LA CYGNE — Iola High’s junior varsity track team ventured to Prairie View Monday for its first meet of the season.
Head coach Dana Daugharthy said the Mustang and Fillies athletes had to deal with — of all things — a highly efficient competition.
Say what?
Because event organizers were so efficient at moving from different field events or races in rapid succession, it meant getting rest was a bit difficult for the youngsters.
“While this is great for coaches and parents, it is not the best for athletes that are running several events on the track,” he noted.
Tack on gale-force winds hitting runners in the face as they approached the finish line, and you had a difficult competition.
Nevertheless, both Iola teams shone brightly, with several top finishes on the day. The Fillies placed second as a team and the Mustangs fourth.
Sage Barney brought home first in the 800 meters and third in the pole vault.
“Her 800 time was really good, given the windy conditions,” Daugharthy said. “She is a new vaulter and shows a lot of promise.”
Elizabeth Baker took home first in the 200, as did the 4×100 relay team of Ashtyn Aikins-Ansley, Abigail Meiwes, Abigail Hirt and Caiden Cloud.
Cloud also took second in the 100-meter hurdles and in the 300-meter hurdles.
Ally Ellis took second in the javelin, while Hirt took third in the 100. Meiwes notched third in the 200 meters and sixth in the 100.
Porter excelled at the distance runs, taking third in the 1600 and fifth in the 800.
“This is a great accomplishment for our girls,” Daugharthy said. “All of the girls who competed did really well and were able to help contribute to the team accomplishment. Every girl who competed scored points.”
THE MUSTANGS took fourth, and likely would have scored higher had Daugharthy been more strategic with his entries.
“However, the goal of this meet was not to win the meet,” he explained. “The goal was to allow our new athletes to build and gain confidence in the events they feel good about.”
They should be feeling pretty good now.
Jesse Taylor was tops in the 3200 meters, while Kyler Mittlemeier won the 300-meter hurdles. Taylor joined up with Eli Adams, Drake Matthew, Kaster Trabuc to win the 4×800 relay — the first 800 for all four of the team members.
