Oakwood Dominates with Individual and Relay Wins at Vermilion County Boys’ Track Meet
By Fred Kroner
Oakwood athletes won two individual events and helped two relays to victory on Friday (April 5) in the Vermilion County boys’ track and field meet at Salt Fork.
Connor Smith was the 100-meter champion (personal-best 11.28 seconds), with a time .11 ahead of the runner-up.
In the 3,200 meters, Thomas Wells also recorded a personal best (11:04.00), giving him a 12-second margin of victory.
The Comets’ 1,600-meter relay was triumphant in 3:41.72. The runners were Jakob Rupp, Saul Carrillo, Macen Phillips and Smith. They prevailed by 1.61 seconds.
The 1,600 relay was the meet’s final event. Oakwood was in fourth place in the team standings entering that race, but surged ahead of both Westville and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin to wind up in second place overall.
Meet champion Salt Fork had 136 points. Oakwood was next with 98 points, followed by Westville (97 points) and B-H/R-A (94 points).
Oakwood’s 3,200-meter relay foursome also placed first. Handling the four 800-meter legs were Lucas Tyas, Ben Darling, Rupp and Phillips.
They teamed up for a time of 9:05.79 and were victorious by .66 seconds.
The Comets had top-six placers in six other events, including double placers in the 800 meters, 110-meter high hurdles and the triple jump.
In the 800, Rupp ran third (personal-best 2:13.33) and teammate Tyas was fifth (personal-best 2:18.00).
Trevor McCall captured fourth in the 110 hurdles (18.34 seconds) and Comet Kyler Johnson was fifth (personal-best 19.17 seconds).
In the triple jump, Sailer Harrison ended second (personal-best 38 feet, 1 inch) and Bryson McDaniel was fourth (37 feet, 9 inches).
McDaniel took third in the long jump (19 feet, 4 inches).
Smith was the runner-up in the 400 meters (52.51 seconds) and Wells wound up second in the 1,600 meters (personal-best 5:05.41).
Also taking second was the 400-meter relay grouping of McDaniel, Connor Moss, Jacob Pricer and Smith. Their cumulative time was 45.05 seconds.
Oakwood’s 800-meter lineup of Jack Ajster, Trevor Hanner, Kaden McDaniel and Connor Taflinger finished sixth in 1:43.96.
Setting personal bests besides Smith (100), Rupp (800), Tyas (800), Wells (3,200), Johnson (110 hurdle) and Harrison (triple jump) were Connor Moss (12.05 in 100 meters), Jacob Pricer (24.90 in 200 meters), Jacob Taflinger (25.39 in 200 meters), Alex Wells (13:40.66 in 3,200 meters) and Cale Thomas (92 feet,9 inches in discus).
Oakwood returns to action on Tuesday (April 9) in the Salt Fork Invitational.
