Thomas Wells wins 3,200 at Vermilion County Boys’ track and field meet
By Fred Kroner
Oakwood sophomore Thomas Wells ran a personal-best time and won the 3,200-meter race on Thursday (April 6) in the Vermilion County Boys’ track and field meet at Hoopeston Area.
Wells’ time was 11 minutes, 31.41 seconds. He was victorious by 11.63 seconds. All champions were accorded All-County accolades.
The Comets finished fourth in the seven-school event with 55 points. Salt Fork (183 points) was the meet champion, followed by Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin (144 points).
Wells ran third in the 1,600 meters (5:17.45).
Two teammates secured two top-six finishes in individual events.
Connor Smith was fifth in the 200 meters (24.26 seconds) and sixth in the 100 meters (personal-best 11.94 seconds).
Bryson McDaniel netted a third-place finish in the long jump (personal-best 18 feet) and added a fifth-place finish in the triple jump (37 feet, 8 inches).
Other team leaders were Ben Darling (fourth in the 3,200 meters in 12:43.94), Jakob Rupp (fifth in the 800 meters with a personal-best 2:21.11), Saul Carrillo (fifth in the 400 meters with a personal-best 55.30 seconds), Tucker Pesek (sixth in the 110-meter hurdles with a personal-best 21.19 seconds) and Sailer Harrison (sixth in the triple jump with a personal-best 37 feet, 5 inches).
All four of the Comets’ relays fared well.
The 400-meter foursome as well as the 1,600-meter unit both captured third place.
Sharing the baton in the 400 relay were McDaniel, Macen Phillips, Carrillo and Smith. Their composite time was 46.42 seconds.
The 1,600-meter relay recorded the school’s fastest time in the event in eight years. Teaming up for a 3:50.19 mark were Carrillo, Kaden McDaniel, Rupp and Smith.
Oakwood’s 800-meter relay grouping of Jacob Pricer, Harrison, Kaden McDaniel and Connor Taflinger placed fourth in 1:46.48.
Also ending in fourth place was the 3,200-meter relay, featuring Jack Ajster, Taflinger, Brewer and Rupp. They were timed in 10:23.29.
Other teammates who achieved lifetime bests were Phillips (eighth in 25.78 in the 200 meters and ninth in 57.62 in the 400 meters), Grant Brewer (seventh in 2:24.99 in the 800 meters), Jack Ajster (seventh in 52.85 in the 300-meter hurdles and Alex Wells (eighth in 59.76 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles).
Oakwood’s 19-member boys’ roster includes 15 athletes who are either freshmen or sophomores. In the County meet, the Comets had the first underclassmen placer in five of eight individual running events. In three other events, Oakwood had the second underclassmen finisher.
Smith (in both the 100 and 200 meters), Carrillo (400 meters) and Wells (in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters) were the first from the freshmen or sophomore classes to reach the finish line. They are all sophomores.
Pesek (110-meter hurdles), Rupp (800 meters) and Harrison (triple jump) were all the second placers in their events from the freshmen or sophomore classes. Of the trio, Harrison is the only freshman.
The Comets return to action on Tuesday (April 11) in the Salt Fork Invitational.
