Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Logan Kletscher (right) takes the baton from teammate Aaron Hauser during the boys’ 4x100-meter relay at New Ulm High School on Thursday.

NEW ULM — New Ulm had a tough time in its Big South Conference track and field home-opener on Thursday as its boys’ and girls’ teams each finished fifth.

For the boys, Waseca took first (73), while Fairmont took second (67), Redwood Valley took third (47), Worthington took fourth (42) and New Ulm took fifth (27). For the girls, Fairmont finished first (108.5), Redwood Valley took second (60.5), Waseca finished third (53), Worthington took fourth (29) and New Ulm took fifth (21).

Logan Kletscher was the Eagles’ lone boy to finish first on Thursday, taking first in the pole vault (9-0). Cameron Carpenter finished second in the long jump for New Ulm (17-07). The New Ulm boys also saw some success in relays, with its team of Kletscher, Jacob Martinka, Vincente Munoz and Dawson Schaefer taking second in the 4×200-meter relay (1:42:59) and its team of Aaron Hauser, Easton Clark, Ty Frederick and Martinka taking second in the 4×400 (3:55.73).

Also for the New Ulm boys, Hauser took fourth in the 100 (12.4), Cale Dennis took fourth in the 3,200 (12:06.47), Nathan Wolkow took fourth in both the shot put (39-11.5) and discus (104-01), Marqavion Haefner took fourth in the pole vault (8-06), Munoz took fourth in the long jump (16-11.5) and Ethan Lieb took fifth in the high jump (5-02).

Taking first for the New Ulm girls on Thursday was Emily Pearson, who finished first in the pole vault (9-0), and Paige Kalis, who took first in the long jump (16-11). Also for the New Ulm girls, Nevaeh Ubl took second in the discus (82-08), Kylee Nosbush took fourth in the discus (78-05), Anne Howard took fifth in both the triple jump (31-01) and the 200-meter dash (29.97), and Evelyn Friese took fifth in the 800 (3:01.52).

New Ulm is next at St. Peter on Monday.