Payton Carter Stars with Pole Vault Victory at Lady Spartan Classic, Leads SJ-O to Strong Showing

By Fred Kroner

Payton Carter was the pole vault winner for St.Joseph-Ogden on Friday (May 3) in the school’s Lady Spartan Classic girls’ track and field meet.

Carter won the 17-team event by clearing a personal-best 12 feet, 1 inch.

She also produced a second-place finish in the 200 meters (26.85 seconds).

Five other Spartans collected top-10 finishes: Savanna Franzen (fifth in the 1,600 meters in 5:25.00), Kiah Riesel (eighth in the 400 meters in a personal-best 1:06.97), Lyla Frerichs (tied for eight in the high jump at 4 feet, 8 inches), Macy Reed-Thompson (tied for eighth in the high jump at 4 feet, 8 inches) and Sophie Schmitz (ninth in the pole vault at 7 feet, 5 inches).

The Spartans’ relays all scored well, including the second-place 1,600-meter grouping of Madison Clampitt, Helene Jones, Katie Ericksen and Franzen. Their total time was 4:15.01.

The school’s 800-meter relay placed third. The squad consisted of Iris Davis, Clampitt, Jones and Ericksen. They were timed in 1:53.45.

Also taking third was the 400-meter relay foursome of Davis, Lilly Ahart, Carter and Ericksen. Their combined time was 52.70 seconds.

SJ-O’S 3,200-meter relay unit of Chloe Burkhalter, Sophia Kasper, Hannah Mock and Riesel were fourth in 11:33.14.

Eureka won the team championship with 178 points. Runner-up Teutopolis collected 65 points. SJ-O was third with 44 points.

SJ-O will return to action on Wednesday (May 8) in the 17-school Charleston Class 2A sectional.