March 18, 2024

Raider collect six golds, dominate field at Ballard

HUXLEY — Senior Toni Spencer sprinted her way to two wins Friday night, and the Collins-Maxwell/Baxter girls’ track team claimed six golds in all during a dominant win at Ballard High School.

Spencer won the 100- and 200-meter dash, senior Payge Jurgens won the shot put and junior Heather Jessen recorded a victory in the 1,500 as the Raiders scored 168 points as the team champion.

Clarion-Goldfield was the runner-up with 119 points, while Southeast Valley had 109 in third, Madrid scored 70 in fourth and Roland-Story finished with 69 in fifth.

Ogden (27) and South Hamilton (24) rounded out the seven-team field.

“I am proud of the way our girls competed tonight,” CMB coach Jerry Meinerts said.

“It was really cold and windy, but our girls did a great job of warming up, stretching and keeping healthy.”

Spencer won the 100 in 13.08 seconds, and got a victory in the 200 with a time of 27.26.

Jurgens won the shot put with a throw of 36 feet, 6 3/4 inches.

Jessen won the 1,500 in 5 minutes, 40 seconds.

The other two wins came in relays.

The 4x800 relay team of sophomore Ashlee Johnson, freshman Shasta Moody, senior Chasity Moody and freshman Lauren Ratliff crossed the finish line in 11:08.

The 4x100 relay earned another gold medal.

That foursome of sophomores Sailor Hinegardner and Brianda Bane and juniors Mikayla Eslinger and Megan Ritter finished in 53.97 seconds.

“We don’t normally win a lot of events but tonight was a great night on the track,” Meinerts said.

“We doubled up in nine events, which helps, too.”

The success didn’t stop after first-place finishes for the Raiders.

They also grabbed six silver medals and six bronze medals.

Jessen was a double medal winner as she took second in the 3,000 with a time of 11:55. Freshman Brenna Thomson finished behind her for the bronze with a time of 11:58.

Finishing behind Jessen in the 1,500 was Ratliff, whose runner-up time was 5:45.

Hinegarnder also was second in the long jump with a leap of 14-6 1/2.

Hinegardner anchored the shuttle hurdle relay team to a silver medal as well.

The rest of the team included sophomore Mary Schabilion, junior Sydney Ziesman and freshman Gracie Cheville and they finished in 1:14.44.

Senior Bridget Hurley was second in the 400 with a 1:04.26. The 4x200 relay team of Ritter, Eslinger, freshman Josie Pierson and Bane took second with a time of 1:58.51.

Aside from Thomson, four other individuals took third place.

Eslinger was third in the discus with a toss of 100-9, Bane jumped 4-6 to take third in the high jump, Hurley stopped the clock at 28.25 in the 200 and Hinegardner grabbed the bronze in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.28.

The final third-place tally came in the sprint medley relay.

The foursome of Schabilion, Shasta Moody, Eslinger and senior Carter Larson finished in 2:08.

The Raiders compete in the Heart of Iowa Conference meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday in Gilbert.