Hornets squad takes on best at UW-Stout Elite Meet
By Nathaniel Undei~wood
The Colby Hornets track and field team had several athletes compete last week Thursday at UW-Stout’s Elite Meet in Menomonie.
Daelyn Rieck had the top finish for the Hornets as she notched her second victory of the season in the shot put. Her first throw of the day traveled 39 feet, 6.5 inches and was the top tlirow of the preliminary rounds, pushing her to the finals. Holmen’s Brenna Schmidt was the only athlete to top that initial throw by Rieck in the finals, putting up a throw of 39 feet, nine inches on her fourth throw of the day. The Colby junior still came out on top, however, after posting a meethigh 40 feet, five inches on her first throw of the finals, securing her second win of 2025.
Teammate Edynn Hinker also competed in the shot put for the Hornets. The sophomore’s second throw of the day was her best, measuring 26 feet even and earning her 45th place in the competition.
Xander Buchanan put together a solid performance in the high jump for the boys team, besting his result from the week prior by five inches. After a fault at the starting height of five feet, five inches on his first attempt of the day, Buchanan bounced back to clear both that height and the height of five feet, eight inches on his next two attempts. While he was not able to get past the five foot, 10 inch mark, his immediate clear of the prior height gave him a tie break advantage over four other athletes who also made it past that height, earning himself 10th place in the process.
Buchanan and teammate Rolyn Hopperdietzel also competed in the long jump on Thursday. Hopperdietzel narrowly missed out on a spot in the finals, posting a leap of 18 feet, 10.5 inches on his second attempt of the day. This put him just an inch and a half behind the 10th place spot and he ended the day in 12th. Buchanan’s first attempt of the day was his best, posting a leap of 17 feet, 6.5 inches. The effort earned him 20th place in the event.
Annamarie Schmitt picked up a 19th place finish for the Hornets in the 1600-meter run. Running in the second heat of the day, Schmitt was eighth in her heat after 400-meters, but picked up three spots over the course of the race. The Colby junior finished mere tenths of a second behind Abbotsford’s Azul Diaz, who was in the same heat and took 18th overall. Schmitt finished with a final time of 5:57.42. Ali Adams also competed for the Hornets in the event, where she placed 38th with a time of 6:38.46.
Schmitt added a 31st place finish for Colby in the 800-meter run, finishing with a time of2:47.71.
A 41st place finish for Oliver Steen in the shot put rounded out the Hornets day in Menomonie. Steen only got better as the day went on, registering his best throw of 36 feet, 8.5 inches on his third attempt of the day.
The Colby girls team is scheduled for one final event of indoor action, heading to Marshfield on Thursday, April 10 for the Tigers Indoor Relays meet. The meet is set to begin at 4:30 p.m. The Hornets will then begin their outdoor season with a trip to Altoona on Monday, April 14 with a start time of 4 p.m.
