Thursday March 29^th the Tiger Track & Field teams competed in the annual Plainview Invitational.  Cool temperatures at the 9:30 am start warmed slightly as the day progressed.  The Osmond boy’s finished 4^th and the girl’s 6^th in the 11 team field.

          Gold medal performance was recorded by the boy’s 1600-relay team during the last event of the day.  Alex Palu started the race with a solid lead-off leg handing off to Connor Gutz.  Connor ran strong holding on to second place handing off to Justus Maertins.  On the third turn Justus passed a Norfolk Catholic runner and pushed the lead before handing off to anchorman Anthony Heiman.  Anthony ran a very strong leg maintaining the lead and holding off runners from Norfolk Catholic and O’Neil high school. The Tigers winning time was 3:50.8, second place was 3:52.4.

          The 3200-relay team of Johnson Chishiba, Josh Gansebom, Jared Bessmer, and Anthony Heiman collected second place in a nice time of 9:28.1.  Anthony also finished second in the 400 meters in 54.5. Jared placed second in the 3200 meters in a time of 11:32.2.  Justus Maertins also picked up a silver medal in the 300 hurdles in a time of 45.61. He made the finals of the 110 high hurdles but did not place due in part to having to hurdle over a runner from LHNE who had fallen into his lane. 

          The 400-relay team of Aaron Chishiba, Nick Reikofski, Colton Beacom, and Palu finished fourth in 48.0.

          Earlier in the day Justus Maertins earned fourth place in the triple jump with a leap of 36-6.  Aaron Chishiba collected fifth place in the long jump with a best mark of 17-2.5.  Jared Bessmer placed fifth in the 1600 meters in 5:22.5 and Anthony Heiman was also fifth in the 800 meters in a time of 2:18.7.

          The girl’s had a pair of relay teams that nearly collected gold medals.  The 400-relay team finished just .01 behind Norfolk Catholic.  Kennedy Johnson, Makenzie Johnson, Haven Schultze, and Andrea Schmit were clocked at 55.21 and the winning time was 55.20.  The same foursome ran the 1600-relay and were out leaned by O’Neill High School.  The Tigers covered the distance in 4:37.4.

          Earlier in the field events Kennedy placed second in the triple jump.  Her leap measured 29-6.  She also finished sixth in the 400 meters in 70.6. Haven Schultze finished fifth in both the 100 and 200 meters.  Her times were 14.0 and 29.7 respectively.

          “It was tough competing with the weather and quality track teams” noted Coach Ortmeier. “I thought we ran well and really got after it.  I think we can be really tough when we get some better weather for practice and meets.”

Girls Scores                                                       Boys Scores