Hornets finish first, second in Cloverbelt
The Colby Hornet track and field team hosted the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference meet on Tuesday, May 18. Athletes from nine schools competed in the meet. Expectations were high for a Colby team that had found great success throughout the season and it appeared that the Hornets were ready not only to meet those expectations, but exceed them.
The girls’ team put forth a dominating effort, taking first place overall and prevailing over the likes of Loyal and Neillsville. Their 212.50 points dwarfed those of the second place Greyhounds, which finished with 152.50 points and the third place Warriors, which finished with 77.50 points.
The boys’ team also had a very impressive conference meet, overtaking Owen-Withee over the last few events to place second overall. The Neillsville boys’ team took first place with 200.50 points, followed by the Hornets with 125 points and the Blackhawks with 113 points.
As one might expect given the number of points the Hornet teams racked up, there were many top finishers at Tuesday night’s meet.
Taking first place in their events and receiving first-team all-conference honors for the girls were Willow Oehmichen in the 800-meter run in 2:39.84, Daisy Feiten in both the 1600-meter and 3200-meter runs in 5:29.71 and 13:50.29 respectively, Trinity Severson in both the 100-meter and 300-meter hurdles in 16.66 and 49.08 seconds respectively, and Malayna Rieck in the discus with a distance of 126 feet. Two relays also placed first with the 4x400-meter relay of Severson, Oehmichen, Feiten and Hayden Willner finishing in 4:12.94 and the 4x800-meter relay of Mercedes Sarkkinen, MaKenna Herrmann, Reagan Schraufnagel, and Casey Reynolds finishing in 11:35.23.
Placing second and receiving secondteam all-conference honors were Willner in the 400-meter dash in 1:04.07 and the 100-meter hurdles in 17.65 seconds, Sarkkinen in the 800-meter run in 2:42.69, Herrmann in the 1600-meter run in 6:11.77, Reynolds in the 3200-meter run in 13:57.98, Kaylee Podevels in the high jump with height of four feet, 10 inches, Oehmichen in the pole vault with a height of nine feet, six inches, and Rieck in the shot put with a distance of 34 feet, three-and-three-quarters inches. The 4x200-meter relay of Podevels, Jazmyn Heeg, Dakota Hoeper and Alexis Vanderhoof also took second with a time of 1:54.08.
Taking third for the girls were Oehmichen in the 400-meter dash in 1:05.03, Schraufnagel in the 1600-meter run in 6:21.18, and Payton Roth in the 3200-meter run in 14:44.51. The 4x100-meter relay of Podevels, Hoeper, Vanderhoof and Veronica Mateer also placed third with a time of 55.20 seconds.
Taking first place honors for the boys’ team were Caden Healy in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes in 11.57 and 23.54 seconds respectively, as well as in the long jump with a distance of 18 feet, tenand- a-quarter inches and Derek Jeske in the discus with a distance of 125 feet, nine inches.
Second place honors went to Seth Hopperdietzel in the pole vault with a height of 11 feet and Jeske in the shot put with a distance of 44 feet, one-quarter inch. Two relay teams also placed second for the Hornets with the 4x400-meter relay of Hopperdietzel, Richard Streveler, Caden Kleparski, and Carter Roth finishing in 3:54.25 and the 4x800meter relay of R. Streveler, Roth, Parker Johnson and Joseph Streveler finishing in 10:11.64.
Healy also placed third in the shot put with a distance of 42 feet, three inches.
T he Hornets will set their sights on the regional meet next week Monday, which will also be hosted at Colby.
