St. Joseph-Ogden Relay Team Shines with Victory and Runner-Up Finish at Unity Invitational
By Fred Kroner
Four St. Joseph-Ogden runners teamed up to win one relay and take second in another on Friday (April 12) in the 18-school Unity High School Girls’ Track and Field Invitational.
Joining forces on the winning 800-meter relay were Katie Ericksen, Iris Davis, Lilly Ahart and Payton Carter. Their combined time was 1:55.39. They won by .08.
The same four runners helped the Spartans to a runner-up finish in the 400-meter relay. They were timed in 54.54 seconds.
Carter and Savanna Franzen produced runner-up finishes in individual events.
Carter was second in the pole vault (10 feet, 5 inches) and Franzen took second in the 800 meters (2:24.51).
Ally Schmitz was a two-event placer for the Spartans. She finished fifth in the 300-meter hurdles (53.42 seconds) and was sixth in the 100-meter hurdles (18.18 seconds).
SJ-O high jumper Lyla Frerichs was fourth in her specialty (personal-best 4 feet, 7 inches).
The Spartans also received points from one other relay. The 1,600-meter grouping of Carter, Madison Clampitt, Ericksen and Franzen ended fourth in 4:25.04.
In the team chase, Tuscola was first with 111 points. SJ-O was fourth with 45 points.
Besides Frerichs, five other SJ-O athletes who secured top 25 finishes also registered personal bests.
Two of the marks came in the 200 meters where Ahart (30.26 seconds) and Davis (30.29) placed 10th and 11th, respectively.
Kiah Riesel ended 13th in the 800 meters (2:52.56), Hannah Mock was 14th in the 1,600 meters (6:27.99) and Allison Ochs was 16th in the discus (74 feet, 4 inches).
SJ-O will return to action on Tuesday (April 16) at home in a three-school meet that will also include Salt Fork and Tolono Unity.
