85th Howard Wood Dakota Relays draws 10 Spencer runners

Ten Spencer girls were a part of the more than 3,000 middle school, high school and college athletes from four different states and Canada to compete in the 85th annual Howard Wood Dakota Relays over the two-day event on Friday and Saturday in Sioux Falls.

"We saw some fantastic races and outstanding competition all around," said Spencer co-head coach Kurt Bauermeister. "It was a great meet to help prepare us for the upcoming week with the conference and district meets ahead."

The Tigers saw two different relay teams produce top 15 finishes, starting with a 13th-place performance from Katelyn McDermott, Sara Edwardson, Hailie Iles and Ashley Loerts on Friday.

Spencer's top finish Saturday came from McDermott, Edwardson, Clare Goeken and Cassi Wilson, who used the prestigious event at Howard Wood Stadium to post one of Spencer's best times in the 4x400-meter relay in recent memory.

The group turned in a time of 4:11.43, good for a 15th-place finish in Class AA.

"The 4x400 turned in one of the best times we have run in the last 10 years -- we got out and competed," said Bauermeister. "It was nice to see them perform like they are capable of. It made the whole trip worthwhile."

The Tigers competed in three more relays and one individual event.

Loerts competed in the lone individual race, finishing 52nd out of 98 runners in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:44.19.

"Ashley ran a solid 1,600. She took the lead with two laps to go and raced to the wire with a girl from Mitchell, S.D.," Bauermeister said. "She's starting to feel better and should peak at the right time."

Spencer added 17th-place performances from both the 4x100-meter relay and the distance medley relay teams. The 4x200 team placed 20th.

Clarissa Seversen, Chelsey Donnahoo, Edwardson and McDermott clocked a time of 4:39.67 in the distance medley. Seversen, Donnahoo, Shayna Zellaha and Kelsey Salton finished with a time of 1:55.80 in the 4x200; Seversen, Zellaha, Salton and Edwardson posted a time of 54.55 in the 4x100.

Spencer competed in Class AA in all six events.