DARLINGTON - Darlington boys track coach Todd Bastian doesn't want to read too much into the SWAL Conference meet Tuesday in which the Redbirds defeated Fennimore 161-120.
The much anticipated meet that featured Fennimore, last year's WIAA Division 3 state champions, and Darlington, last year's state runner-up, also included every team that will be at the SWAL Conference meet.
"It has all the same teams," Bastian said. "There are a lot of coaches not doing what they will at the conference meet. It definitely gives you an idea of where you stand in some events."
Bastian has to like where the Redbirds stand. Darlington won eight of 18 events and swept the top two spots in two events.
Darlington senior Braden Zywicki won the 110-meter hurdles (:16.49) and the triple jump (39 feet, 3 inches). Zywicki took second in the 200 (:24.61), which was 25 hundredths of a second behind Southwestern's Ted Tranel.
Darlington junior Alex Erickson won the long jump (20-6 1/2,) anchored the winning 800 relay team and helped the Redbirds take first in the 1,600 relay.
Erickson teamed with Mitchell Langkamp, Trynton Schwartz and Cody Erickson to take first in the 800 relay with a time of 1 minute, 35.9 seconds.
"It felt good to get the win," Alex Erickson said. "We just have to keep working hard and get ourselves in a position to win conference."
The rivalry with Fennimore brings out the best in the Redbirds.
"They have a great team and we have a great team too," Erickson said. "We have become friends with a lot of those guys. It's just a lot of fun competing against those guys."
In the 1,600 relay Alex Erickson teamed with Schwartz, Matt McDaniel and Cody Erickson to finish first with a time of 3:39.19.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of McDaniel, Michael Sinclair, Destin Komprood and Quinn Cullen won the race with a time of 9:05.46.
Senior Bruce King won the high jump (6-0) and junior Zach Brown was second (5-10). Sophomore Kent Miehe won the 1,600 with a time of 5:05.92 and Aaron Stauffacher was second (5:11.45).
"That's as good as he has jumped in a while," Bastian said of King. "He needs a meet like that to help him take off a little bit."
Junior Connor Roche finished second in the 400 (:57.22) and Mitchell Wedig took second in the 300 hurdles (:44.82). Garth Garrison added a third-place finish in the 3,200 (11:27.31).
The much anticipated meet that featured Fennimore, last year's WIAA Division 3 state champions, and Darlington, last year's state runner-up, also included every team that will be at the SWAL Conference meet.
"It has all the same teams," Bastian said. "There are a lot of coaches not doing what they will at the conference meet. It definitely gives you an idea of where you stand in some events."
Bastian has to like where the Redbirds stand. Darlington won eight of 18 events and swept the top two spots in two events.
Darlington senior Braden Zywicki won the 110-meter hurdles (:16.49) and the triple jump (39 feet, 3 inches). Zywicki took second in the 200 (:24.61), which was 25 hundredths of a second behind Southwestern's Ted Tranel.
Darlington junior Alex Erickson won the long jump (20-6 1/2,) anchored the winning 800 relay team and helped the Redbirds take first in the 1,600 relay.
Erickson teamed with Mitchell Langkamp, Trynton Schwartz and Cody Erickson to take first in the 800 relay with a time of 1 minute, 35.9 seconds.
"It felt good to get the win," Alex Erickson said. "We just have to keep working hard and get ourselves in a position to win conference."
The rivalry with Fennimore brings out the best in the Redbirds.
"They have a great team and we have a great team too," Erickson said. "We have become friends with a lot of those guys. It's just a lot of fun competing against those guys."
In the 1,600 relay Alex Erickson teamed with Schwartz, Matt McDaniel and Cody Erickson to finish first with a time of 3:39.19.
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of McDaniel, Michael Sinclair, Destin Komprood and Quinn Cullen won the race with a time of 9:05.46.
Senior Bruce King won the high jump (6-0) and junior Zach Brown was second (5-10). Sophomore Kent Miehe won the 1,600 with a time of 5:05.92 and Aaron Stauffacher was second (5:11.45).
"That's as good as he has jumped in a while," Bastian said of King. "He needs a meet like that to help him take off a little bit."
Junior Connor Roche finished second in the 400 (:57.22) and Mitchell Wedig took second in the 300 hurdles (:44.82). Garth Garrison added a third-place finish in the 3,200 (11:27.31).
