Elizabeth Rupprecht, 12, and her brother, Nathan, 13, of Bennington, Neb., both finished among the top eight participants in the USA Youth Outdoor Track and Field Championships in St. Louis, Mo., last weekend.
Elizabeth, who competed in the pentathlon on Thursday afternoon, was second in her age group at the national meet.
"I was hoping to get in the top three," she said.
Meanwhile, her brother was seventh in the pentathlon for his age category. He will begin his competition when the meet resumes at 9 a.m. today.
"I'm just here to compete and do my best," he said.
Elizabeth, who is hoping to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics, said she and her brother push each other to be the best that they can be.
"We keep each other motivated," she said. "He's a lot of help."
This weekend marks the first exposure to Aberdeen for the siblings. Both said they like the Swisher Field Complex.
Nathan noticed something else about the Hub City.
"Kind of open; not a lot of trees; not a lot of shade," he said.
Pulling double duty
This weekend promises to be a hectic one for Mike Dick.
The Aberdeen man is the groundskeeper at Swisher Field, which means he will be hopping Thursday through Sunday during the Junior Olympic meet. He is also the head pitman for Aberdeen modified racer Scott Bender, who is competing in the Summer Nationals Friday and Saturday at Brown County Speedway.
"I'm going to try to get there if I can," Dick said, noting that his first priority is his responsibilities at Swisher Field. "I'll probably make, for sure, the features both nights."
Dick said hosting a track meet is much different than setting up the facility for a football or soccer game.
"There's more work for this than there is for football or soccer," Dick said, "a lot more work."
He pointed out the preparation of the various events for track and field such as the jump pits, throwing areas and the pole vault.
"You set up the football field, you're ready to go. Soccer, pretty much the same thing," Dick noted. "Track is a lot more work for what there is."
Unique warmup
While many athletes on Thursday warmed up for the opening day of the Junior Olympics by stretching out and loosening up, Grace Robinson had her own routine before competing. The 11-year-old from Minneapolis did front flips and back flips on the infield.
"I was just trying to stretch out," said Robinson, noting she is a gymnast.
Robinson, who also competes in soccer and basketball, is a member of the pentathlon field.
When asked what her favorite event was, Robinson said, "I like the high jump, because I think I'm good at that event and I think it's fun."
Robinson qualified for the National USATF meet a year ago. She said she did "OK, but I didn't medal."
Making her mark
During Thursday's opening round action, volunteer Jessica Mastel performed a variety of duties. In addition to signing the National Anthem, the 17-year-old from Wahpeton, N.D., transported and posted results and also marked off hurdles on the track using a permanent marker.
"The older kids run the hundred meter hurdles, but the younger kids, the USA track and field has 80-meter hurdles," Mastel pointed out. "Your standard track doesn't come with 80 hurdle markers, so somebody has to put them down there."
Mastel, who competes in track and field in high school, is helping out at her first JO meet.
"My dad is a national certified official," Mastel explained. "Our neighbor, Dee Jensen, is the head official for the jumping events here. She asked us to come down and help."
So far, Mastel is enjoying the experience.
"It's a great meet," she said. "It's run very professionally."
Showing his colors
There was no denying which school Kris Grimes paid homage to on Thursday.
Decked in bright red, and then sporting a warmup top with Nebraska on it, it was easy to tell that the 15-year-old is a Cornhusker follower.
"My dad is a coach there at the moment," said Grimes of Lincoln, Neb. "I kind of enjoy watching his athletes there, so I like to get the gear, because I kind of look up to them."
Grimes is competing in the decathlon and hopes to someday become a decathlete for Nebraska.
He said he attends as many Husker events as possible.
When asked if it was possible not to be a Nebraska fan living in Lincoln, Grimes responded, "I don't think so. You'd have to be very strong willed to not be a Nebraska fan in Lincoln."
