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Mar. 26—JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown High School Track and Field team is taking full advantage of the lack of snow.
"We're taking advantage of it because it's not always the case," JHS co-head track and field coach Mike Dietz said. "Anytime we can get outside as much as we have — it's great for the kids. We're ahead of schedule when it comes to doing things outside on the track."
The Blue Jays have been practicing outside — and inside — for the better part of the last month. The Jays kicked off their season officially on March 7 with a dual against Valley City. Dietz and the Blue Jay girls competed at the WDA Indoor on March 18.
"For some of our kids — it was their first high school meet," Dietz said of the WDA Indoor. "It kind of opened their eyes to see like 'Oh, I need to work on this.' When you go against the West, it's tough.
"I was happy with most of the results," he said. "I know there is still a lot of room for improvement."
The Blue Jays are welcoming back longtime competitors Addison Marker and Julia Skari.
Skari, a senior, wound up the state runner-up in the 300 hurdles and also placed in the 100 hurdles contest at the 2024 NDHSAA State Track and Field Meet.
Skari began running track in 2021 as an eighth grader. She is a four-time state placer in the 300 hurdles and a two-time state placer in the 100 hurdles. Skari has also competed in triple jump and the sprint relays.
Marker was a state placer in the shot put. The senior notched a PR on her first throw. The junior chucked her weight 36 feet, 10 inches. Her second throw measured 36 feet, 8 inches. To end finals, Marker threw a huge PR of 37-10 to place her fourth in the state.
Aside from the two state placers, the Jays are welcoming back Brooklyn Busch, Jordyn Larson and Sadie Hager in the throws. Adisyn Yunck, Kiannah Metzger and Jozie Davis will be competing in the sprints while Abby Kucera is the Jays' current leader in distance.
"We've got a fair number of seniors out," Dietz said. "We're going to look to them in terms of some good leadership — helping lead some of our younger kids and making everyone else better."
The Blue Jays have loads of raw talent but the girls will need some training if they want to compete with the best in the west.
"There's being in shape and then there is being in track shape and there is a big difference," Dietz said. "We're working on the speed part of things and getting those legs turning over faster.
"This is one of those goofy years where we had gymnastics, hockey and basketball still going at the beginning of track season," he said. "We're slowly getting those athletes back and getting them into their practices and then getting other kids back from vacations. We're getting everyone back together and getting on the same page. We've got a great group of girls who are working really hard."
As for the Blue Jay boys, the team will likely be led by senior Brady Harty. Harty placed 16th in the 2024 State triple jump competition with a jump of 40 feet, 5.25 inches. The senior finished the state finals with a PR of 40.81 seconds in the 300 hurdles to place ninth. He also anchored the Jays' 4x400 meter relay team.
Fellow seniors Ryan Kallenbach and Tristan Williams will be dangerous in the sprints while Micah Stoudt will lead the team in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. Jacoby Traut will be looking to make a name for himself in the javelin contests. Traut was a 2024 state placer in javelin.
Juniors Cody Berreth and Jared Sagaser made Coach Ken Gardner's list of returners to watch as did sophomore Aiden Skari. Skari placed 20th in triple jump at the 2024 State Meet.
"We've been really young the last couple of years in boys," Dietz said. "There is such a physical difference in boys who are sophomores compared to boys who are seniors. I am excited to see what some of our boys do."
The boys team competed at the WDA Indoor on March 20. Gardner's crew wound up placing fifth out of six teams.
Berreth finished third in shot put with a throw of 47 feet, 2 inches while Peacemaker Tumukunde tied for fourth in high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 8 inches. The 4x200 meter relay team comprised of Tristan Williams, Kale Ziegler, Noah Lynch and Aiden Skari placed third with a time of 1:38.44.
Micah Stoudt, Jaydyn Velek and Kamden Herzig all ran personal best times in the 1600. The trio was was led by Stoudt, who crossed the line at 5:02.40. Heath Heupel, a sophomore for the Jays, rounded out the Jays' scoring with a fourth place finish in the 400.
The Blue Jays are scheduled to be back on the track on March 28 at North Dakota State University. The meet is slated to begin at 11 a.m. The first outdoor action for the Jays is scheduled for April 3 at the Bismarck Community Bowl.
Jamestown is scheduled to host three meets this season the first being on April 10.
"We're excited to host some meets again this year in Jamestown," Dietz said. "Anyone in the area who wants to come watch — we're always open to having a lot of people in the stands watching and cheering our kids on as they compete."
