Weather was a factor Tuesday in the first meet of week, as the Ranger athletes were greeted with rain and 40 degree temperatures in Hot Springs.  For the Ranger girls, Kati Ginsbach reached the state meet qualifying standard in the high jump, winning the competition at 4’11”.  Eighth grader Stephanie Qualm also picked up a win in the cold weather with a victory in the 800 meter dash (2:43.7). Qualm was also third in the 1600 meter run (6:04).  Other place winners for the girls included: Stephanie Burleson in the Shot Put (5^th- 26-9), the 4x200 relay (3^rd- 2:04.1)), Alise Kelting in the 800 (4^th- 2:47), Mariah Asheim in the 400 (3^rd- 67.6) and the 4x400 relay team ran 4:45.4 to finish 6^th to close out the meet.

For the Ranger boys, Andy Coy won two events;  the 200 (23.68) and 400 meter dashes, and punched his ticket to the state meet in the 400 meters with a time of 51.6 in his first 400 meter race of the year.  Ranger Hudson Koel also had an outstanding day, finishing 4^th in a loaded 1600 meter field with a time of 4:41, just a few ticks off of the state qualifying mark in the event.  Koel also finished 3^rd in the 800 meters (2:04.65). Other Rangers placing in Hot Springs included: the 4x800 relay (4^th- 9:31.5), Colton McLaughlin in the 110 Hurdles (6^th-21.5), 4x200 relay (6^th- 1:41), Dusty Swanson in the 400 (4^th-55.55), Nash Koel in the 300 hurdles (6^th 47.39), Medley Relay (4^th- 4:19), John Bintliff in the 3200 (4^th- 11:24), and finally the 4x400 relay finished 3^rd in 3:44.21.

On Saturday, the Rangers competed at the Center of the Nation Meet in Belle Fourche.  Beautiful weather and twenty-two high school track teams made for a great meet. 

Headlining the Ranger boys was the winning 4x800 relay team which set a new meet record (8:28.6) and qualified for the state meet in the process.  Team members were John Binliff, Andy Quenzer, Hudson Koel and Andy Coy.  In other events, Coy again finished first in the 400 with a time of 51.9 seconds.  Coming in 2^nd (53.2) in the same race was Koel, who showed his range by also finishing 4^th earlier in the day in the 3200 meters with an outstanding early season mark of 10:25.0.  Two Rangers placed in the 1600 meters with freshman Dusty Swanson finishing 4^th in 5:04 with John Bintliff coming back from the 4x800 to run 5:10 for 8^th place.  Hill City placed in three other relays as well, finishing 8^th in the 4x100 relay, 8^th in the 4x200 relay and 7^th in the 4x400 relay.

In the girls division, Kati Ginsbach remained at the top of her game, winning the high jump, this time raising her earlier state qualifying mark to 5’2”.  Stephanie Qualm had another great meet, this time winning the 1600 meters in a stellar early season time of 5:36.7, just one second away from the school record and also just one second from the state qualifying mark in the 1600 meters.  Qualm wrapped up the meet with a 2^nd place finish in the 800 (2:37), dropping six seconds from her time at the meet on Tuesday.

Make plans to watch the Ranger runners, throwers and jumpers Friday at the Custer Invitational on April 20^th.  Events begin at 9:30.