Blue Devils score big at Winside meet

LAUREL — The Blue Devils battled it out at Winside’s Jim Winch Invitational last week and once again delivered more than plenty top performances.

The girls finished third while the boys took fourth place overall in the respective team standings.

The Lady Blue Devils got scoring from Kayla Pinkelman (first, 100 hurdles, 17.08; third, 300 hurdles, 51.2), the 4x100 relay (first, 52.15), the 4x800 relay (first, 11:12.45), Myrah Sudbeck (second, 100 meters, 13.19), Krystal Sudbeck (second, long jump, 15-07.75; second, 200 meters, 27.07), Kendra Pinkelman (second, 400 meters, 1:02.78), the 4x400 relay (second, 4:17.78), Kinslee Heimes (third, 100 meters, 13.59; third, 200 meters, 28.08), Allison Wieseler (third, 800 meters, 2:42.72), the 400 sprint medley (sixth, 1:09.37) and Amber Lawson (fifth, triple jump, 29-05).

Taking the boys to its fourth-place finish were Charlie Schroeder (first, 200 meters, 23.69; first, 400 meters, 53.65), Chase Schroeder (first, 800 meters, 2:10.21),

Jack Kuchta (first, high jump, 5-10; third, long jump, 18-06.75), Peyton Wieseler (second, discus, 125-06), the 4x100 relay (third, 47.06), the 4x800 relay (third, 9:19.01), Garrett Lange (fourth, shot put, 41-03; sixth, discus, 103-04), the 4x400 relay (fifth, 3:53.45), Tyler Nicke (sixth, 1,600 meters, 5:12.91) and Dylan Heimes (sixth, high jump, 5-04).

“I thought that our athletes did a great job competing,” Wynot head coach Lee Heimes said. “They get after it when it is time to compete, and they leave it on the track when they are done.”

Next up is the District meet this week at the Hartington Community Complex. Heimes feel good about how his team stacks up.

“I like where we are heading into districts,” Heimes said. “I feel the student/athletes are ready and prepared to do their best at districts.”

Kuchta has had an overall season of growth in his events, and he can see the improvement coming steadily.

“What has helped us a lot is our working a lot in the weight room and that helps us get ready for the next meet,” Kuchta said. “It helps us keep getting PRs.”

Kuchta had an older sister, Bailey, who was a successful competitor at the state level in 2012 and he admits that the high jump “looks pretty cool” to someone who was in junior high school when he first took note of the event.

“After I figured out, I was pretty good at that, I figured I could try long jump too,” he said. “My sister has been an influence too.”

Kuchta expects to be consistent with his jumps if he will entertain any thoughts of advancing to the State meet.

“I pulled out with a 20-foot in conference (in the long jump), and I have to keep that going,” he said. “I have been jumping six-foot consistently in the high jump which is getting me in for State. So, if I keep doing that, I will probably make it,” he said.

Jumping is a fun, unique challenge, he said. “I like how it’s not like any other event. Your real time competing against each other as people get out. High jump, compared to other events, it’s fun to compete against one person when you are the only ones left,” he said.

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