The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn girls' track and field team continues to show improvement, finishing fourth of nine teams at their own Hawk Relays on April 23 in Hartley.

The Hawks scored 65 points. Cherokee won the girls' division with 157, with Okoboji in second with 110. Sibley-Ocheyedan was third with 81. The Hawks were in fourth, followed by Remsen St. Mary's with 63, George-Little Rock with 40, Akron-Westfield with 25, Storm Lake St. Mary's with 20 and Trinity Christian with 15.

H-M-S started the day with another win in the sprint medley relay. The team of Anna Vander Veen, Emily Otto, Abigail Otto and Jasmine Lux ran one of their best times of the year (1:59.89).

Lux added runner-up finishes in the 200 meter dash (:27.61) and 400 meter dash (1:02.50). Vander Veen was fourth in the 400 meter hurdles (1:17.54), and Emily Otto placed fifth in the 100 meter dash (:14.25). Abigail Otto added a fifth-place finish in the 400 (1:06.72) and a sixth-place finish in the 200 (:29.94).

In the distance events, Lexi Croatt ran personal bests in both of her events, finishing third in the 3,000 meter run (12:28.39) and fifth in the 1,500 meter run (5:52.89).

Competing in the shot put, Megan Recher finished third (25'9") and Paige Gehrke was sixth (23'2.75"). In the discus, Anissa Bush finished in fifth place (72'10").

The 4x100 relay team of Lydia Harders, Abigail Otto, Emily Otto and Lux finished fourth (:55.80). In fifth place was the 4x200 team consisting of Vander Veen, Alexa Reed-Clancy, Emily Otto and Taya Mason (2:09.50).

In the girls' distance medley relay, Vander Veen, Harders, Ashleigh Vermeer and Madison Otto finished fourth (5:11.24). The 4x800 team of Vermeer, Mason, Kayla Kathman and Juliana Pasillas finished fifth (13:33.75). H-M-S finished sixth in the 4x400 relay (5:46.83).

Hawk coach Nicole Dorhout feels the team is finding its rhythm.

MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS

Lexi Croatt runs to a third-place finish in the 3,000 meter run at the Hawk Relays last Friday.

"This year has been challenging all-around for everyone, but we're starting to figure some things out," she said. "We're getting improved times and distances from almost everyone, which is all we can ask for. We think we have some good prospects for the state-qualifying meet in May."

The Hawks are looking ahead to hosting the War Eagle Conference track and field meet on Monday, May 3, starting at 4 p.m.

"We'd encourage people to come out and cheer the teams on," Dorhout said. "It's exciting to be hosting a big meet like that, and we're proud of our Hawks."