Both the Columbus East boys and girls track and field programs are expecting to be led this season by their sprinters, throwers and jumpers.
In Saturday’s season opener against Bloomington South, all 10 of the Olympians’ event victories came from those three categories. As it turned out, it wasn’t quite enough, with the Panthers claiming a 75-56 win in the boys meet and a nearly-identical 76-56 win in the girls contest.
“We came out, and we got points in the events we thought we would,” East boys coach Scott Pherson said. “Then, I think if we switch up some orders (in relays) and who’s doing what, we can get a few more points here or there. But we came out and performed in certain spots, so that’s good.”
Anthony Lloyd and Crase Bergman each had a pair of wins for the Olympian boys. Lloyd took the high jump (6 feet) and 100 meters (11.59 seconds), and Bergman captured the long jump (21-8 3/4) and 200 (23.82).
East also got a win from Jesse Miller in the discus (124-5) and from Malachi Parks, Mark McDonald, Sean Ryan and Ethan Duncan in the 4×100 relay (45.20). Jacob Guse was second in both the shot put (39-8 1/2) and discus (119-1).
“That’s our main juice right now,” Pherson said. “We just have to get to where we can handle some of the races that are a little longer, and then we’ll be able to do some good stuff.”
The Olympian girls won four events. Lynna Hendershot took the long jump (15-4 1/2), Caitlyn Lucas captured the discus (97-11), Gabi Schuetz won the 100 (13.48) and Hallie Randle, Jordan Sims, Schuetz and Mallory Rupp combined to take the 4×100 relay in 53.11.
“The sprinters came in today and were hungry and wanted to compete,” East girls coach Glen Brown said. “They did a good job, and so did our distance people. Our throwers did a great job. We’re minus a couple of people because of COVID stuff, but for the rest of them, they stepped up and did a great job.”
Meanwhile, Katie Hagan had three second-place finishes for the Olympians. She took runner-up in the pole vault (7-6), 100 hurdles (17.53) and 300 hurdles (52.34).
“This was a great day,” Brown said. “We had great effort out of everybody. Bloomington South is a great team, and we competed with them. I just couldn’t be more pleased with the team as a whole.”
