It was unusually fine weather for the opening of the high school track and field season at Bellwood-Antis on Tuesday afternoon. Many fans in the crowd remarked about the warm temperatures, some noted they came with colwear gear in the trunk or back seat of their vehicles.
Bellwood-Antis and Bedford treated those in attendance to a pair of close meets. The Bellwood-Antis boys (1-0) used a balanced attack that featured nine third place finishes to carry a 78-72 win over the Bisons for head coach Nick Lovrich, while girls’ head coach Julie Roseborough lamented the Lady Blue Devils (0-1) missing just one more point in several events that would have turned the tables on Bedford. The Lady Bisons went home with a tight 76.5-73.5 triumph.
“This was a good eye-opener for us,” explained coach Lovrich. “Bedford is a really good team with good young talent. I think our kids were taken aback somewhat a little bit, because of the success we had last year. Hopefully this will open their eyes up. It shows we have to work a little harder and get a little bit better every meet.”
Aaron Bell completed the long-distance double by winning both the 1600 and 3200 meter races in addition to leading off on the victorious 3200 relay. Dan Houser doubled up for the Blue Devils also winning the 100 meter dash in a good time for the first meet (11.4), and the long jump. Houser also led off the winning 4×100 (400 Meter) relay teamming with Matt Plummer, Damion Miller and Cory Daly.
“We had some important third places,” Lovrich recounted. “Elliott Geist too two third places (100 meter dash and 200 Meter Dash). Coach Ken Swanson just taught Jesse Graham to run the 300 hurdles, just so we might get some extra points there and he got them (second place in the 300 IM hurdles). Eric Chamberlain, a sophomore scored two third places (110 high hurdles and 300 IM hurdles) for us, which were really big. Those are the things that matter in close meets like this, they add up. We had nine out of 16 third places and that was what made the difference.”
Kyle Shiffler won the 800 meter run and Bilka won the pole vault for the Blue Devils.
While the Lady Blue Devils were searching for that point that was never found, veteran long distance runner Allison Cherry turned in a super performance in winning both the 1600 and 3200 races and senior Ashley Smith won the pole vault and triple jump to lead Bellwood-Antis.
“There were a lot of little things that we need time to refine,” said coach Roseborough. “The younger kids, for their first meet performed very well. We were capable of winning the meet, but you have to put everything together. We will be back Thursday.
Freshman Lauren Carter won the 400 meter dash in her first varsity competition and also was a member of the winning 1600 meter relay joining teammates Stephanie Hatch, Emily Worthing and Jenna Ralston. Hatch won the high jump and was a member of both victorious 400 meter relay and 1600 relay teams. Andrea Genesi won the long jump.
“Although this is a team sport there were some individual highlights,” said Roseborough. “Allison Cherry won two races against some very good distance runners. Lauren Carter, in her first attempt at the ‘four’ (400 meter dash), took first place. Ashley Smith won first place in the pole vault and triple jump.”
The Blue Devil track and field teams are both in action on Thursday at Central for a tri-meet involving Everett and host Central. Action is sxet to begin at 3:30 p.m.
