The Milford track teams both finished second at the Malcolm Invitational April 6, despite cold and windy conditions.
The girls scored 87 points and finished behind Malcolm. Centennial was just three points behind the Eagles.
“We had to compete like heck to stay ahead of Centennial,” Coach Marty Hingst said.
Cold temperature and winds out of the north made competition difficult, especially for the distance races. Freshman Lilly Kenning didn’t seem to mind, however, running her fastest time of the season in the 3,200-meter run and winning in 12:34.96. She also won the 1,600-meter run in 5:59.34. Eliza McGuire was fifth in both races.
Caitlyn Adams ran well in a tight 400-meter dash, holding off Malcolm’s Lillie Beach to win in 1:06.21. Celia Bontrager finished fifth.
“They were both courageous and fought through,” Hingst said.
Sydney Stelling turned in third place in the 100-meter dash, and Macy Stutzman placed sixth in the 200.
Izzy Yeackley ran a strong 100-meter hurdle race, placing second in 18.49 second.
Sarah Spahr earned second in the high jump at 5-0, with Marissa Walker third at 4-10. Camille Stauffer picked up second in the discus at 103-0 and third in the shot put at 31-4.
Meet officials canceled the pole vault because of safety concerns.
In the boys’ competition, Milford cut the gap to Wilber-Clatonia, finishing 14 points behind the Wolverines.
“We were tickled to cut into the Wilber-Clatonia lead,” Hingst said.
Ayden Shook “had a heck of a day,” Hingst said. The senior sprinter won the 100-meter dash in 11.31 seconds and the 200-meter dash in 23.83 seconds, both personal best times for him.
He also anchored the champion 4x100-meter relay team, joining Caden Nelson, Tyce Lopez and Carter Springer.
Hingst said Milford was in fourth with Shook took the baton, and it wasn’t a good hand-off.
“Ayden went blowing by everybody,” Hingst said.
Shook also placed fifth in the high jump to round out his day.
Carter Roth set a personal best time in the 800, winning the race in 2:12.61.
“It was not easy in the wind,” Hingst said.
He also won the 1,600-meter run in 5:15.26, holding off teammate Kaleb Eickhoff who was second in 5:15.27.
Eickhoff came back to win the 3,200-meter run in 11:34.83, with Gavin Dunlap placing second.
The 4x400-meter relay team of Adan Rakow, Gavin Piening, Hudson Mullet and Roth was second.
Nelson and Piening were second and third in the 110-meter hurdles, respectively.
The Eagles were to host their home meet April 12 and are next in action Tuesday, April 19, at Centennial.
Both teams were second at their home invitational, which was shortened because of weather. The pole vault, 4x100-meter relay and 4x400-meter relay were not contested.
Event winners for the Eagles were Caitlyn Adams in the 400-meter dash (1:08.15), Lilly Kenning in the 1,600-meter run (6:25.94), Sarah Spahr in the high jump (5-4), Ayden Shook in the 100-meter dash (11.12), Carter Roth in the 800-meter run (2:11.54) and 1,600-meter run (5:27.01) and the 4x800-meter relay team in 9:40.8.
