GRAFTON, N.D. -- The element of surprise is gone for Chris Arvin.
The Larimore sophomore made a big impact here Saturday, winning the 100, 200 and 400 in the North Dakota Class B Region 2 high school track meet. Grafton's Reilly Mathiason had swept those same three events last year, but with the senior slowed by a hamstring that limited him to one race, Arvin took advantage.
"I don't think many people, outside of my family and some others in Larimore, were thinking that I'd come here and win anything,'' Arvin said.
"I felt I had a chance to qualify for state and maybe win the 400. But winning the 100 and 200, those were pleasant surprises.''
Arvin ran the 100 in 11.07 seconds, just edging Mathiason (:11.08). The sophomore edged another Grafton runner, Michael McCrudden, in the 200 and 400. Arvin had a :22.97 in the 200 to McCrudden's :23.22, and Arvin won the 400 by just over a second, :53.15 to McCrudden's :54.16.
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Having a sophomore win the three sprints "doesn't happen very often in boys track,'' Larimore coach Rick Henry said. "The strength of upperclassmen usually makes a big difference.
"We felt Chris had a chance to win. Some guys had faster times coming in, so a lot depended on who was running what and what scratches there were. But if things worked out in our favor, I felt there was a chance for Chris to do this.''
And next season? "I probably won't do any sneaking up on people,'' Arvin said.
Grafton was able to repeat as the region's boys team champion.
The Spoilers had 106.5 points to edge Drayton-St. Thomas-Valley (91), Park River Area (89.5) and Thompson (89). Grafton won the title despite winning only two events, Jared Monsebroten in the pole vault and John LeClerc, who won the 110 hurdles despite having walking pneumonia.
"Without Reilly, we didn't have that one kid who gets the big points,'' Dietz said. "It came down to depth. We had kids who performed better than their seeding. And our strength is our sprints -- even without Reilly, we scored a lot points in those events.''
Griggs County Central maintained its dominance in the girls' region, capturing its eighth straight team title. Griggs County Central had 134 points, followed by Grafton (88), North Border (87) and Cavalier (82).
Beth Jochim led GCC, as the senior won the long jump and triple jump and was second in the 100 and 200. "Beth really came through,'' GCC coach Nancy Paintner said. "She's just a good all-around athlete.
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"We only have 21 girls out this year. We don't have as much depth, but we have more quality individuals.''
Griggs CC also got wins from Kali Hook (shot put) and Shaleen Helmer (discus).
Sarah Lorenz of Mayville-Portland-Clifford-Galesburg also was a double winner, as she took the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
