Small, but mighty Ventura girls place fourth

 The Ventura girls track team opened its season at the CWL meet held in Britt on Monday, April 2.  The small, but mighty team of eight had a good night, placing fourth out of nine teams.  West Hancock won the meet with 198 points, followed by Lake Mills with 123, Garner with 114 and Ventura scored 41 points.  Also competing in the meet was CAL, Central Springs, Belmond-Klemme, Northeast Hamilton and CWL.

    “Our freshmen and newcomers have made great additions to our team.  With these girls participating we now have some throwers and also some sprinters to put into our relays,” said Coach Laura Huber.
    Sophomore Emily Mathews led the team with two first place finishes.  She captured the long jump medal with a leap of 15 feet and placed first in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.92.  She also anchored the shuttle hurdle relay, which placed second with a time of 1:14.39.
    “Emily ran her personal best 100 meter hurdles.  I know as the season continues she will get that time down even more,” said Huber.
    Also competing on the second place shuttle hurdle team was Stacy Hackenmiller, Courtney Younge and Sola Stephenson.
    “The shuttle hurdle team ran a good time for the first meet of the year.  I know if they keep working as hard as they have been their time will keep improving too,” said Huber.
    The 4x200 meter relay team of Hackenmiller, Stephenson, Younge and Emily Spilman placed fourth in the meet with a time of 2:02.82.  The Sprint Medley relay also placed fourth with a time of 2:08.82.  Runners in the Sprint Medley were Younge, Hackenmiller, Spilman and Mathews.
    Spilman placed fifth in the 200 meter dash with a time of 29.72.
    Picking up sixth place finishes were Stephenson in the long jump with a jump of 13’9”; Shelby Rayhons in the shot put with a throw of 28’9” and Sydney Younge in the discus with a toss of 74’7”.
    “I am so excited to see what this talented, young group of girls will do this season,” said Huber.