by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Thief River Falls boys and girls track and field teams opened the 2026 season Friday afternoon at the Mike Grandall Invite held at the Fritz Pollard Athletic Center on the campus of the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D.
The Thief River Falls boys team finished fifth in a field of 20 teams behind standout performances from Ian Hruby, seventh in the 60-meter hurdles; Briley Olsonawski, fourth in the 400; Toby Sobotta, eighth in the 400 and sixth in the 800; Curtis Griffin, third in both the 800 and mile; and David King, fifth in the high jump. The boys 4×400 relay of Briley Olsonawski, Sobotta, Wyatt Nelson and Colin MacLean placed third. In the 4×800, the team of Kyler Berg, Jonah Lee, William Dagg and Luke Smith placed eighth.
“The boys started their season on a high note,” said Co-Head Coach Nathan Hruby. “We have a handful of new faces, which is going to make for a fun and interesting season. It is always like a game of chess for Katie and I to put kids into different events/relays in order to find the best group possible along with finding our best lineup once conference and true team roll around in the beginning of May. We are looking forward to watching both groups improve as the season progresses.”
The Thief River Falls girls placed seventh out of 24 teams Friday. Gwen Wojciechowski placed third in the 60-meter dash and sixth in the 200. Kayla Peterson placed third in the 400. Elory Mossestad placed fifth in the 800; and Davdine King placed third in the high jump. The girls 4×200 relay team of Kenzie Reynolds, Jordyn Skjerven, Janaya Albers and Wojciechowski placed fifth; and the girls 4×400 of Reynolds, Mossestad, Livia Harbott and Peterson placed sixth.
“Overall we had a great start to our season and it will be fun to watch the improvement of everyone throughout the season,” said Co-Head Coach Katie Nelson. “We have quite a few new athletes on our team this year that are already making a good addition to our team and helping us score points. They are contributing in all areas of throws, relays,
opens and jumps. We look forward to seeing what this team can do in upcoming meets.”
Team Scores
• Girls – 1. Red River 64; 2. Devils Lake 54.5; 3. Fertile-Beltrami 48; 4. Tough Track Athletic Club 45; 5. Drayton/Valley-Edinburg 43; 6. Grafton 38; 7. Thief River Falls 32; 8. Grand Forks Central 30.25; 9. Climax-Fisher-Sacred Heart 30; 10. New Rockford-Sheyenne 26; 10. Pembina County North 26; 12. Oak Grove Lutheran 25; 12. Bagley/Fosston 25; 14. Central Cass 24; 15. Valley City 23; 16. Carrington 19; 17. Winnipeg Optimist Athletics 17; 18. Fargo North 15; 19. Northern Cass 9.25; 20. Enderlin 8; 21. Wadena-Deer Creek 6; 22. Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 5; 23. Braham 4; 24. May-Port CG 3; 24. Mahnomen/Waubun 3.
• Boys – 1. Grand Forks Central 149; 2. Red River 92; 3. Devils Lake 46; 4. Central Cass 37; 5. Thief River Falls 34; 5. Bagley/Fosston 34; 7. Grafton 31; 8. Fargo North 27; 8. Wadena-Deer Creek 27; 10. Oak Grove Lutheran 26; 11. Mahnomen/Waubun 20; 12. Northern Cass 16; 12. Carrington 16; 14. Pembina County North 15; 15. Valley City 12; 15. Drayton/Valley-Edinburg 12; 17. Enderlin 11; 18. Lake of the Woods/Rainy River 8; 19. May-Port CG 6; 20. Braham 2; 20. Climax-Fisher-Sacred Heart 2.
Winner/TRF Places-Girls
60 Meter Finals – 1. Alexis Tompkins, Grafton, 7.89; 3. Gwen Wojciechowski 8.15.
60 Meter Prelims – 1. Alexis Tompkins, Grafton, 7.92; 3. Gwen Wojciechowski 8.14; 15. Davdine King 8.39; 24. Lila Dalager 8.55; 25. Janaya Albers 8.57; 74. Livia Thibert 9.24; 82. Miley Bruggeman 9.31; 110. Autumn Defreece 9.75; 132. Summer Hendricks 10.37. 200 Meters Finals – 1. Alexis Tompkins, Grafton, 25.86; 6. Gwen Wojciechowski 26.67; 24. Janaya Albers 28.62; 53. Taylor Berg 30.32; 56. Rhianna Smith 30.54; 76. Livia Thibert 31.68; 90. Autumn Defreece 32.97; 100. Claire Schuster 33.56; 111. Ember Hogenson 36.36; 114. Kennedi Kalinowski 37.50.
