by Taylor Burns
On one of the nicest days the team had to compete so far, the Mustang girls’ varsity track team took advantage and traveled to Newton for the annual Cardinal Relays on May 4. The Mustangs finished first out of eight teams with 155 points. Collins-Maxwell-Baxter was second with 130, and Newton was third with 88.5.
“The Cardinal Relays is one of our favorite meets of the year. The atmosphere is always great, and we are able to see most of the area schools. It is a meet we have always wanted to win, and we got it done this year,” head coach Bridget Martin said.
Sophomore Maddie Samson started off the night with a win in discus. She threw 121 feet, eight inches, her lifetime personal best. She also gave PCM eight points placing second in shot put throwing 34 feet, two inches. Another top two finalist in the field events was freshman Lexi Kuecker jumping 15 feet, six inches.
Senior Jayci Vos joined the 4×800-meter relay for the night. She, senior Rachel Stafford and sophomores Kirsten Ives and Paytan Schut placed first running 10:19.08. The sprint medley team with freshman Sierra Foster, Kuecker, junior Ashley Miller and Schut were first in 1:58.94. The shuttle hurdle team hurdled a time of 1:09.76. The team included sophomore Megan Cowman, Kuecker, sophomore Morgan Uhlenhopp and Vos.
The 4×400-meter relay team was the last relay of the night, and finished strong. Stafford, Schut, Foster and Vos ran a 4:18.4, placing first. The final relay team to place was the distance medley team with Miller, Uhlenhopp, Stafford and sophomore Sloan Hjortshoj. They placed second running 4:39.67.
One of the four first place finishers was Miller in the 100-meter dash with a 13.19. Miller was also second in the 200-meter dash in 27.98. Foster was first in the 400-meter dash in 1:05.03, barely one second from the second place finisher from Lynnville-Sully. Schut, one again, took the 800-meter run title in 2:29.26, with Stafford in second with 2:29.88. Vos was first in the 400-meter hurdles running a 1:08.56.
The two third place finishers with freshman Kate McCarthy in the 400-meter dash running a 1:07.04. Cowman was third in the 100-meter hurdles running 16.93, only .03 off of second place.
“From the hurdle races to the distance races, as well as the field events, t was a well-rounded effort this evening. We knew we could do well…if we took care of business and performed how we knew we could,” Martin said.
The girls will run at Eddyville at the District track meet. Come out and support your Mustangs as they compete to qualify at the State meet. Field events start at 4 p.m.
“We are happy with the momentum we have going into [this] week,” Martin said.
