The Dawson-Boyd/Lac qui Parle Valley track and field team wants to build on its state-qualifier athletes’ success from last season in 2023.

John Shurb coaches the Blackjacks boys and Sheri Hansen coaches the girls team.

Last season, Brayson Boike made the 2022 MSHSL state tournament and competed in the high jump and long jump. Boike placed 14th in the High Jump event with a height of 6-00.00 and placed seventh in the long jump with a distance of 20-09.50.

Gavin Carl and Peyton Sterud both set personal records in the 1600 Meters event at the Camden Conference meet last season. Sterud had a time of 4:57.57 and Carl had a time of 5:02.19.

Along with Boike, Keegon Wicht is another key returner for the boys.

For the girls, there are 18 girls on the team this year and they have a mixture of youth and experience.

Dawson-Boyd has six seniors, three juniors, eight Sophomores and a freshman. The six seniors on the team are Mya Conroy, Kalista Bormann, Claire Lowry, Lexi Gloege, Paige Meyer and Peyton Moe.

At the conference meet, Makiah Rust and Morgan Anderson set personal records in the 400 meters. Rust had a time of 1:07.39 and Anderson had a time of 1:10.26. Daytona Bissett set a personal record in the 800 Meters event with a time of 2:42.52.

None of the girls made it to the state tournament last year, a feat that Hansen would like to accomplish for the 2023 season.

You can catch the DB/LQPV track and field team competing today in the Al Handahl Invitational held at Yellow Medicine East High School in Granite Falls.