Burwell sets school record in discuss, Hawks take second at Tuscola Invite

By Fred Kroner

A first-place finish and a school-record setting toss by senior Madison Burwell in the discus (112 feet, 11 inches) was among the highlights for Villa Grove/Heritage in the Friday (May 14) Tuscola girls’ track and field invitational.

Burwell’s record-breaking marked the second time this spring she has shattered the school standard.

VG/Heritage placed second in the team standings with 75 points. Tuscola (189 points) was the meet champion. Judah Christian (56 points) ended in third place in the seven-school event.

VG/Heritage won two other events besides Burwell’s title.

Sophomore Emma Buesing captured the 3,200-meter race (14 minutes, 26.54 seconds), beating teammate Kyleigh Price (14:48.56), who was second.

Buesing and Price were the first two runners on the victorious 3,200-meter relay. They teamed up with Madison Logan and Hailey Stutz for a combined time of 12:36.23.

Burwell and Ava Vollmer scored points in both the shot put and discus. Vollmer was fifth in the discus (84 feet, 1 inch) and second in the shot put (32-6). Burwell took fourth in the shot (28.8).

Six other Blue Devils earned points in individual events, including Molly Little in both the long jump (fourth, 13-9) and the 100-meter hurdles (sixth, 24.56 seconds).

The team’s other top individuals were Stutz (fourth in the 400 meters, 1:09.62), Kenzie Cardiff (fifth in the 100 hurdles, 22.02 seconds); Logan (seventh in the 800 meters, 3:08.04), Kirsten Foreman (seventh in the 100-meter dash, 14.99 seconds) and Maria Galarza (eighth in the long jump, 9 feet, 6 inches).

Two VG/Heritage relays ended in third place.

The 400-meter squad consisted of Little, Burwell, Foreman and Stutz. Their collective time was 58.03 seconds.

The 1,600-meter relay unit of Buesing, Galarza, Andrea Hall and Stutz was third in 5:20.83.