DARLINGTON - The Darlington boys track team is expected to contend for a SWAL Conference title.
Although it wasn't a conference meet Monday, Darlington proved it will be a force in the postseason run. Darlington outdistanced Lancaster, 138.5-105, to win the Redbird Invitational on Monday.
Darlington coach Todd Bastian knows that continuing to explore the best options in the meet takes precedence over winning at all costs.
"There are a lot of questions that have to be answered before tournament time," Bastian said.
"Our guys should be in the mix," Bastian said of the SWAL Conference meet in a couple of weeks.
Monroe ran a junior-varsity team and finished in third place with 94.5 points. The Cheesemakers had just four of their top 22 varsity athletes at the invite.
Monroe sophomore Jeff Hill cleared 12 feet to win the pole vault. Hill entered the vault at 12-0 and then made an attempt at 13-0, but just missed.
"He's still learning," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "You just need to keep getting reps and perform. That's what is great about this meet."
Monroe sophomore Cameron Wahl won the 300-meter hurdles with a time of :44.6 seconds and he tied his personal record by taking second in the pole vault with a vault of 11-6. Fellow sophomore Caleb Ahrens won the 110 hurdles (:16.48), just ahead of Albany's TJ Bump.
"I was hoping to run a little faster with how good the weather is," Ahrens said after winning the race. "I would like to make it out of regionals and do better than last year. Maybe, be a low seed and go to state. That would be the ultimate goal."
Darlington senior Jeff Reichling won both the shot put (54-10 3/4) and the discus (154-0). Monroe's Nick Walker finished second in the shot put with a throw of 46-2 1/2. Darlington's Bruce King won the high jump (5-10) and Monroe sophomore Michael Barrett also cleared 5-10 for second.
Pecatonica senior Lee Vlasak won both the 100 (:11.50) and the 200 (:23.61). Darlington sophomore Alex Erickson won the long jump (20-1) and Barrett finished second (18-1). Erickson's false start disqualified him in the 100 finals.
"I think I had a good shot at medaling," Erickson said of the 100. "I just got a little anxious. The guy next to me flinched, too."
Erickson wanted to use the Redbird Invite as another chance to improve.
"I just want to come out and get a good workout," Erickson said after he anchored the 800 relay to a second-place finish. "Just run as fast as you can. Whatever happens, happens."
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Markus Garrison, Jordan Heinberg, Aaron Stauffacher and Kent Miehe finished first with a time of 8:48.63. Darlington's Braden Zywicki took second in the triple jump (40-0) and Monroe's Evan Brady was third (38-0).
Albany senior Jake Lincicum won the 3,200 with a time of 10:29.82, ahead of Heinberg, who took second (10:39.6). Miehe added a second-place finish in the 1,600 (4:52.34).
The Redbirds finished second in the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays. In the 400 relay, Trynton Schwartz, Lincoln Bryson, Tucker Wiegel and Mitchell Langkamp took second with a time of :46.46, which was less than one second behind Lancaster.
Wiegel teamed up with Erickson, Cedric Flesher and Jordan Bryson to finish runner-up in the 800 relay with a time of 1:35.44, which was about one second behind Lancaster. The Redbirds' 1,600 relay team of Schwartz, Flesher, Wiegel and Erickson took second with a time of 3:38.27.
Albany senior Nick Patchen took second in the discus with a throw of 129-3 and Josh Krueger cleared 11-0 to take third in the pole vault. Albany's Jake Short took third in the 1,600 (4:52.66). The Comets' 3,200 relay team of Short, Reece Whitehead, Drew Mather and Trent Kuebli took third with a time of 9:25.74. Short took third in the 1,600.
Although it wasn't a conference meet Monday, Darlington proved it will be a force in the postseason run. Darlington outdistanced Lancaster, 138.5-105, to win the Redbird Invitational on Monday.
Darlington coach Todd Bastian knows that continuing to explore the best options in the meet takes precedence over winning at all costs.
"There are a lot of questions that have to be answered before tournament time," Bastian said.
"Our guys should be in the mix," Bastian said of the SWAL Conference meet in a couple of weeks.
Monroe ran a junior-varsity team and finished in third place with 94.5 points. The Cheesemakers had just four of their top 22 varsity athletes at the invite.
Monroe sophomore Jeff Hill cleared 12 feet to win the pole vault. Hill entered the vault at 12-0 and then made an attempt at 13-0, but just missed.
"He's still learning," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "You just need to keep getting reps and perform. That's what is great about this meet."
Monroe sophomore Cameron Wahl won the 300-meter hurdles with a time of :44.6 seconds and he tied his personal record by taking second in the pole vault with a vault of 11-6. Fellow sophomore Caleb Ahrens won the 110 hurdles (:16.48), just ahead of Albany's TJ Bump.
"I was hoping to run a little faster with how good the weather is," Ahrens said after winning the race. "I would like to make it out of regionals and do better than last year. Maybe, be a low seed and go to state. That would be the ultimate goal."
Darlington senior Jeff Reichling won both the shot put (54-10 3/4) and the discus (154-0). Monroe's Nick Walker finished second in the shot put with a throw of 46-2 1/2. Darlington's Bruce King won the high jump (5-10) and Monroe sophomore Michael Barrett also cleared 5-10 for second.
Pecatonica senior Lee Vlasak won both the 100 (:11.50) and the 200 (:23.61). Darlington sophomore Alex Erickson won the long jump (20-1) and Barrett finished second (18-1). Erickson's false start disqualified him in the 100 finals.
"I think I had a good shot at medaling," Erickson said of the 100. "I just got a little anxious. The guy next to me flinched, too."
Erickson wanted to use the Redbird Invite as another chance to improve.
"I just want to come out and get a good workout," Erickson said after he anchored the 800 relay to a second-place finish. "Just run as fast as you can. Whatever happens, happens."
The Redbirds' 3,200 relay team of Markus Garrison, Jordan Heinberg, Aaron Stauffacher and Kent Miehe finished first with a time of 8:48.63. Darlington's Braden Zywicki took second in the triple jump (40-0) and Monroe's Evan Brady was third (38-0).
Albany senior Jake Lincicum won the 3,200 with a time of 10:29.82, ahead of Heinberg, who took second (10:39.6). Miehe added a second-place finish in the 1,600 (4:52.34).
The Redbirds finished second in the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays. In the 400 relay, Trynton Schwartz, Lincoln Bryson, Tucker Wiegel and Mitchell Langkamp took second with a time of :46.46, which was less than one second behind Lancaster.
Wiegel teamed up with Erickson, Cedric Flesher and Jordan Bryson to finish runner-up in the 800 relay with a time of 1:35.44, which was about one second behind Lancaster. The Redbirds' 1,600 relay team of Schwartz, Flesher, Wiegel and Erickson took second with a time of 3:38.27.
Albany senior Nick Patchen took second in the discus with a throw of 129-3 and Josh Krueger cleared 11-0 to take third in the pole vault. Albany's Jake Short took third in the 1,600 (4:52.66). The Comets' 3,200 relay team of Short, Reece Whitehead, Drew Mather and Trent Kuebli took third with a time of 9:25.74. Short took third in the 1,600.
