Girls’ track sees gold at Eddyville

by Ashley Miller

“We came into tonight’s meet knowing we had some tired legs due to some tough workouts lately, and it was going to be somewhat of a challenge. We couldn’t be more impressed with how we overcame that challenge,” Head Coach Bridget Martin said.

The PCM girls’ track team ran against the wind on April 6 for the Girls’ Rocket Invitational in Eddyville. There were six first place finishes, three second and four third place finishes that night. PCM placed first with 120 with Oskaloosa and Grinnell right behind them in second and third, respectively.

Throwing events went well for the Mustangs. Sophomore Maddie Samson threw a personal best of 104 feet, six inches in the discus, taking first place. Her throw of 33 feet, 3 inches in the shot put landed her first as well. Junior Paige Wood was behind her in shot with a throw of 32 feet, placing third.

The distance medley team of seniors Jayci Vos, Tatum Nearmyer and Rachel Stafford and sophomore Paytan Schut ran a season best time of 4:33.29. Second place Albia was sixteen seconds behind them. Vos and Nearmyer would join junior Ashley Miller and freshman Sierra Foster for the 4×100. They placed first with 54.04 seconds with Van Buren-Keosauqua right behind them at 54.07. Vos out-leaned their anchor runner at the finish line to secure the win.

17820733_10155134891129919_1391331363_n (2).jpg — Senior Jayci Vos leans at the finish line in the 4×100, beating Van Buren-Keosauqua by .03 seconds. /by Shelley Renes

Finishing off the winning relays of the night was the 4×400. The team of Stafford, Schut, Foster and freshman Sayde White won with a time of 4:25.11. Vos also won the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 70.35.

Sophomore Kirstin Ives participated in the 3000 meter run for the first time. She placed second with a time of 12:33.45. White, sophomore Sloan Hjortshoj and freshmen Hailey Schutte and Klaire Jungling made up the 4×800 team. They crossed the finish line at 11:38.97, placing second. Miller ran the 200 meter dash in 28.68, placing second.

Sophomores Megan Cowman and Morgan Uhlenhopp both placed third in their hurdle events. Cowman crossed the finish line at 17.70 in the 100 hurdles, and Uhlenhopp finished at 1:21.34 in the 400 meter hurdles.

“With another win under our belt, we are thrilled about the momentum we currently have. The girls are working hard everyday in practice and continuing to trust the process,” Martin said. “Even though we are battling some aches and pains here and there, their attitudes continue to be outstanding. ”

The Mustangs will be in Guthrie Center tonight, Thursday, April 13 for the AC/GC Meet. Field events start at 5 p.m.