PHOTOS: Images from the opening day of the Dakota Relays

050523 HWDR-1 James Deckert long jump.JPG — Ethan/Parkston's James Deckert lands in the long jump pit during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

By Marcus Traxler

May 05, 2023 at 8:09 PM

SIOUX FALLS — The 98th annual Howard Wood Dakota Relays kicked off on Friday, May 5.

Here's a look at the action from Sioux Falls:

1/20: Ethan/Parkston's James Deckert lands in the long jump pit during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 James Deckert long jump2.JPG

2/20: Ethan/Parkston's James Deckert participates in the long jump pit during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

3/20: Sioux Falls Washington's Kael Miedema participates in the shot put during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Keaton Weber long jump.JPG

4/20: Hanson's Keaton Weber leaps in the boys long jump during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Berkeley Engelland 100 heat.JPG

5/20: Mount Vernon/Plankinton's Berkeley Engelland crosses the finish line in a heat of the 100-meter dash during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

6/20: Platte-Geddes' Lee Reiser reacts during the boys shot put event on the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

7/20: Pierre's Jason Maciejczak participates in the boys shot put during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

8/20: Sioux Falls Christian's Paul Hoekman throws the shot put during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

9/20: Sioux Falls Jefferson's Aiden Cuka lands in the long jump pit during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

10/20: Minot (N.D.)'s Anthony Brown flies through the air in the boys long jump during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

11/20: Platte-Geddes' Lee Reiser throws the shot put during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

12/20: Mitchell's Kellan Odell throws the javelin during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

13/20: Mount Vernon/Plankinton's Reed Rus clears the bar in the boys high jump during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Nathan McCormick 4x200.JPG

14/20: Mitchell's Nathan McCormick and Sioux Falls Washington's Nick Olson race in the boys 4x200-meter relay during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Gregory boys 4x200 finish.JPG

15/20: Gregory's Kade Stukel carries the baton to the finish line in the boys Class B 4x200-meter relay against Warner's Logan Permann during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Mia Mullenmeister 4x200.JPG

16/20: Mitchell's Mia Mullenmeister carries the baton in the 4x200-meter relay during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Claire Hegg Brooke Bartscher 4x200.JPG

17/20: From left, Mitchell's Brooke Bartscher takes the baton from teammate Claire Hegg in the girls 4x200-meter relay during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

18/20: Mitchell's Lukas Bennett breaks from the blocks in the boys 4x200-meter relay during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

050523 HWDR-1 Gregory boys 4x200 Eli Fogel Luke Stukel.JPG

19/20: From left, Gregory's Luke Stukel takes the baton from Eli Fogel in the Class B boys 4x200-meter relay during the opening day of the Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023 at Howard Wood Field in Sioux Falls.

20/20: U.S. Sen. John Thune places a first-place medal around Kade Stukel's neck following Gregory's victory in the Class B boys 4x200-meter relay during the 98th Howard Wood Dakota Relays on Friday, May 5, 2023, in Sioux Falls.

By Marcus Traxler

Traxler is the assistant editor and sports editor for the Mitchell Republic. He's worked for the newspaper since 2014 and has covered a wide variety of topics. He can be reached at mtraxler@mitchellrepublic.com.