Adam Papin/MDN Minot’s John Williams III sets a personal and school record in winning the Class A boys triple jump on Saturday at the NDHSAA State Track and Field Championships in Bismarck.

BISMARCK – The Class A boys triple jump was one of the final events at the NDHSAA State Track and Field Meet, and Minot saved some of its best performances for last, sweeping the top three places. After Grayson Schaeffer qualified for the finals with the top jump in the prelims, with a jump of 45-11.5, John Williams III and Anthony Brown would be the only two with better jumps in the finals. On his final jump of the day, Williams jumped 46-05 to take the state crown. Brown finished in second with a jump of 46-01.5.

“My jumps before weren’t really up to the standard that I wanted,” said Williams. “I just knew I had to do something. I saw my teammates getting really big PRs with big jumps, so I knew I had to follow up.”

Williams’ jump set a school record in the event as well, Brown is third in school history and Schaeffer is fourth.

“That was a special moment that those guys put together,” said Minot boys’ jumping coach Drew Hysjulien. “I mean to have all three of their best jumps all in the final round, and they were all enormous jumps. I just can’t emphasize enough how much those kids in the last round stepped forward and competed.”

“It was one of the great competitive shows that I’ve seen put on by a group of kids.”

Earlier in the weekend, Logan Conklin finished runner-up in the high jump after battling knee tendinitis. “State was actually only the third time he’s high jumped,” said Hysjulien. “He was a hurt unit at Mandan with a jump of 5-4. At regionals, he jumped 6-2 and at state did 6-4. It was cool to see.”

“He’s had some really dead legs from all his AAU basketball activities,” said Minot head coach Disa Julius. “He finally had some rest on his legs. It’s just crazy. Only athletic, really athletic kids could do what he did.”

Williams’ win meant Minot swept the triple jump in the Class A meet, as Rachel Nwankwo won the girls’ title on Friday with a jump of 39-01.5. “For me to come out this year and pop out with a 37, and then eventually a 39 is insane,” said Nwankwo. “Initially, I wasn’t even sure about doing the triple jump because I was scared of the sand.”

“I just have to thank my coaches for pushing me every day,” continued Nwankwo. “I would get down on myself and they would encourage me to prove to me I could do it by moving back on board, so I had more space to jump.”

Field events weren’t the only place where the Majettes thrived. Faith Brown finished fourth in the 100 and third in the 200. Emily Mattern finished fifth in the 400, after recording the fastest qualifying time in the prelims.

The 4×100 relay team of Faith Brown, Makayla Whitfield, Rachel Nwankwo and Maicee Burke finished as state runner-up with a time of 48.315. The 4×200 team of Brown, Eve Knutson, Burke and Mattern also finished second overall with a time of 1:43.13.

“We’ve had the most spectacular weekend we’ve had in a while,” said Julius. “Considering the girls’ team took tenth last year, and we were fighting our butts off today to get on the podium, and we really had a good chance. The whole weekend gives me goosebumps.”

Minot finished sixth in the girls’ competition, garnering 48 team points. Fargo Davies won the team title with 120.5 points. Red River was runner-up with 64.25. Bismark (63), West Fargo (63) and Century (55) rounded out the top five.

The Minot boys’ team finished seventh with 47.5 points. Century claimed the team championship at 121.5 and Legacy was runner-up with 109 points. Bismarck (95), Fargo South (58) and Fargo Davies (51) completed the top five.

Podium finishers for Minot during the meet were:

Girls long jump – 7. Makayla Whitfield. 17-03.5.

Boys high jump – 2. Logan Conklin. 6-04.

Girls triple jump – 1. Rachel Nwankwo. 39-01.5.

Boys triple jump – 1. John Williams III. 46-05. 2. Anthony Brown. 46-01.5. 3. Grayson Schaeffer. 45-11.5.

Boys pole vault – 4. Keaton Reinke. 13-06.

Girls 100 – 4. Faith Brown. 12.34. 8. Rachel Nwankwo. 12.66.

Boys 100 – 8. Tyson Ruzicka. 11.01.

Girls 200 – 3. Faith Brown. 25.19.

Girls 400 – 5. Emily Mattern. 59.41.

Girls 1600 – 6. Sophia Lade. 5:18.02.

Boys 110 hurdles – 7. Anthony Brown. 15.33.

Girls 4×100 relay – 2. Faith Brown, Makayla Whitfield, Rachel Nwankwo and Maicee Burke. 48.315.

Boys 4×100 relay – 7. Anthony Brown, Michael George, Camden Beckman and Tyson Ruzicka. 43.36.

Girls 4×200 relay – 2. Faith Brown, Eve Knutson, Maicee Burke and Emily Mattern. 1:43.13.

Boys 4×200 relay – 7. Tyson Ruzicka, Michael George, Grayson Schaeffer and Zach Brown. 1:30.59.

Girls 4×400 relay – 8. Nevaeh Perez-Coleman, Eve Knutson, Maicee Burke and Emily Mattern. 4:10.5.

Boys 4×800 relay – 5. Carson Wistisen, Josh Hegstad, Cooper Fjeld and Benjamin Harris. 8:11.72.