Colome's Joseph Laprath challenges and takes down Class B 1,600-meter field
May 27—SIOUX FALLS — Colome's Joseph Laprath had a plan.
Go out early and alone in the Class B 1,600-meter race.
Put the pressure on his opponents and see if they'd waver.
But above all, Laprath believed. And he went wire-to-wire for the championship, smashing his personal best by 11 seconds in a surprising result at Howard Wood Field on Saturday.
The plan came together after some consultation with Colome coach Brett Heath.
"He said, if you're going to win, you have to go out hard and you have to psych the other runners out and make them feel like they're behind," Laprath said after the race. "I wanted to establish a good lead. We've done it before and it's worked before. Last year, I got eighth and I was just happy to place. I've gotten a lot better and it showed today."
A junior, Laprath said he prayed a lot over the last week about the race, and had a good breakfast on Saturday morning — a plate of chocolate chip pancakes was part of the winning formula.
He won in 4:35.42, a second-and-a-half ahead of second place finisher Wakley Burns from Philip. Freeman Academy/Marion's Tavin Schroeder finished third in 4:41.53, while Canistota's Josiah Schroeder was fourth (4:42.19).
Burns got close on the final lap, but Laprath had enough in the final 100 meters to hold off Philip for the title.
"This was it for the year," Laprath said. "I knew there was nothing left."
The win came after a school-record breaking performance in the 3,200-meter race on Friday, where he finished third. Colome legend Glenn Graesser was in the crowd on Saturday cheering for Laprath and retains the 800 and 1,600-meter records, winning the 2000 and 2001 1,600-meter championships in Class B.
The practice plan for the Cowboy fits the small-town theme for a school that had 17 graduating seniors earlier this month. Laprath runs about three miles per day, not purely training for distance considering he runs some sprinting events as well.
Colome still has a dirt track for practice, and he runs on the gravel road near his home 15 miles southeast of town.
"It felt great and I know it doesn't happen every day from small-town Colome, South Dakota," he said.