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"We're taking advantage of it because it's not always the case," JHS co-head track and field coach Mike Dietz said. "Anytime we can get outside as much as we have — it's great for the kids. We're ahead of schedule when it comes to doing things outside on the track."
The Blue Jays have been practicing outside — and inside — for the better part of the last month. The Jays kicked off their season officially on March 7 with a dual against Valley City. Dietz and the Blue Jay girls competed at the WDA Indoor on March 18.
"For some of our kids — it was their first high school meet," Dietz said of the WDA Indoor. "It kind of opened their eyes to see like 'Oh, I need to work on this.' When you go against the West, it's tough.
"I was happy with most of the results," he said. "I know there is still a lot of room for improvement."
The Blue Jays are welcoming back longtime competitors Addison Marker and Julia Skari.
Skari, a senior, wound up the state runner-up in the 300 hurdles and also placed in the 100 hurdles contest at the 2024 NDHSAA State Track and Field Meet.
Skari began running track in 2021 as an eighth grader. She is a four-time state placer in the 300 hurdles and a two-time state placer in the 100 hurdles. Skari has also competed in triple jump and the sprint relays.
Marker was a state placer in the shot put. The senior notched a PR on her first throw. The junior chucked her weight 36 feet, 10 inches. Her second throw measured 36 feet, 8 inches. To end finals, Marker threw a huge PR of 37-10 to place her fourth in the state.
Aside from the two state placers, the Jays are welcoming back Brooklyn Busch, Jordyn Larson and Sadie Hager in the throws. Adisyn Yunck, Kiannah Metzger and Jozie Davis will be competing in the sprints while Abby Kucera is the Jays' current leader in distance.
"We've got a fair number of seniors out," Dietz said. "We're going to look to them in terms of some good leadership — helping lead some of our younger kids and making everyone else better."
The Blue Jays have loads of raw talent but the girls will need some training if they want to compete with the best in the west.
"There's being in shape and then there is being in track shape and there is a big difference," Dietz said. "We're working on the speed part of things and getting those legs turning over faster.
"This is one of those goofy years where we had gymnastics, hockey and basketball still going at the beginning of track season," he said. "We're slowly getting those athletes back and getting them into their practices and then getting other kids back from vacations. We're getting everyone back together and getting on the same page. We've got a great group of girls who are working really hard."
As for the Blue Jay boys, the team will likely be led by senior Brady Harty. Harty placed 16th in the 2024 State triple jump competition with a jump of 40 feet, 5.25 inches. The senior finished the state finals with a PR of 40.81 seconds in the 300 hurdles to place ninth. He also anchored the Jays' 4x400 meter relay team.
Fellow seniors Ryan Kallenbach and Tristan Williams will be dangerous in the sprints while Micah Stoudt will lead the team in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. Jacoby Traut will be looking to make a name for himself in the javelin contests. Traut was a 2024 state placer in javelin.
Juniors Cody Berreth and Jared Sagaser made Coach Ken Gardner's list of returners to watch as did sophomore Aiden Skari. Skari placed 20th in triple jump at the 2024 State Meet.
"We've been really young the last couple of years in boys," Dietz said. "There is such a physical difference in boys who are sophomores compared to boys who are seniors. I am excited to see what some of our boys do."
The boys team competed at the WDA Indoor on March 20. Gardner's crew wound up placing fifth out of six teams.
Berreth finished third in shot put with a throw of 47 feet, 2 inches while Peacemaker Tumukunde tied for fourth in high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 8 inches. The 4x200 meter relay team comprised of Tristan Williams, Kale Ziegler, Noah Lynch and Aiden Skari placed third with a time of 1:38.44.
Micah Stoudt, Jaydyn Velek and Kamden Herzig all ran personal best times in the 1600. The trio was was led by Stoudt, who crossed the line at 5:02.40. Heath Heupel, a sophomore for the Jays, rounded out the Jays' scoring with a fourth place finish in the 400.
The Blue Jays are scheduled to be back on the track on March 28 at North Dakota State University. The meet is slated to begin at 11 a.m. The first outdoor action for the Jays is scheduled for April 3 at the Bismarck Community Bowl.
Jamestown is scheduled to host three meets this season the first being on April 10.
"We're excited to host some meets again this year in Jamestown," Dietz said. "Anyone in the area who wants to come watch — we're always open to having a lot of people in the stands watching and cheering our kids on as they compete."
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