400 Meters Finals – 1. Emma Pauls, Tough Track Athletic Club; 3. Kayla Peterson 1:02.45; 26. Natalia Zoller 1:11.02; 47. Claire Schuster 1:21.18; 55. Kennedi Kalinowski 1:31.13.
600 Meters Finals – 1. Katrina Hitchen, Fertile-Beltrami, 1:40.62.
800 Meters Finals – 1. Emmi Ihry, Grand Forks Central, 2:24.71; 5. Elory Mossestad 2:29.80; 12. Livia Harbott 2:39.93; 16. Natalia Zoller 2:48.87; 28. Evelyn Griffin 3:00.37; 31. Paisley Schneider 3:02.73; 40. Gabby Zoller 3:11.84.
One Mile Finals – 1. Emelia Arntson, Climax/Fisher/Sacred Heart 5:30.26; 13. Evelyn Griffin 6:00.41; 21. Paisley Schneider 6:31.20; 34. Gabby Zoller 7:21.59.
3200 Meters Finals – 1. Emelia Arntson, Climax/Fisher/Sacred Heart 12:06.07.
60m Hurdles Finals – 1. Jocelynne Hoefs, Red River, 9.66.
60m Hurdles Prelims – 1. Jocelynne Hoefs, Red River, 9.70; 21. Alyssa Foster 11.62; 26. Mia Carriere 11.93; 33. Ella Giffen 12.53; 36. Rhianna Smith 13.15; 39. Aveah Hanson 13.32.
300m Hurdles Finals – 1. Jocelynne Hoefs, Red River, 46.98; 16. Alyssa Foster 58.38; 18. Mia Carriere 58.78; 25. Ella Giffen 1:03.71; 26. Aveah Hanson 1:04.08.
4×200 Relay Finals – 1. Valley City A 1:48.65; 5. Thief River Falls A (Kenzie Reynolds, Jordyn Skjerven, Janaya Albers, Gwen Wojciechowski) 1:52.69; 19. Thief River Falls B (Mia Carriere, Taylor Berg, Nora Bruggeman, Miley Bruggeman) 2:06.17.
4×400 Relay Finals – 1. Red River A 4:11.65; 6. Thief River Falls A (Kenzie Reynolds, Elory Mossestad, Livia Harbott, Kayla Peterson) 4:25.98.
4×800 Relay Finals – 1. Pembina County North 10:39.14.
Shot Put – 1. Jacie Reardon, Grand Forks Central, 39-10; 15. Lila Dalager 27- 10; 34. Kennedy Bakke 24- 11.75; 72. Ashlynn Lalonde 19- 11.5; 74. Braylin Fish 19-6.75; 82. Daphne Cameron 17- 2.75.
High Jump Finals – 1. Elizabeth Fedje, Drayton/Valley-Edinburg, 5-2; 3. Davdine King 5-0; 29. Nora Bruggeman 4-0.
Pole Vault – 1. Alyssa Hoyles, Drayton/Valley-Edinburg, 10-0.
Long Jump Finals – 1. Sara Kraft, Devils Lake, 17-10.75. 10. Davdine King 15-1.75; 46. Alyssa Foster 12- 5.75.