TRACK AND FIELD
Region 8 Junior Olympic Championships
Thursday's Results at Swisher Field
BOYS 11-12 PENTATHLON
Final Standings
1, Chantz Minear, Central Iowa Excal, 1,794 points (80-meter hurdles :13.90 767 points; shot put 22-0 1/4 290 points, high jump 4-3¼ 250 points; long jump 11-11¾ 152 points; 1,500-meter run 5:43.60 335 points).
2, Kaedon Thurman, 29-Lincoln Jets, 1,257 points (80-meter hurdles :16.02 515 points; shot put 24-7 336 points; high jump 4-3¼ 250 points; long jump 11-6¾ 135 points; 1,500-meter run 7:28.94 21 points).
3, Ryan Staub, Central Iowa Excal 1,176 points (80-meter hurdles :17.02 413 points; shot put 17-0¾ 202 points; high jump 3-11¼ 188 points; long jump 10-6 1/3 91 points; 1,500-meter run 5:55.75 282 points).
4, Jens Christensen, Unattached, 1,064 points (80-meter hurdles :17.02 413 points; shot put 19-4 242 points; high jump 4-1¼ 218 points; long jump 10-4 84 points; 1,500-meter run 7:10.95 50 points).
80-Meter Hurdles: 1, Minear, :13.90; 2, Thurman, :16.02; 3, Christensen, :16.45; 4, Staub, :17.02.
Shot Put: 1, Thurman, 24-7; 2, Minear, 22-0¼; 3, Christensen, 19-4; 4, Staub, 17-0¾.
High Jump: 1, (tie) Minear, 4-3¼, and Thurman, 4-3¼; 3, Christensen, 4-1¼; 4, Staub, 3-11¼.
Long Jump: 1, Minear, 11-11¾; 2, Thurman, 11-6¾; 3, Staub, 10-6 1/3; 4, Christensen, 10-4.
1,500-Meter Run: 1, Minear, 5:43.60; 2, Staub, 5:55.75; 3, Christensen, 7:10.95; 4, Thurman, 7:28.94.
BOYS 15-16 DECATHLON
100-Meter Dash: 1, Benjamin Burbach, Unattached, :11.94; 2, Kristofor Grimes, Unattached, :12.02; 3, Dominique Smith, Purple Storm, :12.06; 4, Benjamin Grosse, Park Flyers, :13.17.
Long Jump: 1, Grimes, 17-1½; 2, Smith, 16-1½; 3, Grosse, 15-6; 4, Burbach, 14-9¼.
Shot Put: 1, Grimes, 39-5¾; 2, Smith, 27-10¾; 3, Burbach, 25-9½; 4, Grosse, 25-0.
High Jump: 1, Smith, 5-7; 2, Grosse, 5-5; 3, Grimes, 5-1; 4, Burbach, 4-11.
400-Meter Dash: 1, Smith, :55.78; 2, Grimes, :56.51; 3, Burbach, :58.87; 4, Grosse, :59.63.
BOYS 17-18 DECATHLON
100-Meter Dash: 1, Austin Youngs, Unattached, :10.98; 2, James Kruse, Park Flyers, :11.00; 3, Joseph Foley, 52-Team SoDak, :11.05; 4, Tyler Spearman, Bellevue Breeze, :11.25; 5, William Dougherty, Unattached, :11.42; 6, Gavin Brion, 29-Omaha racers, :11.54; 7, Christopher Hunnewell, Unattached, :12.46.
Long Jump: 1, Youngs, 21-0½; 2, Kruse, 20-6¼; 3, Dougherty, 20-1½; 4, Spearman, 19-3¼; 5, Hunnewell, 17-10¼; 6, Brion, 17-6; 7, Foley, 16-11½.
Shot Put: 1, Dougherty, 39-7¾; 2, Spearman, 38-4¾; 3, Youngs, 35-10; 4, Hunnewell, 33-11½; 5, Foley, 32-6¼; 6, Kruse, 32-2; 7, Brion, 32-1.
