Track & Field: Nice to be back in the great outdoors for Howard-Monier Meet

PRINCETON – After having field events canceled at Mendota on Saturday because of wet grounds, area track athletes welcomed the opportunity to finally compete in some nice weather outdoors for Tuesday’s Howard-Monier Invite at Princeton.

The girls and boys ran together, with the girls having been canceled last week because of the weather.

Princeton senior Morgan Foes seized the moment, sweeping the weights with throws of 34.16 meters (112 feet, 1 inch) in the discus and 10.83m (35-6 1/2) in the shot. Teammate Morgan Richards claimed seconds in both throws.

“Not my best, but that’s what we’re working toward. Adapting to the outdoors is something that’s important,” Foes said. “Making sure we’re getting good reps in practice. Obviously, you’re out in the elements and we haven’t had the greatest of weather. That’s something I have to think about when I throw. I’m not throwing my best right now, but that’s what practice is for to get better.”

The Tigresses finished second behind Annawan-Wethersfield (181) with Bureau Valley (156) rounding out a field of only three teams because of the previous rainout.

“It was very good competition between our three teams and could have gone any way between us depending on the day,” PHS coach Pat Hodge said.

Speedy sophomore Camryn Driscoll of Princeton had a hat trick in the sprints by winning the 100-meter dash (13.36 seconds), 200 (27.13) and 400 (1:05.28).

“It was great weather,” Driscoll said. “I was very happy with my times today in all my races. I backed off a little bit in the 400, so I could try and PR in the 200, which I was able to do. I was very grateful with how it went.”

Princeton junior Ashlynn Weber claimed the long jump at 4.57m (15-0) and triple jump at 10.16m (33-4), which was third best all-time at PHS, while freshman Josie Sierens won the 100 hurdles (19.17) and pole vault at 2.13m (6-11 3/4).

The Tigresses also won the 4x100 relay with a time of 54.76 with Brinley Kloepping, Georgie Fulton, Scarlet Fulton and Driscoll.

The PHS girls also claimed second in the 4x200 relay (2:00.28) with Kloepping, Fulton, Fulton and Sierens.

“Some outstanding performances for us,” Hodge said. “Camryn had her best ‘short sprints’ day at PHS. Ashlynn sweeping the horizontal jumps with two PBs was another highlight. Josie winning the vault and hurdles, plus the two Morgans getting the job done in the throws were also vital to a strong team performance.”

For Bureau Valley, Maddie Wetzell won the 3,200 (13:02.86) and Kate Salisbury won the high jump at 1.37m (4-6).

The Storm also gained seconds from McKinley Canady (TJ), Carly Wiggim (PV), Elizabeth Backer (HJ), Elyse Anderson (300H), Emma Mussche (800), Connie Gibson (200) and the 4x400 and 4x800 relays.

Kennady Anderson of Annawan/Wethersfield set a meet record in the 800 meters with a time of 2:19.59.

Bickett sweeps sprints

On the boys side, Kewanee (154) beat out Bureau Valley (127), which was competing in the meet for the last time, with the Tigers third (115), A-W fourth (61), Hall (51) fifth and L-P sixth (46).

Hall senior Caleb Bickett, as he did Saturday at Mendota, swept the sprints with times of 11.69 in the 100 and 23.69 in the 200.

Bickett added a second-place finish in the 400 (56.5) and led off the Red Devils winning effort in the 4x100 relay (46.43), joining Joseph Bacidore, Jeremy Smith and Gabe Wamhoff.

Bickett thought his day went pretty well, even though he didn’t quite have the best start coming out of the blocks.

“I slipped a little bit at the start of my 100, but I still got a PR, so that was pretty nice,” he said. “In the 200, I ran a pretty solid time and I was happy about that. I ran the 400 for the first time this year, and I thought that went pretty good. I definitely could’ve came out a little harder, but the 400 isn’t a race I am going to do every meet.

“It is nice just to keep things rolling, and that’s what I hopefully plan to do as the season goes on and hopefully make it to [state] at the end of the season.”

Bureau Valley junior Justin Moon had a double in the jumps, winning the triple jump at 11.39m (37-4 1/2) and high jump at 1.78m (5-10).

The Storm won the 4x800 relay (9:16.46) on the legs of Maddox Moore, Nathan Siri, Zac Wiggim and Adrian Gallardo.

Princeton freshman Tyler VandeVenter was a winner his first time out in the Howard-Monier in the 1,600 (10:56.13) and 3,200 (10:56.13). Teammate Augustus Swanson took second in both races.

Princeton junior Cade Odell had the best shot put of the day at 15.66m (51-4 1/2), with teammate Payne Miller taking second at 14.95m (49-0 1/2).

Although it wasn’t a win in the books, Princeton came out a winner with senior Bennett Williams coming back for the first time from knee surgery from a football injury.

Throwing only from the power position, Williams had a close second-place finish in the discus with what would be a state-qualifying throw of 44.23m (145-1 1/4) and followed Odell and Miller for third in the shot at 14.31m (46-11 1/2).

“It’s nice to be back,” Williams said.

Princeton senior Andrew Peacock cleared 3.35m (11-0) to win the pole vault.

Bureau Valley also got seconds from Brady Hartz (100), Eli Attig (200), Andrew Roth (110 H/LJ) and the 4x400 relay while Princeton’s Casey Etheridge was second in the 300H.

L-P’s best finish was Griffin Hammers’ second-place finish in the 800m (2:17.99) followed by teammate Anthony Padilla in third.