:02.73

• Garrett Lehmann – Shot Put – 26’4 ½”

• Grayson Meyer – 200m Dash – 28.20

• Kash Wacker – 55m Dash – 7.64 and Long Jump – 14’2 ½” and 200m Dash – 28.11 and High Jump NH

• Kaylee Allen – Shot Put – 22 4 ¾”

• Makenna Brunko – 55m Dash – 9.06 

• Kaitlynn Dittmann – 55m Dash – 9.61 and 200m Dash – 37.14

• Ella Holmes – Shot Put 21’5” and High Jump – NH

• Elliana Koshenina – 55m Dash – 9.04

• Payton Lausten – 55m Dash – 8.86 and 200m Dash – 34.26 

• Emily Peeters – Long Jump – ND

• Mary Peterson – 200m Dash – 33.58 

• Lily Roberts – 55m Dash – 8.67 

• Rachel Tumberg – 200m Dash – 31.95 and Long Jump – ND and High Jump – NH

• Rosie Tumberg – 200m Dash – 32.79 and Long Jump – ND and High Jump – NH

• Girls 4 x 200m Relay – 2:06.23 Payton Lausten – Makenna Brunko – Emily Peeters – Rosie Tumberg

• Girls 4 x 200m Relay – 2:18.59 Lily Roberts – Mary Peterson – Lyla Hersch – Elliana Koshenina

Experience to 

lead NY Mills

The Eagles track team are the lone school participants who have been able to get their season underway this spring, thanks to a late season snow storm that has forced the spring sports indoors.

NY Mills returns 13 letter winners to a growing track team this spring. Returning letter winners include: Boys: Elijah Geiser, Tony Nichols, Carter Lien, and Grayson Meyer. Girls: Payton Lausten, Shaila Roberts, Rosie Tumberg, Rachel Tumberg, Kaitlynn Dittmann, Lilja Pakkala, Ella Holmes, Lily Roberts and Lyla Hersch.

This year’s captains include: Elijah Geiser, Payton Lausten, Tony Nichols and Shaila Roberts.

Not only will the Eagles return an experienced team, but one that featured several high finishers at last year’s sub section and section meet. 

Shaila Roberts qualified for the section meet after placing second in the shot put at the sub section meet last year. At the section meet she took fourth place and also placed eighth in the discus at the sub section meet last season.

Tony Nichols will also be returning for the Eagles after he placed sixth in the sub section meet to qualify for sections last year. The boys 4×200-meter relay team placed eighth and the girls team placed ninth at the sub section meet last year.

In addition to the letter winners there are 21 non-letter winners who would make an impact at various levels of competition for NY Mills this season. Non-letter winners on the team include: Boys: Justin Kassa, Chevy Herron, Wyatt Helmbrecht, Kash Wacker, Garrett Lehmann, Loren Underdahl, Toivo Mursu, Sawyer Pakkala, Landon Hotchkiss, Brayton Boyne and Jeremiah Jones. Girls: Channing Frost, Esne Lien, Makenna Brunko, Kaylee Allen, Mary Peterson, Elliana Koshenina, Zoey Nordquist, Bella O’Dea, Emily Peeters and Resa Tumberg.

Head coach Steve Dunrud said the team will look for Payton Lausten, Elijah Geiser, Shaila Roberts and Tony Nichols to lead the team this season as the team hopes to build upon their success last year both on and off the track. 

“Our returning athletes gained a lot of valuable experience last year and will be looked to help lead us in practice and in our competition. With so many newcomers this season, every day will be a learning experience for them and us as coaches. Week to week improvement will be the emphasis,” he said. “Once we can get on a track, either for practice or competition, we’ll know more about our athletes’ strengths and the events that they can help us with. We hope to develop many relays as the season moves on. We’d like to be competing at our best towards the end of the season with the Park Region Conference and Sub-Section Meets. We hope to compete hard, improve each week, and have fun doing it.”