North Mac track teams host Pana, Vandalia in outdoor opener

By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democrat Reporter

The North Mac High School track and field teams kicked off their outdoor season last week, hosting Pana and Vandalia.

Boys

In boys’ team compeititions, North Mac won a pair of relays. Nick Lancaster, Jackson Fatheree, Brendan Fatheree and Mick Downs beat Vandalia by 31 seconds in the 4×400 (3:51). Jonas Bielby swapped with Lancaster for the 4×800, which the Panthers additionally dominated. Their final time was 10:09 – 25 seconds above Vandalia and an entire minute above Pana.
A ‘big three,’ headlined by Cooper Starks, took over the shot put. Starks won the competition with a 14.25m throw. Joe Reinhart placed runner-up at 13.09m. Former Illinois Elementary School Association state champion and current freshman Ozzie Maddox ranked third amongst 15 throwers at 12.74m.

The hurdles were won by Payne McLean and Cameron Hipsher. McLean took the 100m at 18.9 and Hipsher 54.5.

The discus victor was Reinhart, who slug a 1.6kg projectile 42.53m.

Dennis Corey placed runner-up with a 5.6m distance in the long jump, then won the triple jump (11.85m).

Keagan Greff (1.72m) seized the high jump’s top spot.

Jacob Bolletto placed runner-up in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes with times of 11.8 and 24.3 seconds, respectively.

Hayden Richardson clocked a runner-up time of his own in the 400-meter, finishing in one minute flat.

Coltin Lewis finished the 800-meter run in 2:49 to place second. His teammate Jonas Bielby ranked third at 3:08.

Griffin Wiseman reached 2.9m in the pole vault for third place.

Girls

On the girls’ side, Kaelyn Swift lived up to her last name and flew through the 100-meter dash in a winning time of 13.4 seconds.

Olivia Thoroman won the 400m dash in 1:09.

Jersey West was North Mac’s 200-meter leader, clocking a time of 32.7 seconds.

Ella Eldridge took first place in the 1600-meter run (6:19).

Addison Clark won the 100m hurdles, finishing in 18.9 seconds. She was followed by Ryleigh Dunlevy (19.8) and Jersey West (21.8) in the top three slots. Clark was also victorious in the long jump (1.37m).

Third place in the 800-meter race went to Cassie Loftus (3:43).

Emma Crawford placed first in the high jump at 4.67m.

The 4×100 relay team of Crawford, Alexis Bowman, Lakin Whited and Swift clocked a 53-second time to beat Vandalia as well as an A and B team from Pana.

In a tight 4×200 relay race, North Mac fell one second shy of defeating Vandalia. Fayth Toppmeyer, Makenzie Pitman, Linda Gambucci and Addison Clark concluded in 2:03 and beat Pana by five seconds.

Ella Christopher ranked runner-up amongst 15 discus throwers with a 23.47m toss.

The Panthers (Thoroman, Zorah Austin, Isabella Watson and Eldridge) ran the 4×800 relay in 12:06.

Britnee Lange competed in the shot put and placed third (8.64m).

Hanna Wonaroski lept 7.69m in the triple jump.