Arrow girls win two events at Ruth Marske Invitational track meet


Grace McElroy crosses the finish line she finished first place in the two mile run

Grace McElroy crosses the finish line. She finished first place in the 3,200-meter run. Photo by Avah Grismer, for The Watertown Current.

The Watertown High School girls track team came away with two individual wins during the prestigious Ruth Marske Invitational track meet on Saturday, March 28, at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex in Brookings.

The indoor meet drew 29 teams from four states – South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.

Luke McLaughlin after receiving the baton from Gavin Robison not pictured

Luke McLaughlin after receiving the baton from Gavin Robison (not pictured). Photo by Avah Grismer, for The Watertown Current.

Grace McElroy of the Arrows won the girls 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:42.84. She also placed seventh in the 1,600-meter run. Teammate Elly Dingsor won the girls pole vault with a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches.

The girls boasted nine top 10 finishes during the meet. Other place-winners were Shauna Evenson placed second in the triple jump, Hensley Hogue was third in the pole vault, Alayna Smith was fifth in the 200-meter dash and 10th in the 100-meter dash, Mayla McGhee was fifth in the high jump.

In addition, the girls 4×100-meter relay team placed eighth.

For the Arrow boys team, Mason Iverson’s third-place finish in the high jump was the top performance. Merrik Engels was eighth in the high jump.

Watertown’s Charlie Whiting and Asher Young placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the pole vault. Owen Engelbrecht finished 10th in the triple jump, and Hunter Peterson was 10th in the shot put.

Ruth Marske, and native of Andover, was a longtime track, volleyball, softball and basketball coach at South Dakota State University. She was elected to the South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.

Cadence Weidner enters the sandpit while competing in long jump

Cadence Weidner makes a splash in the sandpit while competing in the long jump event. Photo by Avah Grismer, for The Watertown Current.

Mayla McGhee successfully jumps over the bar during high jump

Mayla McGhee successfully jumps over the bar during high jump. She placed fifth in the event. Photo by Avah Grismer, for The Watertown Current.