DARLINGTON - Quinn Cullen has been a part of two state champion cross country teams, and he started the track season strong and picked up where he left off in the fall.
Cullen, a Darlington senior, was named the most outstanding boys performer at the Darlington Invitational Thursday after winning the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 6.74 seconds and winning the 1,600 (4:42.42). The Redbirds swept the top three spots in the 800. Thomas Schultz finished second (2:18.22) and Jaden Komprood took third (2:25.70).
"(Cullen) has really had a great spring so far," Darlington track coach Todd Bastian said. "He has run really well. I think he is ahead of last year's pace."
No team scores were kept, but Bastian was pleased with the individual performances from the Redbirds.
"I thought overall we had some good performances," he said. "We had some young kids who really stepped up. Hopefully, before the end of the year we can be pretty tough."
Black Hawk junior Jen Wellnitz was named the girls most outstanding performer. Wellnitz won three individual events including the 100 (:12.94), 200 (:27.49) and triple jump (32 feet, 3 inches). She added a third place finish in the long jump (14-3 1/2).
Darlington junior Kyle Johnson won the 110 high hurdles (:16.12) and the 300 hurdles (:44.32).
"I think (Johnson) is hungry to do a little bit better," Bastian said. "He has his sights set on the 110 hurdles school record."
Darlington's Ethan Glendenning finished first in the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches) and Patrick Roche won the pole vault (10-3). Robert Martin won the 3,200 (10:57.48) for the Redbirds.
Pecatonica-Argyle senior Nathan Loyd won the 400 with a time of 54.41 seconds, which was just ahead of Darlington junior Tyson Miehe (:55.98). The Redbirds' 1,600 relay team of Cole Trumble, Johnson, Cullen and Kyle Schulte took first with a time of 3:48.70. Miehe teamed with Sean Barbee, Garth Garrison and Schultz to win the 3,200 relay (8:57.42).
Black Hawk's Tanner Sweeney finished second in the long jump (17-11 3/4). Pecatonica-Argyle's Skylar Cragg finished third in the 300 hurdles (:50.27) and third in the triple jump (35-5).
In the girls meet, Darlington's Carly Reilly won the long jump (14-6) and took second in the 100 (:13.18).
Darlington senior Cheyenne Wolfe finished first in the 1,600 (5:54.28) and teammate Claire Cullen took second (5:57.65). In the 3,200, Darlington senior Tatum Evenstad took first (13:23.55) and teammate Johanna Meister finished second (13:32.38).
Darlington senior Abigail Merriam finished first in the high jump (5-0) and senior Cassidy Chambers won the pole vault (7-0). Chambers also took third in the high jump (4-10) and Alison Wedig took second in the 400 (1:02.59).
The Redbirds won three of the four relays. Chambers and Reilly teamed with Carly Langkamp and Molly McDaniel to win the 400 relay (:55.50). Langkamp and Reilly teamed with Wedig and Claire Scott to win the 1,600 relay (4:22.72). The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Harley Douglas, Christa Wamsley, Evenstad and Langkamp won with a time of 10:43.10.
Black Hawk junior Olivia Holland took second in the 800 (2:40.82) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Emma Marion was third (2:43.87).
The Redbirds also got third places from Tessa Wamsley in the shot put (30-10 3/4), Kaitlyn Wall in the discus (93-5) and Shannon McDaniel in the pole vault (6-6).
Last year, the Darlington girls track team qualified each relay for state. The Redbirds showed their relay depth early in the season. Qualifying each relay for state at the end of the season could be a challenge.
"I think there are a lot of really good girls track teams out there," Bastian said. "There is a lot of competition in the relays. We will have our work cut out for us."
Cullen, a Darlington senior, was named the most outstanding boys performer at the Darlington Invitational Thursday after winning the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 6.74 seconds and winning the 1,600 (4:42.42). The Redbirds swept the top three spots in the 800. Thomas Schultz finished second (2:18.22) and Jaden Komprood took third (2:25.70).
"(Cullen) has really had a great spring so far," Darlington track coach Todd Bastian said. "He has run really well. I think he is ahead of last year's pace."
No team scores were kept, but Bastian was pleased with the individual performances from the Redbirds.
"I thought overall we had some good performances," he said. "We had some young kids who really stepped up. Hopefully, before the end of the year we can be pretty tough."
Black Hawk junior Jen Wellnitz was named the girls most outstanding performer. Wellnitz won three individual events including the 100 (:12.94), 200 (:27.49) and triple jump (32 feet, 3 inches). She added a third place finish in the long jump (14-3 1/2).
Darlington junior Kyle Johnson won the 110 high hurdles (:16.12) and the 300 hurdles (:44.32).
"I think (Johnson) is hungry to do a little bit better," Bastian said. "He has his sights set on the 110 hurdles school record."
Darlington's Ethan Glendenning finished first in the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches) and Patrick Roche won the pole vault (10-3). Robert Martin won the 3,200 (10:57.48) for the Redbirds.
Pecatonica-Argyle senior Nathan Loyd won the 400 with a time of 54.41 seconds, which was just ahead of Darlington junior Tyson Miehe (:55.98). The Redbirds' 1,600 relay team of Cole Trumble, Johnson, Cullen and Kyle Schulte took first with a time of 3:48.70. Miehe teamed with Sean Barbee, Garth Garrison and Schultz to win the 3,200 relay (8:57.42).
Black Hawk's Tanner Sweeney finished second in the long jump (17-11 3/4). Pecatonica-Argyle's Skylar Cragg finished third in the 300 hurdles (:50.27) and third in the triple jump (35-5).
In the girls meet, Darlington's Carly Reilly won the long jump (14-6) and took second in the 100 (:13.18).
Darlington senior Cheyenne Wolfe finished first in the 1,600 (5:54.28) and teammate Claire Cullen took second (5:57.65). In the 3,200, Darlington senior Tatum Evenstad took first (13:23.55) and teammate Johanna Meister finished second (13:32.38).
Darlington senior Abigail Merriam finished first in the high jump (5-0) and senior Cassidy Chambers won the pole vault (7-0). Chambers also took third in the high jump (4-10) and Alison Wedig took second in the 400 (1:02.59).
The Redbirds won three of the four relays. Chambers and Reilly teamed with Carly Langkamp and Molly McDaniel to win the 400 relay (:55.50). Langkamp and Reilly teamed with Wedig and Claire Scott to win the 1,600 relay (4:22.72). The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Harley Douglas, Christa Wamsley, Evenstad and Langkamp won with a time of 10:43.10.
Black Hawk junior Olivia Holland took second in the 800 (2:40.82) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Emma Marion was third (2:43.87).
The Redbirds also got third places from Tessa Wamsley in the shot put (30-10 3/4), Kaitlyn Wall in the discus (93-5) and Shannon McDaniel in the pole vault (6-6).
Last year, the Darlington girls track team qualified each relay for state. The Redbirds showed their relay depth early in the season. Qualifying each relay for state at the end of the season could be a challenge.
"I think there are a lot of really good girls track teams out there," Bastian said. "There is a lot of competition in the relays. We will have our work cut out for us."
