The beginning of any season is full of questions, but the 2021 track season has even more.
Without last spring to go on, coaches are trying to fill events with unfamiliar faces.
“We didn’t know were people were after a year off,” Coach Marty Hingst said.
Milford opened its track season March 19 at the Bulldog Challenge, hosted by Concordia University. To help maintain a safe environment, CU limited the numbers of athletes and coaches and allowed no fans.
Hingst said he looked at who was ready for competition when determining who would compete. The Eagles brought 11 girls and 11 boys.
“Thanks to Concordia for making it happen,” he said.
The Milford girls were third in the team standings, scoring 58. MHS was sixth in the boys’ competition.
“It was pleasing because we didn’t have as many first place finishes,” Hingst said. “We worked hard and placed where we needed.”
Milford’s Caitlyn Adams and Sydney Stelling won golds. Stelling sprinted to the win in the 60-meter dash, and Adams outkicked the competition in the 400. Adams was also third in the 800-meter run, and Stelling was fifth in the 200 and sixth in the long jump.
Adams and Stelling both qualified for state two years ago. Hingst said he was proud of how both competed.
“They’ve still got it,” he said.
The Milford girls’ 4x800-meter relay team earned the silver medal behind Centennial.
Freshman Sarah Spahr won silver in the high jump. Hingst said Spahr has jumped well in practice and did a good job staying focused in a new environment. Junior Marissa Walker placed fourth in the event.
Alayna Piening won third place in the triple jump.
Kaitlyn Kontor finished fourth in the 1,600-meter run in 6:27.31 and beat her goal time of 6:30, Hingst said.
Boys’ competition
Centennial’s Will Saunders edged Milford’s Collin Piening in the 60-meter hurdle finals when Piening clipped the last hurdle. Piening entered the finals with the fastest preliminary time.
“He’s very focused to have a great year,” Hingst said.
Piening was also fourth in the triple jump at 31-1.5.
Carter Roth was third in the 1,600-meter run. Hingst said Roth told his dad he was going to finish in under 5 minutes. His dad didn’t believe him. Roth clocked in at 4:57.9.
Elliott Reitz placed third in the 3,200-meter run, with teammate Landon Lautzenhiser in fifth. Hingst said he was pleased with Reitz’s time of 11:38.18. Lautzenhiser’s time of 12:10.82 was also good, he said.
Ayden Shook placed fourth in the 200-meter dash in 24.27 seconds and fifth in the 60-meter dash in 7.38 seconds. Hingst said Shook got tight in the final but ran well.
Milford is off until Tuesday, March 30, when it heads to Wilber-Clatonia for its first outdoor meet of the season.
“That’s always an interesting meet,” Hingst said, adding that it’s the only time Milford sees some of the teams in competition there.
Plus, it’s the first outdoor meet of the season for the Eagles. Hingst said he hopes to get some of the younger athletes who didn’t compete at Concordia into events at WCHS.
