April 15-21 list includes track, softball, baseball and tennis players

Roger Merriam, Watertown Public Opinion

Cold weather definitely messed with a number of area high school athletic events last week, but there were still enough to put together a Top Performers List for April 15-22.

Track and Field

Breanna Jochim, Herreid-Selby Area —Jochim won the girls' 100 (12.87) and 200-meter (26.71) dashes along with the long jump (16-2) in the Sully Butts Charger Invite.

Sean Seurer, Potter County — Seurer also shined in the Sully Buttes Charger Invite, winning the boys' 100 dash (11.59) and running on the winning 800 (1.40.71) and medley (4:16.69) relays.

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Ella Koplin and Zayda Townsend, Milbank — Koplin and Townsend each ran on the Bulldogs' winning 1,600 (4:13.08), medley (4.50.69) and 3,200 (10:36.60) relays in the Canton Invite.

Shawnteah La Croix, Aberdeen Christian — La Croix won the girls' 100 (13.2) and 200 (27.17) dashes and also ran on the Knights' winning 400 (43.37) relay in the Orville Pfitzer Relays at Britton.

Shawnteah La Croix of Aberdeen Christian (1927), Chloe Raw of Arlington (1949) and Adison Moore of Iroquois-Lake Preston (2167) are pictured during the finals of the Class B girls' 100-meter dash in the 2024 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.
Shawnteah La Croix of Aberdeen Christian (1927), Chloe Raw of Arlington (1949) and Adison Moore of Iroquois-Lake Preston (2167) are pictured during the finals of the Class B girls' 100-meter dash in the 2024 South Dakota State Track and Field Championships at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

Boys Tennis

Skyler Stanton and Matthew Bertsch, Watertown — The Arrows swept Aberdeen Roncalli and Sioux Roosevelt 9-0 and lost to Sioux Falls Washington 6-3 last week. Stanton went 3-0 at No. 5 singles and Bertsch 3-0 at No. 6 singles for the Arrows.

Joey Meester and Sam Karst, Watertown — Meester and Karst combined to go 3-0 at No. 3 doubles for the Arrows last week.

Joey Meester of Watertown connects on a backhand return during a high school boys tennis dual against Sioux Falls Washington that was held indoors at Watertown High School on Friday, April 19, 2024. Washington won the dual 6-3.
Joey Meester of Watertown connects on a backhand return during a high school boys tennis dual against Sioux Falls Washington that was held indoors at Watertown High School on Friday, April 19, 2024. Washington won the dual 6-3.

Palmer Johnson and Gannon May, Aberdeen Roncalli — Roncalli split four matches last week, beating Roosevelt 8-1 and losing to Watertown 9-0 in one triangular and beating Milbank 8-0 and losing to Huron 5-4 in another. Johnson and May each went 3-1 in singles and 3-1 in doubles for the Cavaliers.

Joe Schulte, Milbank — In a 5-4 loss to Madison last week, Schulte recorded a 10-6 win at No. 1 singles and teamed with Gregory Grabow for a 10-5 win at No. 1 doubles.

Aberdeen Roncalli's Gannon May races to make a return shot during a high school boys tennis dual against Watertown on Monday, April 15, 2024 at the Highland Park courts in Watertown. Watertown won 9-0.
Aberdeen Roncalli's Gannon May races to make a return shot during a high school boys tennis dual against Watertown on Monday, April 15, 2024 at the Highland Park courts in Watertown. Watertown won 9-0.

Softball

Abby Axtell and Morgan Lemme, Sioux Valley — Axtell went 3-for-6 with a homer, five runs scored and five RBIs in the wins over Flandreau and Baltic. Lemme was 5-for-7 with two doubles, three runs scored and eight RBIs.

Jade Lund, Watertown — Lund smacked a two-run homer in Watertown's 11-2 loss to Sioux Falls Jefferson.

Watertown shortstop Jade Lund fires to first after fielding a grounder during a high school softball game against Brookings on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at the Premier Softball Complex. Brookings won 11-7.
Watertown shortstop Jade Lund fires to first after fielding a grounder during a high school softball game against Brookings on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at the Premier Softball Complex. Brookings won 11-7.

Grace Overland, Mobridge-Pollock — Overland tossed a three-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts and also added a single and two runs scored in a 16-0 win over Milbank.

Ayrlie Waldo and Kylee Hoffman, Aberdeen Central — Hoffman had the Golden Eagles' lone hit in a 15-0 loss to Sioux Falls Washington and Waldo collected two hits in a 15-5 loss to Sioux Falls Roosevelt.

Claire Horn and Gracie Haug, Castlewood — Horn hit a two-run homer and fired a two-hitter with eight strikeouts in an 11-1 win over Florence-Henry. Haug drove in three runs with two hits.

Katrina Hagberg and Hope Bjerke, Deuel — Hagberg went 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and four RBIS and also tossed a two-hitter with 15 strikeouts in five innings in a 14-4 win over Redfield. Bjerke homered in the game.

Zaylee Lantgen and Summer Guthmiller, Sioux Valley — Lantgen tossed a four-inning no-hitter in an 18-3 win over Flandreau and fanned eight batters in a 12-2 win over Baltic. Guthmiller went 3-for-3 with a homer, three runs scored and four RBIs in the win over Baltic.

Deuel catcher Hope Bjerke corrals a pitch during a Class B SoDak 16 state-qualifying high school softball game against Scotland-Menno on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 in Clear Lake.
Deuel catcher Hope Bjerke corrals a pitch during a Class B SoDak 16 state-qualifying high school softball game against Scotland-Menno on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 in Clear Lake.

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Baseball

Gavin Lane and Logan Fischbach, Warner-Ipswich-Northwestern — Lane and Fischbach each had a double and a single in a 6-4 win over Redfield Area. Lane drove in two runs.

Colt Beck and Lane Schindler, Elkton — Beck drove in two runs with a double and two singles and Schindler struck out seven in five innings in a 17-4 win over Oldham-Ramona-Rutland.

Micah Zastrow and Elijah Morrissette, Redfield Area — Zastrow produced two hits and Morrissette fanned 11 batters in 4 2/3 innings in a 6-4 loss to Warner-Ipswich-Northwestern.

Ted Smith, Hamlin Area — The Chargers lost to Madison-Chester 13-0 and 14-4 on Sunday. Smith had two hits in the second game.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Some of the top area high school performers for April 15-21

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