By Fred Kroner
Oakwood’s Austin McDaniel secured a state-berth in one event and placed among the top four in two other events on Friday (May 20) in the St. Joseph-Ogden boys’ Class 1A Track and Field Sectional.
McDaniel continued his season in the triple jump, with a runner-up finish and a personal-best 40 feet, 5 inches.
The top two placers in every event advanced to state, which will start on Thursday (May 26) at Eastern Illinois University.
McDaniel placed third in the 110-meter hurdles with a personal-best time of 15.90 seconds. In the 300-meter hurdles, he took fourth place (45.31 seconds).
The Comets had four other individuals and two relays finish among the top 10 at the sectional.
Bryson McDaniel ended fourth in the triple jump (38 feet, 7 inches). Saul Carrillo was ninth in the 400 meters (57.08 seconds). Doug Myers placed ninth in the discus (personal-best 115 feet, 7 inches). Devin Sanders wound up 10th in the shot put (38 feet, 4 inches).
The top Oakwood relay was the 1,600-meter foursome, which wound up in fifth place in 3:53.25. The runners were Connor Smith, Kaden McDaniel, Jakob Rupp and Carrillo.
The Comets’ 400-meter relay came in seventh. Sharing the baton were Connor Moss, Carrillo, Macen Phillips and Smith. Their cumulative time was 47.06 seconds.
Oakwood tied with St. Anne for eighth place with 24 points. The sectional team champion was St. Joseph-Ogden with 103 points.
