The Columbus East boys track team won four of the five field events Thursday night, but Columbus North dominated the running events in cruising to a 91-41 win against its crosstown rivals.
In the girls meet, North won all 16 events to claim a 103-29 victory.
“I thought we performed pretty good with it being a little windy, a little chilly,” North boys and girls coach Lou Sipe said. “I thought our kids handled that and did a great job tonight.”
North senior Debie Gedeon was the star of the meet. Gedeon won the 100-meter hurdles in 15.0 seconds, the 100 in 12.8, the 200 in 27.4 and anchored the winning 4×100 relay team that clocked 52.3.
“On Saturday, I got fifth (in the 100 hurdles at the Midwest Prep meet), and I talked to coach Sipe and (hurdles) coach (Jamie) Brinegar about what I could do to get a little bit faster,” Gedeon said. “I said I kind of start getting tired over the fourth or fifth hurdle, so the goal now is to get in a little bit better shape.”
So Gedeon, a two-time state qualifier in the 100 hurdles, ran the 200 for the first time this season.
“It’s different. It’s a little bit harder for me personally because it’s a little bit longer. But it’s fun.”
Other individual winners for the Bull Dogs were Katrina May in the pole vault (11 feet), Johanna Anderson in the high jump (5-1), Taylor Stamper in the shot put (32-4 1/2), Makinsey Summa in the discus (97-4), Nina Bouthier in the 1,600 (5:32.0), Elle Williams in the 400 (1:04.4), Olivia Malone in the 300 hurdles (49.8), Sierra Lax in the 800 (2:26.9) and Allison Coffey in the 3,200 11:45.4. North also won the 4×800 (10:11.0) and 4×400 (4:22.5) relays.
Michael Behling won the 110 hurdles (15.5) and 300 hurdles (39.4), and Mitchell Burton took the 100 (10.9) and 200 (22.8) to lead the Bull Dog boys. Other winners were Drew Schoeberl in the discus (146-5), Seth Williams in the 1,600 (4:31.5), Trent Larson in the 400 (50.9), Joe Wright in the 800 (2:03.5) and Chase Ballard in the 3,200 (9:32.0). North swept the 4×800 (8:42.0), 4×100 (44.0) and 4×400 (3:32.0) relays.
The Olympians had wins from Matt Buffo in the pole vault (11-6), Josiah Edwards in the high jump (5-10), Steven O’Neal in the long jump (21-1¼) and Aaron Kruchten in the shot (47-1½).
“As I told the guys, it’s a tough loss,” East boys coach David Miller said. “It’s a big meet, and we didn’t win, but Columbus North is a good team. I think our kids for the most part stepped up and competed, and we had some (personal records). It was a good night as far as that, but you always want to leave with a win, so it’s disappointing because of that.”
While the East girls didn’t win any events, they did have eight second-place finishes and several personal records.
“Up and down the girls brought the effort,” Brown said. Sydnie McCammon had almost a two-foot personal record in the shot put, and Kira Singer, that was almost a 20-second personal record for her in the 3,200. Most of the sprinters either matched their personal records or got personal records today.
“We competed and did what we could,” he said. “We just don’t have the horses like Columbus North does. Columbus North is a good team, but I was really pleased with the way we came and competed with them.”
