Midgets’ Mack qualifies for state at Sidney Invitational

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SIDNEY, Mont. — It was only a matter of time before Dickinson High junior Austin Mack qualified for the Class A state track and field meet.

Mack, who started the season battling an ACL injury in his knee that he suffered during the basketball season, placed third and qualified for the 400-meter dash with a time of 52.14 seconds on Saturday at the Sidney Invitational.

The Dickinson High boys track and field team sent 15 to the Montana meet and, despite the breezy weather conditions, Dickinson assistant coach Greg Jung said it was a good meet.

“The weather was really tough,” he said. “We had a small group. We had few kids that were hurt and a few kids that were gone from our normal varsity.”

Joseph Sickler came in first in the 800 (2:01.81) but missed the state qualifying standard by seven one-hundredths of a second.

The 1,600 relay team comprised of Dallas Zastoupil, Jace Dukart, Sickler and Mack placed first, while Dukart finished runner-up in the 100 (11.7 seconds).

Joining Dukart in the 100 was Michael Cherwinski in fourth (11.9). Dukart, Cherwinski, Zastoupil and Sickler teamed up to take runner-up in the 400 relay (46.36).

Levi Jordheim was the runner-up in the long jump at 19 feet, 8½ inches. Vlad Kutka also took second in the 3,200 run (10:15) and Jackson Binstock placed fourth in the 1,600 (4:47).

“We were hoping to get a few new qualifiers,” Jung said. “The weather conditions did cooperate with us early, but the kids competed and battled.”

Tags: high school track and field, sports