EARLHAM — Strong showings from both squads at the Cardinal Earlybird Tuesday have the Panorama track coaches eager to see what might transpire today at the Davis Relays in Perry.
“This was an incredible start to the outdoor season,” girls head coach Greg Thompson said after his squad finished first or second in 11-of-18 events (the discus was not held). “Many of the girls set their season bests. Most teams make their biggest improvements between the first and second meets, so I am excited to see what the girls will do at Perry.”
Ten Panther girls set a total of 14 new personal best results, and in only one event did the top Panorama finisher place lower than fourth at the unscored meet.
“Many of these performances are better than our mid-to-late April marks from last season,” Thompson noted.
Boys head coach Mike Kazlaurich was equally was pleased after seven Panthers set 10 new PB’s (personal bests).
“Our younger and less experienced runners are beginning to really make great strides in improvement and seconds are flying off (times),” he said. “I am hoping to have a strong scoring night in Perry.”
Lydia Knapp set a new meet record with a winning throw of 34 feet, 6-1/2 inches in the shot put, with Claire Woodworth third at 31’10. Morgan Johnk cleared 5’2 to win the high jump, with Bailey Beckman second in the long jump at 15’4-3/4.
Sophomore twins Olivia and Gwen Steffen were 1-2 in the 3000 in 12 minutes, 40.68 seconds and 12:46.4, respectively, with Leah Fett fourth in the 1500 in 5:55.59 while Ella Waddle and Olivia Steffen were 2-4 in the 800 in 2:35.67 and 2:48.63.
Kassidy Bremer won the 100 in 13.74 seconds, Gwen Steffen was fifth in the 200 in 29.42, with Payton Beckman third in the 400 in 1:07.82 while Johnk won the 100 hurdles in 16.29 and Abbi Brown third (1:17.81) and Knapp fourth (1:19.57) in the 400 hurdles.
The 4×100 of Knapp, Johnk, Bremer and Hope Arganbright was second in 53.41, with Bremer, Arganbright, Shey Storesund and Payton Douglass second in the 4×200 in 1:55.43 while the foursome of Waddle, Arganbright and the Steffen sisters fourth in the 4×400 in 4:33.2.
The sprint medley unit of Storesund, Douglass, Payton Beckman and Angel Poldberg placed fourth in 2:06.77 while the quartet of Arganbright, Payton Beckman and the Steffen sisters finished the distance medley second in 4:44.12.
A clocking of 1:11.13 by Storesund, Brown, Johnk and Douglass won the shuttle hurdle, with the 4×800 team of Waddle, Fett, Lydia Lindstrom and Brooklyn Behrends second in 10:50.09.
Gracen Welberg set a new boys meet record by winning the high jump at 6’2, with Koltin Sloss third in the shot put at 41’5-1/2 while Zach Rizzuti and Spencer Hunt were 1-3 in the long jump at 18’5-3/4 and 17’10.
Dillon Bennett, Avery Norman, Jaydn Howard and Declan McCarthy were sixth (4:43.57) in the distance medley, with Bennett, Kyle McClatchey, Dominic Walker and Preston Prince eighth (1:53.43) in the sprint medley while Prince, Walker, McClatchey and Logan Hutchins placed eighth (1:22.44) in the shuttle hurdle.
The 4×100 was second (46.72) and the 4×200 second (1:37.66) with Luke South, Welberg, Rizzuti and Hunt running both. Kade Kemble, Levi Richey, Hutchins and McCarthy were seventh in the 4×400 (4:09.07) while Rizzuti, Richey, South and Hunt placed fourth in the 4×800 (9:10.73).
Prince was 10th in the 100 (12.79), Bennett 15th in the 200 (28.44), McCarthy 15th in the 400 (1:14.57) and Kevin Cogil eighth in the 800 (2:20.88).
Kemble finished the 1600 15th in 5:46.65 while Cogil crossed 10th in the 3200 in 11:54.04.
South’s 17.03 earned fourth in the 100 hurdles, with Walker recording a 1:07.59 for ninth in the 400 hurdles.
Panorama will compete tonight at the Davis Relays in Perry with the Panthers hosting the Kip Janvrin Relays Tuesday.
