Carson Maroon Leads St. Joseph-Ogden to Victory with Triple Win at Illini Prairie Track Meet
By FRED KRONER
St. Joseph-Ogden senior Carson Maroon was a three-event winner on Tuesday (April 30) in the 10-school Illini Prairie Conference boys’ track and field meet at Pontiac.
Maroon successfully completed the distance sweep, winning the three longest races.
He was timed in 10:11.70 in the 3,200 meters, in 4:33.46 in the 1,600 meters and in 2:02.90 in the 800 meters.
Maroon’s performance helped SJ-O capture the team crown with 143 points. Runner-up Bloomington Central Catholic totaled 111 points.
The Spartans’ other winning performance came in the 3,200-meter relay where the foursome of Lance Retz, Aden Armstrong, Spencer Wilson and Joe Griebat was timed in 8:12.61.
SJ-O athletes produced four runner-up finishes, including: Brock Trimble (discus at 152 feet, 3 inches), Jackson Ennis (shot put at 45 feet, 10 inches) and Tim Blackburn-Kelly (triple jump at 41 feet, 6 inches).
Also taking second was the SJ-O 1,600-meter relay, which consisted of Armstrong, Logan Smith, Wyatt Wertz and Wilson.
Their combined time was 3:32.05.
Wilson and Retz captured third-place finishes. Wilson was timed in a personal-best 50.56 seconds in the 400 meters. Retz was third in the 1,600 meters (4:43.50).
The Spartans’ 400-meter relay also placed third. Sharing the baton were Grant Smith, Colin Wayland, Logan Smith and Blackburn-Kelly. Their time was 43.95 seconds.
Logan Smith had a pair of fourth-place finishes individually: 100 meters in a personal-best 11.28 seconds and 400 meters in a personal-best 51.01 seconds).
Jack Fisher was fourth in the 3,200 meters (10:27.34), Ennis was fourth in the discus (137 feet, 9 inches), Tanner Siems was fourth in the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches) and Charlie Schmitz was fourth in the pole vault (12 feet, 10 inches).
The Spartans’ 800-meter relay, which included Grant Smith, Wayland, Blackburn-Kelly and Kyler Swanson, was fourth in 1:33.21.
SJ-O will return to action on Friday (May 10) at Decatur St. Teresa.
