Cardinals place third at home meet

The Garner-Hayfield/Ventura boys track team placed third at their own meet held on Tuesday, April 30.  Eight teams competed in the meet, with Forest City taking top honors with 123 points, followed by Clear Lake with 103 and G-H/V with 93.

Two events for the Cardinals were first place winners.  Austin Kropp was first in the discus with a throw of 125’1”.  Also placing first was the 4x100 meter relay team of Adam Monson, Brad Nedved, Seth Williams and Alex Van Gerpen, with a season-best time of 44.95.

“We knew this was going to be a great race with the quality of sprinters at the meet,” said Coach Tracy Schmidt.  “We were seeded third going into the race, but the difference was our handoffs.  This time would have qualified for Drake, but with the weather we didn’t have a chance to get on the track.”

Earning second place finishes were Joel Toppin in the 1600 meter run with a time of 4:48.28.   Braden Meints cleared the high jump bar at 6’ for a second place finish.  Seth Williams was second in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 15.15.

“What an exciting race.  Seth led the whole race by a fraction of a second and was inched out in a photo finish.  He again improved his time and was very excited with the great competition,” said Schmidt.

Toppin picked up two third places finishes.  He clocked 2:09.78 in the 800 meter run and he ran the 3200 meter run in 10:25.15.  Ezra Marroquin was third in the long jump with a leap of 18’10” and  Nic Tusha tossed the shot put 40’5.75” for third place.  The 1600 meter medley team of Kevin Boehnke, Meints, Marroquin and Luke Wolf placed third with a time of 4:01.29. 

“The quality of competition tonight was unbelievable,” said Schmidt.  “Ten of our athletes set personal-best times and three of our relays had season-best times.”

The Cardinals compete in Districts at Emmetsburg on Thursday, May 9.  The State Track Meet begins Thursday, May 16.

Other place winners included:

•1600 Meter Run - A.J. Arnold, 4th, 5:01.98

•High Jump - Kevin Boehnke, 4th, 5’10”

•4x200 - Adam Monson, Boehnke, Braden Meints, Ezra Marroquin, 4th, 1:37.22

•3200 Meter Run - Arnold, 5th, 11:17.92

•4x800 - Nick Mehmen, Luke Wolf, Nolan Turner, Theo Schoneman, 5th, 9:44.15

•4x400 - Corey Hauptman, Alex Stromer, Mehmen, Jon Haag, 5th, 3:50.58

•100 Meter Dash - Monson, 6th, 11.58