PHOTO OF THE DAY: ALL TOGETHER NOW

Members of the Freeman Academy/Marion and Freeman Public 4×400 relay teams stand together following their race at the Dan Clarke Relays hosted by Bridgewater-Emery on Thursday. The Bearcats clipped the Flyers in what was a thrilling finish 3:33.40 to 3:33.42, which were both PRs and are the third and fourth fastest times posted this season in Class B. Pictured are, from left: Liam Ortman, Tate Sorensen, Rocky Ammann, Karter Weber, Chris Aasen, Jackson Donlan, Keaton Preheim, Luke Peters.

The FA/Marion boys finished 3rd overall and the FHS boys were fourth in the 16-team field, and in the girls standings, Freeman Public and Menno tied for third.

For Freeman Public, the day was also marked by the girls 4×100 relay team of Zenovia Butler, Rylee Peters, Vaida Ammann and Makenzie Scharberg tying the school record with a time of 52.06 and Peters setting the school record in the 300 hurdles in 47.22. The 4×100 relay has the 4th fastest time in Class B and Peters’ clocking in the 300 hurdles is 6th.

The 4×100 relay tied the record set in 2010 by Allison Wynia, Kristina Nash, Carli Lager and Taylor Waltner.

The old mark in the 300 hurdles was 47.42 set by Dawn Farden in 1990.

Thursday’s Dan Clarke Relays was the final track meet of the regular season for local teams, and with a region competition no longer part of the schedule, the next stop for the competitors will be SDHSAA State Track & Field Championships in Sioux Falls. Action will begin Thursday, May 23 and conclude Saturday, May 25, and teams from FA/Marion, Freeman Public and Menno all have their eyes on big things. More on that in next week’s issue of The Courier.