High Jump: 1, Dougherty, 5-10¾; 2, Youngs, 5-10 3/4; 3, Spearman, 5-7; 4, (tie) Kruse, 5-5, and Hunnewell, 5-5; 6, Foley, 4-9; 7, Brion, 4-7.
400-Meter Dash: 1, Dougherty, :51.10; 2, Spearman, :52.59; 3, Youngs, :52.65; 4, Foley, :53.15; 5, Kruse, :53.22; 6, Brion, :54.40; 7, Hunnewell, :58.86.
GIRLS 11-12 PENTATHLON
Final Standings
1, Elizabeth Rupprecht, 29-Cornhusker Flyers 2,234 points (80-meter hurdles :16.07 575 points; shot put 23-10¼ 352 points; high jump 4-7 512 points; long jump 13-10¼ 308 points; 800-meter run 2:47.77 487 points).
2, Grace Robinson, Unattached 1,656 points (80-meter hurdles :17.28 440 points; shot put 19-0 258 points; high jump 3-7¼ 222 points; long jump 12-1¼ 239 points; 800-meter run 2:46.81 497 points).
3, Reilly Johnson, 30-Real Track Field 1,513 points (80-meter hurdles :17.83 384 points; shot put 20-1¾ 280 points; high jump 3-9¼ 266 points; long jump 10-10 1/3 163 points; 800-meter run 2:54.32 420 points).
4, Dajah Baptiste, Central Iowa Excal 1,485 points (80-meter hurdles :17.90 376 points; shot put 17-5¼ 228 points; high jump 3-9¼ 266 points; long jump 11-2 2/3 184 points; 800-meter run 2:53.19 431 points).
80-Meter Hurdles: 1, Rupprecht, :16.07; 2, Robinson, :17.28; 3, Johnson, :17.83; 4, Baptiste, :17.90.
Shot Put: 1, Rupprecht, 23-10¼; 2, Johnson, 20-1¾; 3, Robinson, 19-0; 4, Baptiste, 17-5¼.
High Jump: 1, Rupprecht, 4-7; 2, (tie) Johnson, 3-9¼, and Baptiste 3-9¼; 4, Robinson, 3-7¼.
Long Jump: 1, Rupprecht, 13-0¼; 2, Robinson, 12-1¼; 3, Baptiste, 11-2 2/3; 4, Johnson, 10-10 1/3.
800-Meter Run: 1, Robinson, 2:46.81; 2, Rupprecht, 2:47.77; 3, Baptiste, 2:53.19; 4, Johnson, 2:54.32.
GIRLS 15-16 HEPTATHLON
100-Meter Hurdles: 1, Mikaela Grant, Unattached, :16.36; 2, Carolyn Nye, Track Mn. Elite, :16.91; 3, Chelsey Christensen, Unattached, :17.61; 4, Maddie Mingo, 29-Omaha Racers, :18.99; 5, Madden Sharrett, 29-Lincoln Youth TC, :19.45.
High Jump: 1, (tie) Mingo, 4-9, and Grant, 4-9; 3, Christensen, 4-7; 4, Sharrett, 4-1¼.
Shot Put: 1, Nye 25-0½; 2, Mingo, 23-2½; 3, Grant, 22-8½; 4, Christensen, 20-6¼; 5, Sharrett, 18-7¾.
200-Meter Dash: 1, Grant, :28.30; 2, Christensen, :29.84; 3, Nye, :29.97; 4, Mingo, :30.51; 5, Sharrett, :34.95.
GIRLS 17-18 HEPTATHLON
100-Meter Hurdles: 1, Colette Christensen, Unattached, :16.57; 2, Kaija Crowe, 30-Fuzion Athletics, :16.98.
High Jump: 1, Crowe, 5-7; 2, Christensen, 5-5.
Shot Put: 1, Christensen, 24-1¾; 2, Crowe, 23-7¼.
200-Meter Dash: 1, Crowe, :27.10; 2, Christensen, :29.53.
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