Boys
Bellwood-Antis 78 Bedford 72
3200 Relay – 1. Bellwood-Antis (Bell, Edmiston, Himes, Shiffler) 9:17.1; 110 High Hurdles – 1. Harris (BED) 15.8, 2. Plummer (BA) 16.4, 3. Chamberlain (BA) 19.3; 100 Meter Dash – 1. Houser (BA) 11.4, 2. Daly (BA) 11.6, 3. Marshall (BED) 12.0; 1600 Meter Run – 1. Bell (BA) 5:10.2, 2. Garlock (BED) 5:20.6, 3. Geist (BA) 5:32.2; 400 Meter Dash -1. Shedlock (BED) 54.1, 2. Sweigert (BA) 56.0, 3. Duff (BED) 57.0; 400 Meter Relay -1. Bellwood-Antis (Houser, Plummer, Miller, Daly) 44.8; 300 IM Hurdles -1. Harris (BED) 42.8, 2. Graham (BA) 46.4, 3. Chamberlain (BA) 49.2; 800 Meter Run -1. Shiffler (BA) 2:14.5, 2. Garlock (BED) 2:19.1, 3. Bolden (BED) 2:22.9; 200 Meter Dash -1. Daly (BA) 23.1, 2. Plummer (BA) 23.5, 3. Schendel (BED) 24.1; 3200 Run -1. Bell (BA), 2. Himes (BA), 3. Geist (BA); 1600 Meter Relay -1. Bedford (Harris, Shedlock, Manhurz, Diffendhal) 3:39.4; Pole Vault -1. Bilka (BA) 11-0. 2. Schendel (BED) 9-0. 3. Harpster (BA) 8-6; High Jump -1. Harris (BED) 5-10, 2. Manhurz (BED) 5-8, 3. Marshall (BED) 5-8; Long Jump -1. Houser (BA) 20-2. 2. Harris (BED) 18-2½, 3. Miller (BA) 18-4¼ Triple Jump -1. Marshall (BED) 39-6, 2. Houser (BA) 38-2, 3. Miller (BA) 37-8½; Shot Put -1. Godley (BED) 45-3, 2. Housworth (BED) 44-10. 3. Brubaker (BA) 37-6; Discuss -1. Lumbert (BED) 120-9, 2. Housworth (BED) 116-9, 3. Godley (BED) 112-9; Javelin -1. Housworth (BED) 162-1, 2. Graham (BA) 151-5, 3. Godley (BED) 150-7.
Girls
Bedford 76.5 Bellwood-Antis 73.5
3200 Relay -1. Bedford (L. Zack, Smith, M. Zack, Wilson) 11:15.29; 100 Meter High Hurdles -1. Giangregorio (BED) 19.0, 2. Grimes (BED) 19.6, 3. Ayers (BA) 20.7; 100 Meter Dash -1. Ritchey (BED) 13.6, 2. Greene (BA) 13.9, 3. Worthing (BA) 14.2; 1600 Meter Run -1. Cherry (BA) 5:52.2, 2. M. Zack (BED) 6:06.4, 3. Graybill (BED) 6:22.7; 400 Meter Dash -1. Carter (BA) 1:06.0, 2. Hampson (BED) 1:06.3, 3. Swanson (BA) 1:09.1; 400 Meter Relay -1. Bellwood-Antis (Worthing, Hatch, Greene, Mueller) 55.2; 300 IM Hurdles -1. Giangregorio (BED) 54.0, 2. Hatch (BA) 54.1, 3. Grimes (BED) 54.3; 800 Meter Run -1. Wilson (BED) 2:41.3, 2. Ralston (BA) 2:42.2, 3. Roy (BED) 2:54.2; 200 Meter Dash -1. Ritchey (BED) 28.7, 2. Shura (BA) 29.5, 3. Greene (BA) 29.9; 3200 Run -1. Cherry (BA) 13.11.6, 2. M. Zack (BED) 13:12.1, 3. Smith (BED) 14:07.8; 1600 Meter -1. Bellwood-Antis (Hatch, Worthing, Ralston, Carter) 4:38.2; Pole Vault -1. Smith (BA) 8-0, 2. Wise (BED) 5-6, 3. Sinisi (BA) 5-6; High Jump -1. Hatch (BA) 4-8 2. Ayers (BA) 4-6, 3. Hunter (BA) 4-4; Long Jump -1. Genesi (BA) 13-7½, 2. Lightner (BED) 12-11, 3. Whetstine (BA) 11-9½; Triple Jump -1. Smith (BA) 31-1, 2. Lightner (BED) 28-¾, 3. Bardall (BED) 27-3 Shot Put – 1. E. Clark (BED) 30-7 2. Gardner (BA) 28-7, 3. Barkley (BED) 26-3; Discuss -1. E. Clark (BED) 84-7, 2. Shoemaker (BED) 77-3. Gardner (BA) 75-9; Javelin -1. N. Clark (BED) 84-2, 2. Kominski (BA) 83-9, 3. Barkley (BED) 82-4.
