PREP TRACK: Park River/Fordville-Lankin’s Rehovsky, Clemetson look to make noise at Northeast Region meet

PARK RIVER, N.D. -- Spencer Rehovsky and Cole Clemetson were part of the team concept that took an undefeated Park River/Fordville-Lankin football team all the way to a second straight North Dakota Class A high school football championship last fall. Now they're making their marks individually. Rehovsky figures to be the favorite in the javelin and Clemetson one of the top entrants in the shot put at the Class B Northeast Region track meet, to be held in Larimore Friday beginning at 3 p.m. "It's definitely a little different,'' said Rehovsky, a senior and all-state offensive lineman who plans to play football at Minnesota State-Moorhead next season. "I loved the camaraderie in football. It's a group of guys who work together for the common goal. You can't do it by yourself. You need the help of your teammates. "At track meets, it's you against the other guys. It's all on you. It's something you have to get used to. The pressure is all on yourself; if you want to be good, it's about what you put into it.'' Rehovsky didn't begin competing in track until he was a freshman. He set a personal record in placing third at last season's state track meet with a throw of 167 feet, 2 inches. He's one of just nine athletes who have qualified for state in the javelin this season, with a season-best throw of 160 feet.
 Clemetson, a junior who was an all-region defensive lineman for the Aggies, finished sixth at state in the shot put last season. Only two athletes in the state have a better throw than his 50-6 performance this season. One of those is Griggs County Central's Wesley Odegaard, who will be the favorite in the region with a state-best 55-1 throw this spring. "In football, your teammates have your back,'' Clemetson said. "In track, it's all on you. I like the individual part of it, relying on yourself. I've always liked track more than football. I've always loved the throwing. I like working on perfecting (the shot put), even though I'm far from perfect at it. "The atmosphere is completely different. In football, there always is a lot of people there watching. In track, it's more just the coaches, teammates and family watching. There's less stress in track. I'm more comfortable with that.'' Rehovsky joined track at the encouragement of his football coaches, who felt it would help his football performance. Clemetson was in track since junior high. He's always had one goal -- breaking the school shot put record of 52-4 that is held by his father, Barry Clemetson. "Ever since I was in junior high, I've been shooting for that,'' the junior said. "My dad is always after me to do the best I can. I think he wants to see me get that record.'' Robert Goll, the Aggies' football and boys track coach, said both athletes have some things in common. "Spencer and Cole both work at their throwing,'' Goll said. "When you have kids dedicated, you see good things. They're both big, strong kids and they're athletic. "They were a big part of our success in football. Spencer was a dominant offensive lineman and Cole was hard for teams to block.'' Rehovsky and Clemetson are the Aggies' most successful football/track combo athletes. But all-state running back Cadyn Hunter has qualified for the state track meet in the 100 and 200. And all four legs of the PR/F-L 4x200 relay team that has qualified for state -- Hunter, Levi Cudmore, Daman Flaten and Will Zimmerman -- were all-state football players. N.D. Class B Northeast Region When: At Larimore Friday, beginning at 3 p.m. At stake: The top 3 finishers in each event, as well as all entrants who meet state-qualifying standards, advance to the Class B state track meet in Bismarck on May 27-28. Defending team champions: Grafton-St. Thomas boys, Hillsboro-Central Valley girls. Returning girls individual region champions: Beatrice Kjelland, Park River Area, 100 and 200; Gracie Wright, Hillsboro-CV, 400; Elaina Swartz, Park River Area, 100 hurdles and high jump; Jocelyn Dinius, Langdon Area, pole vault; Sloan Smith, Larimore, shot put Returning boys individual region champions: Alex Henton, Griggs County Central, 3,200; Gavin Longthorne, Hillsboro-CV, high jump; Seth Smith, Larimore, long jump; Spencer Rehovsky, Park River Area, javelin. PARK RIVER, N.D. -- Spencer Rehovsky and Cole Clemetson were part of the team concept that took an undefeated Park River/Fordville-Lankin football team all the way to a second straight North Dakota Class A high school football championship last fall.Now they're making their marks individually. Rehovsky figures to be the favorite in the javelin and Clemetson one of the top entrants in the shot put at the Class B Northeast Region track meet, to be held in Larimore Friday beginning at 3 p.m."It's definitely a little different,'' said Rehovsky, a senior and all-state offensive lineman who plans to play football at Minnesota State-Moorhead next season. "I loved the camaraderie in football. It's a group of guys who work together for the common goal. You can't do it by yourself. You need the help of your teammates."At track meets, it's you against the other guys. It's all on you. It's something you have to get used to. The pressure is all on yourself; if you want to be good, it's about what you put into it.''Rehovsky didn't begin competing in track until he was a freshman. He set a personal record in placing third at last season's state track meet with a throw of 167 feet, 2 inches. He's one of just nine athletes who have qualified for state in the javelin this season, with a season-best throw of 160 feet.
 Clemetson, a junior who was an all-region defensive lineman for the Aggies, finished sixth at state in the shot put last season. Only two athletes in the state have a better throw than his 50-6 performance this season. One of those is Griggs County Central's Wesley Odegaard, who will be the favorite in the region with a state-best 55-1 throw this spring."In football, your teammates have your back,'' Clemetson said. "In track, it's all on you. I like the individual part of it, relying on yourself. I've always liked track more than football. I've always loved the throwing. I like working on perfecting (the shot put), even though I'm far from perfect at it."The atmosphere is completely different. In football, there always is a lot of people there watching. In track, it's more just the coaches, teammates and family watching. There's less stress in track. I'm more comfortable with that.''Rehovsky joined track at the encouragement of his football coaches, who felt it would help his football performance. Clemetson was in track since junior high. He's always had one goal -- breaking the school shot put record of 52-4 that is held by his father, Barry Clemetson."Ever since I was in junior high, I've been shooting for that,'' the junior said. "My dad is always after me to do the best I can. I think he wants to see me get that record.''Robert Goll, the Aggies' football and boys track coach, said both athletes have some things in common."Spencer and Cole both work at their throwing,'' Goll said. "When you have kids dedicated, you see good things. They're both big, strong kids and they're athletic."They were a big part of our success in football. Spencer was a dominant offensive lineman and Cole was hard for teams to block.''Rehovsky and Clemetson are the Aggies' most successful football/track combo athletes. But all-state running back Cadyn Hunter has qualified for the state track meet in the 100 and 200. And all four legs of the PR/F-L 4x200 relay team that has qualified for state -- Hunter, Levi Cudmore, Daman Flaten and Will Zimmerman -- were all-state football players.N.D. Class B Northeast RegionWhen: At Larimore Friday, beginning at 3 p.m.At stake: The top 3 finishers in each event, as well as all entrants who meet state-qualifying standards, advance to the Class B state track meet in Bismarck on May 27-28.Defending team champions: Grafton-St. Thomas boys, Hillsboro-Central Valley girls.Returning girls individual region champions: Beatrice Kjelland, Park River Area, 100 and 200; Gracie Wright, Hillsboro-CV, 400; Elaina Swartz, Park River Area, 100 hurdles and high jump; Jocelyn Dinius, Langdon Area, pole vault; Sloan Smith, Larimore, shot putReturning boys individual region champions: Alex Henton, Griggs County Central, 3,200; Gavin Longthorne, Hillsboro-CV, high jump; Seth Smith, Larimore, long jump; Spencer Rehovsky, Park River Area, javelin.