SF Christian shines in 800-meter events on Dakota Relays Day 1

If you were running 800 meters and wearing a Sioux Falls Christian uniform at the first day of the 101st Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 1, you likely had a pretty good day. The 4x800-meter boys and girls relay teams both won, and Ellie Maddox and Sadie Pettengill competed in the invite-only 800-meter special event. Maddox placed fifth and Pettengill came in sixth in the eight-person field.

The 4x800-meter boys team won for the first time in a few years, while the girls relay team won the Class A championship at the Dakota Relays for the fifth consecutive year. Maddox, a senior committed to run at Duke next year, and Pettengill, a sophomore, finished just under two seconds apart despite being back-to-back. Maddox finished in 2:11.

98 and Pettengill crossed the line in 2:13. 74. "It was such a big honor," Maddox said.

"We've been here year after year, and we know these special events are a really big deal. The fact we were chosen, I was honored, and that we could do it together was really cool. " For Pettengill, getting the opportunity to compete against some of the best 800-meter runners in the upper Midwest was a chance to grow and learn how the elite compete.