The high school softball and baseball seasons are in full swing, and the Howard Wood Dakota Relays stole the show on Friday, May 1, and Saturday, May 2.
Here are the nominees for the Argus Leader’s high school Athletes of the Week for April 27 to May 2. ArgusLeader.com readers vote to decide this week’s winner. Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, May 8.
Athletes are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Boys
Zyan Conrad, Sr., Sioux Falls Lincoln
Conrad was a part of three Lincoln relay teams that finished first at the Dakota Relays, including one that broke a meet record. The senior anchored the 4×800-meter relay team that hit the new best mark in South Dakota this year, and ran third on the 4×200-meter team and 4×400-meter team that set the Dakota Relays record.
Lucas Honner, Sr., Sioux Falls Lincoln
Honner placed second in the javelin with a long throw of 199 feet, clearing second place by 14 feet, 1 inch. The throw was the best of his career and the 24th best among all javelin competitors nationwide.
Mikah Peters, Sr., Brandon Valley
Peters capped his Dakota Relays career with a trio of victories in the 1,600-meter race, 3,200-meter race and 1,600-meter sprint medley relay. The 1,600-meter run was a personal best, and the sprint medley relay run was a season best and now the 21st-best time nationwide.
Everett Salonen, Jr., Sioux Falls Jefferson
Salonen had a dominant complete-game shutout of Sioux Falls Washington on Thursday, April 30. He tossed all six frames, allowing two hits, hitting a batter and striking out 10. The junior hurler did it all on 72 pitches, with 51 going for strikes.
Levi Vander Leest, Jr., Sioux Falls Christian
Vander Leest anchored both the 4×800-meter relay team and 1,600-meter sprint medley relay team, with the 4×800-meter team coming in first and the sprint medley relay team finishing second by 0.11 seconds. The junior had to make comebacks in both events, nearly completing both.
Girls
Halle Braun, Sr., Sioux Falls Christian
Braun earned wins in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and as the anchor of the 4×400-meter relay. Her 300-meter hurdles time of 42.58 seconds beat the Dakota Relays record and put her 37th in the United States. The 4×400-meter relay team also broke the meet record.
Tya Devericks, Jr., Sioux Falls Jefferson
Devericks had a monster week both in the circle and at the dish. She hurled 15 innings, allowing two runs on 11 hits and one walk while striking out 15 in three outings. The star junior also went 7-for-11 at the plate with two doubles, two triples, five RBIs and a run scored over the same three games.
Ellie Maddox, Sr., Sioux Falls Christian
Maddox was selected to compete in the special event 800-meter race, then set the meet record in the 1,600-meter race and as a member of the 4×400-meter relay team. The Duke commit’s 4:46.95 mile was the 30th fastest in the country.
Jayaunna Stroh, Sr., Brandon Valley
Stroh won the high jump by clearing the bar at 5 feet, 6 inches. The senior beat her season-best jump of 5 feet, 5 inches, and fell short on the 5-foot, 10-inch bar.
Ella Termaat, Sr., Sioux Falls Lincoln
Termaat was on four Lincoln relay teams, with the 4×200-meter and 4×400-meter teams both winning. The 4×100-meter relay team came in third, and the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay team finished fourth. Termaat anchored the 4×200 and 4×100-meter teams.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Vote for Argus Leader Athlete of the Week from April 27-May 2