GUTHRIE CENTER — Panorama boys track head coach Greg Thompson played the role juggler Monday, as illnesses caused multiple changes to the Panther boys lineup entering the Hap Merritt Invitational.
“This was a meet I am just glad we got through without injuries,” Thompson said. “We were not prepared for those conditions and we did not perform well, but we were on a fourth lineup of the day as three boys were sick.”
Illness plagued the team last Tuesday, forcing lineup changes at the the WCC meet in Madrid and returned to cause havoc again Monday.
“The lineup was created Sunday night,” Thompson explained. “When I got to school (Monday) I found out one boy was sick and not competing, so I made a new lineup. Then, about 11:30 a.m., another boys informed he was too sick to compete, so another lineup was made. When we got on the bus, I found out another boy was sick, so another lineup was made!”
Earlham won the meet with 126 points, with the Woodward Academy second at 114 and Madrid third at 113. Panorama was eighth in the 13-team field with 48 points.
Spencer Hunt provided 19 of those points to earn Panther Meet MVP honors from his coaches. Hunt was second in the 200 in 23.7 seconds, was third in the 400 in 53.68 and placed fourth in the 100 in 11.73.
Matthew Webner set a new meet and new stadium record by winning the discus with a spin of 160 feet, 8-1/2 inches, with Dan Jensen fifth at 132’2. Jensen added five additional points after placing fourth, at 45’9-3/4, in the shot put.
The foursome of Allias Stahl, Luke South, Brody Rickheim and Bryce Halterman were fifth for Panorama in both the 4×100 (47.13) and 4×200 (1 minute, 39. 5 seconds) relays, with South, Danny Nordquist, Josh Carstens and Levi Richey finishing seventh, in 9:22.14, in the 4×800.
Both Panorama teams will be in action Thursday as they host the Class 2A Region 6 State Qualifying meet. The top two finishers in each event, with the eight best at-large results statewide, will advance to the state meet.
