Wildcat track teams compete in conference meet

By: 
Brent Sumner
Staff Writer

    Wilmington’s varsity boys and girls track teams headed over to Coal City last Tuesday to compete in a triangular meet with the Coalers and Reed-Custer.
    On the girls side, the Lady Wildcats wound up with a first place finish, earning 63 team points. Reed-Custer took second with 55, followed by Coal City with 29.
    The boys wound up with a third place finish, earning 28.5 team points in the meet. Reed-Custer (76.5) claimed the top spot, followed by Coal City (66).
    Autumn Switzer helped lead the Lady Wildcats to their win, as she placed in three events.
    Switzer claimed first in high jump (4’ 8”) and also took second in the triple jump (30’ 5”) and the 300 meter hurdles (52.16).
    The Lady Wildcats also had plenty of individuals place in two events, including Alexis Ivec, Ashley Ivec, Claire Rink, Paige Persic and Hannah Harvell.
    Alexis Ivec claimed first in the 3200 meter with a time of 16:16.42, and followed that up with a second in the 1600 meter (7:32.56).
    Ashley Ivec secured first in the 1600 (7:16.37), and also took fourth in the 800 with a time of 3:15.71.
    Rink earned a second in high jump (4’6”), and also took third in the 400 (1:10.84), while Persic claimed third places in the long jump (12’ 1”) and 100 meter dash (13.94).
    Harvell wound up with second in the 200 (30.43) and fourth in the 100 (14.47), while Molly McGuire and Marissa Sanchez rounded out the individual placers, earning first and third, respectively, in the 800. McGuire finished with a time of 3:01.09, and Sanchez finished in 3:03.5.
    Wilmington’s 400 and 1600 meter relay teams also picked up first place finishes.
    For the boys, Bobby Batson and Kile Thompson helped lead the team, placing in two events.
    Batson claimed first in the high jump with a height of 5’, and followed that up with a fourth in long jump (16’).
    Thompson claimed third in two events, the high jump with a height of 4’ 10”, and the 200 meter run (25.85).
    Isaiah Johnson picked up a third in the 1600 meter (6:03.34), while Mitch Kolwelter took third in the 100 meter dash (12.41).
    Jacob Allott and Ian Bastian placed third and fourth, respectively in the 3200 meter. Allott finished with a time of 13:43.63, while Bastian followed with 15:34.1.
    Wilmington’s 3200 relay and 400 relay teams both wound up with second place finishes.