By Nick Beversdorf
Reporter
After a very successful Otto Bacher and a cancelled city meet last Tuesday, Bluejay varsity track fell into hardships as both the girls and boys teams faced off against conference rivals yesterday at Wausau West. Both teams placed last at the event, with the boys acquiring 24 team points and the girls tallying 27 points. Unsurprisingly, SPASH placed first in both.
Nonetheless, there were still many bright spots at the meet. Adam Laehn placed first in the qualifier and second in the final long jump with 21′ 3″. Rylee Folz placed first in the high jump with a clean five feet. Dalie Thomas placed sixth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:02.61 and Emily Sczygelski placed fifth in pole vault with 8′ 6″ and eighth in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 18.32.
Austyn Kirby placed seventh in the high jump with 5′ 8″ and Austin Sommer placed seventh in the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:00.53. John Greutzmatcher placed eighth in the qualifier and final discus throw with 121′ 8″.
“We were extremely proud of the way the Bluejays went out and competed against themselves,” comments ehad coach Kurt VandenHeuvel. “Before the meet started, we told the athletes that the meet was against nobody but themselves, a challenge to actually find a way to focus, prepare and perform to the best of their ability. The athletes who competed did very well. Yes there were mistakes (DQ in the women’s 4X100 and men’s 4X200), but that is the joy of coaching Track and Field, to watch the athletes battle through adversity and continue to compete. The end result did not display how the athletes performed but that is the nature of the beast with Track. You need numbers, talent and committed athletes. If you can master those three things, you will have a shot.”
“As the season comes to an end, the athletes are committed, young in talent and we fell a little short on numbers. We are proud of how many personal records were tied or created with Rylee Folz’s 5’0″ High Jump to win all conference, Adam Laehn’s 21’3” Long Jump to take 2nd, Austin Sommer’s 5:00 mile run, Isiah Heyel’s 400 time cut by 4 seconds, Emily Sczygelski’s 8’6″ with a PR of 6in in the Pole Vault and John Greutzmatcher’s Shot put of over 43′. These are big performances by young athletes who we rely on to get the job done each meet.”
For a full list of the results, click here.