The New Rockford-Sheyenne track and field team picked up five state-qualifying marks in the outdoor Mariya Tate Memorial on Thursday, April 25.
Chief among them was North Dakota’s Mr. Basketball, Deng Deng, who won the high jump with a mark of 6’3’’. He was the only jumper to surpass six feet. He’s now won the high jump on three separate occasions this year — once indoors, and twice outdoors.
Also qualifying for state was NR-S’s Connor Knatterud, who posted a 22.87 time in the 200-meter dash. He placed first out of 70 contestants in the event.
Knatterud picked up a state-qualifying mark in the 100-meter as well, coming in first with an 11.21 time. He’s been part of seven total first-place finishes this season, including both indoor and outdoor events.
The other two state-qualifying marks came in relays. The team of Bennett Meier, Deng, Micah Dutch and Knatterud finished second in the 4×100 with a time of 44.79. A quartet of Rockets finished second in the 4×200 as well, as Dutch and Knatterud teamed up with Deng and his younger brother, Marial, to post a time of 134.38.
NR-S won the track meet with a score of 101, narrowly ahead of second-place Benson County’s 100. Benson County also placed second on the girls’ side.
This is Deng’s first season on the track and field team, bridging the gap between his historically great basketball season and his upcoming football career at the University of North Dakota.
Knatterud, meanwhile, is a senior having the most success he’s had for the Rockets’ track and field squad. He already has more individual first-place finishes than he did last season.
