STORM LAKE — Both Panther thinclad squads were in action Saturday at the Buena Vista Indoor meet, with Panorama head coach Greg Thompson pleased with the effort of both teams.
“Each (of the girls) competed to the best of their ability and showed they can compete in multiple events in a single meet without dropping their performance levels,” he said. “Very impressive.”
Thompson was equally as pleased with the effort shown by the Panther boys.
“This was the first high school track meet (and first ever for some) for several of these athletes,” he noted. “We were very pleased with the way the boys just got on the track and competed! Many of them had no idea what to expect or how to pace their races, but they competed and showed us their willingness to lay it on the line. Good job!”
The Panther boys had two medalists (top three finish). Spencer Hunt just missed a boys school indoor record in the 60-meter dash, with Gracen Welberg producing a top three finish in the high jump.
Three boys set four new personal best marks in the meet, with the seven girls in action resetting a total of eight personal bests while establishing seven meet girls indoor meet school standards.
So impressive were the Panther girls that they placed in the top trio in eight events. Had teams scores been kept, Panorama would have bested 4A schools Ankeny, Ankeny Centennial and Sioux City East, SC North and SC West.
Bailey Beckman sailed 16 feet, 4-1/2 inches in the long jump, besting Erin McFadden’s 2001 mark of 16’2-1/2 while Lydia Knapp’s 34’6 shove in the shot put took down the 2006 school record of 34’4 set by Kayla Muyskens.
Morgan Johnk’s 9.64 second clocking in the 60 hurdles bested her own mark from earlier this season, with Ella Waddle breaking her own record in the 1500 with a 5 minute, 22.73 second effort.
Gwen Steffen finished with 800 in 2:30.96, a new record that reset the old target of 2:31.95 established in 2009 by Elly Arganbright.
Steffen was joined by Payton Beckman, Hope Arganbright and Waddle in completing the 1600 medley relay in 4:40.32. The old school indoor girls record of 4:41.82 had stood since 2009 after being set by Elly Arganbright, Morgan Woodvine, Samantha Woodvine and Kelcee Benton.
The 60-meter shuttle hurdle relay is a new event, for setting the school record in the inaugural run were Knapp, Johnk, Shey Storesund and Payton Douglass. The quartet finished in 42.3 seconds.
Panorama’s teams will both be in action Monday at the Earlham Earlybird, with Grandview Christian, Iowa Christian Academy, Saydel, Van Meter, West Central Valley and the host Cardinals. The Panthers will then visit Perry, March 28, for the Davis Relays.