Winner/TRF Places-Boys
60 Meter Finals – 1. Kai Zabel, Oak Grove Lutheran, 7.11.
60 Meter Prelims – 1. Kai Zabel, Oak Grove Lutheran, 7.21; 19. Ian Winter 7.62; 43. David King 7.80; 54. Corbin Hruby 7.89; 82. Jax Rantanen 8.15; 83. Gavin Demers 8.15; 92. Carson Walseth 8.22; 93. Cash Reynolds 8.22; 94. Keaton Tillett 8.24; 133. Matthew Dearth 8.89; 137. Chase Anderson 8.99;
200 Meters Finals – 1. Kai Zabel, Oak Grove Lutheran, 22.60; 33. Ian Winter 25.32; 35. Briley Olsonawski 25.35; 39. William Smith 25.51; 52. Carson Walseth 26.26; 55. Cash Reynolds 26.48; 56. Gavin Demers 26.53; 58. Jax Rantanen 26.57; 68. Caleb Mauch 27.14; 87. Matthew Dearth 28.45;
400 Meters Finals – 1. Isaac Navarro, Grafton, 51.42; 4. Briley Olsonawski 53.93; 8. Tobias Sobott 55.97; 9. Wyatt Nelson 56.16; 10. William Smith 56.30; 16. Colin MacLean 57.02; 18. Hudson Brouse 57.64; 26. Gavin Demers 59.93; 38. Caleb Mauch 1:02.49.
600 Meters Finals – 1. Wesley Overland, Central Cass, 1:33.61; 14. Jace Sands 1:48.23; 18. Dylan Lane 1:48.96; 31. Landon Brown 2:16.63;
800 Meters Finals – 1. Grant Nelson, Wadena-Deer Creek, 2:01.98; 3. Curtis Griffin 2:08.94; 6. Tobias Sobott;2:12.43; 18. Lincoln Davis 2:26.10; 29. Jace Sands 2:36.48; 37. Richard Armendariz 2:47.31; 40. Luke Smith 2:49.05; 41. William Dagg 2:49.26.
One Mile Finals – 1. Cohen Dunnigan, Red River, 4:38.71; 3. Curtis Griffin 4:44.07; 16. Lincoln Davis 5:16.38; 26. Wyatt Novak 5:35.23; 30. Jonah Lee 5:39.55; 43. Dylan Lane 5:58.24; 49. Kyler Berg 6:24.22; 56. Landon Brown 7:04.18. 3200 Meters Finals – 1. Ty Uhlir, Grand Forks Central, 10:42.06.
60m Hurdles Finals – 1. August Miller, Grafton, 9:15; 7. Ian Hruby 10.59.
60m Hurdles Prelims – 1. August Miller, Grafton, 9:29; 8. Ian Hruby 10.28.
300m Hurdles Finals – 1. Brody Schneider, Grand Forks Central, 42.85; 11. Ian Hruby 48.83.
4×200 Relay Finals – 1. Grand Forks Central 1:36.36; 10. Thief River Falls A (Wyatt Nelson, Hudson Brouse, Ian Hruby, Ian Winter) 1:42.21; 14. Thief River Falls B (Caleb Mauch, Corbin Hruby, Matthew Dearth, Cash Reynolds) 1:46.91.
4×400 Relay Finals – 1. Grand Forks Central, 3:37.43; 3. Thief River Falls A (Briley Olsonawski, Tobias Sobotta, Wyatt Nelson, Colin MacLean) 3:46.67.
4×800 Relay Finals – 1. Wadena-Deer Creek 9:17.58; 8. Thief River Falls A (Kyler Berg, Jonah Lee, William Dagg, Luke Smith) 10:44.91.
Shot Put – 1. Lucas Fischer, Grand Forks Central, 54-5.25; 28. Joey Bruggeman 37-10.75; 51. Parker Kasprowicz 33-11.25; 66. Kayden Chute 31-4.5; 83. Landon Brown 28-4.25.
High Jump Finals – 1. Anthony Thompson, Mahnomen/Waubun, 6-0; 5. David King 5-8.
Pole Vault Finals – 1. Trevon Quam, Central Cass, 14-6; 16. Keaton Tillett 8-6; 19. Lincoln Davis 8-0.
Long Jump Finals – 1. Gavin McArthur, Mahnomen/Waubun, 19-10.5; 25. Wyatt Nelson 16-9.75; 36. Curtis Griffin 16-5; 55. Carson Walseth 15-6.75; 58. Caleb Mauch 15-4.5; 65. Hudson Brouse 14-10.5; 69. Matthew Dearth 14-7; 73. Keaton Tillett 14-3; 77. Richard Armendariz 13-9.25.