By Fred Kroner
Two Blue Devils secured state-qualifying berths on Friday (June 11) in a Class 1A boys’ sectional track and field meet at Tuscola.
In the 800 meters, freshman Zach Ruwe was the runner-up. He was timed in 2 minutes, 8.83 seconds.
The top two placers in every event advanced to state.
Junior Daelin Price was second in the shot put. His top toss was 45 feet, 3 inches.
Ruwe and Price were the program’s only two state-qualifiers, but VG/Heritage had top-10 performances from its athletes in 11 of 18 events.
In the team chase, Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond accumulated 125 points to claim the sectional crown in the 17-school meet. Runner-up Shelbyville had 87 points. VG/Heritage ended in 11th place with 18 points.
Other individual leaders for the VG/Heritage team were Braydon Dowler (seventh in the 200 meters at 24.78 seconds), Price (eighth in the discus at 119 feet, 1 inch), Liam Barr (eighth in the triple jump at 37 feet, 3 inches), Konner Pearman (ninth in the 400 meters at 57.84 seconds), Layne Rund (10th in the high jump at 5 feet, 4 inches) and Rowan Denmark-Collins (10th in the 800 meters at 2:20.41).
All four of the Blue Devils’ relays claimed top-10 finishes, led by the fifth-place 3,200-meter unit of Lukas Carey, Denmark-Collins, Rund and Ruwe. Their combined time was 9 minutes, 30.61 seconds.
The 1,600-meter foursome of Denmark-Collins, Rund, Ruwe and Pearman were seventh in 3:57.33.
The VG/Heritage 400- and 800-meter groupings each placed ninth.
The 400 unit consisted of Mason Carter, Gunner Cline, Ashton Harrison and Dowler. Their cumulative time was 47.61 seconds.
Featured on the 800-meter relay were Barr, Cline, Dowler and Harrison. Their time was 1:40.44.
The Class 1A state meet will be held on Thursday at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston.
