By Kate Sinsel
The Silver Lake Mustang track athletes have had to battle weather all season. The Twin Valley Conference meet held in Kenesaw on Saturday, April 27th proved to be the same fate. Despite facing windy and rainy conditions, the Mustangs rose to the challenge to bring home various medals. The boy’s team managed to secure the runner-up plaque. Many members of the team contributed to the team score. Senior Keaton Karr earned four medals on the day. He placed 1st in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.12, 2nd in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.60, and 2nd in long jump with a jump of 19-02.5. He was also a member of the 400-meter relay team that placed second. Senior Jordan Faimon earned a 4th place finish in the 300-meter hurdles. Sophomore Jaxon tenBensel earned a 5th place finish in the 400-meter dash with a time of 56.48 and 5th in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 46.72. Senior Adrian Gomez placed 1st in shot put with a heave of 44-08 and 2nd in discus with a throw of 138-10.50. Senior Tayten Menke placed 5th in long jump with a jump of 18-07.75. Each relay team earned a medal for the boys. The 400-meter relay team, comprised of tenBensel, junior Casey Conway, Faimon, and Karr, placed 2nd with a time of 47.60. The 1600 meter relay team earned a runner-up finish with their time of 3:48.90. The team members are tenBensel, junior Lane Conway, Menke, and Faimon. The 3200-meter relay team of freshman Lane Magarin, sophomore Hayden Karr, Faimon, and Lane Conway earned 4th place with their time of 9:29.94.
The girl’s team also had a strong showing and earned a third-place finish for the meet. Sophomore MaKenna Karr earned four medals, placing 1st in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.28, 3rd in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 53.93, 5th in long jump with a jump of 13-08.25, and a part of the 400-meter relay team that earned 3rd. Sophomore Sophie Schmidt also earned 4 medals. She placed 1st in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.96, 2nd in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.39, 2nd in long jump with a jump of 15-00.50, and 3rd in the 400-meter relay. Junior Paige Faimon earned runner-up in the 800-meter run with a time of 238.45, and 5th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:09.78. She was also a member of the 400-meter relay. Junior Sophie Butler placed 6th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 30.60. Junior Milla Butler earned 5th in the 800 with a time of 2:57.62 and 6th in the 1600-meter run with a time of 6:49.79. Sophomore Kerra Hofstetter placed 5th in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 59.01. Junior Katelyn Strampher earned 1st place in Discus with a throw of 124-10. Also placing in throwing events were Katy Soucek in discus with a throw of 116-00 and McKenna Pankoke in shot put with a throw of 30-07.25 and 6th in discus with a throw of 90-02. Soucek also was a member of 400-meter relay.
The junior high track team also had the opportunity to compete at conference track. 8th grader Braedyn Snell placed 4th in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.42 and 6th in high jump, clearing 4-08. 7th grader Devin Maudlin had a full day– he placed 6th in the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:44.17 and 5th in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:27.72. 8th Grader Laikyn Krueger narrowly defeated Maudlin in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:27.51. He also placed 6th in discus with a throw of 100-11. The 400-meter relay, comprised of Krueger, Maudlin, 7th grader Graham Karr, and Snell, placed 5th with a time of 57.23. 8th grader Justin Sharp earned 5th place in high jump, clearing 4-08.
The junior high girls’ team got off to a hot start on the day with the 1600-meter run. 8th grader Kaylee Karr placed 2nd with a season-best time of 6:26.53. 8th grader Brooklyn Himmelberg placed 6th with a personal-best time of 6:33.62. Kaylee Karr also earned runner-up in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:49.94, 4th in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:10.52, and she helped the 1600-meter relay team take home 5th place. Himmelberg also earned a 5th place finish in triple jump with a jump of 25-08.50, 6th place in the 800 meter run with a time of 3:00.90, and she was also on the 1600 meter relay team. 8th grader Libby Soucek placed first in triple jump with a jump of 29-10.50, 2nd in long jump with a jump of 13-11.00, and 4th in the 100-meter dash with a run of 14.29. 8th grader Cerenity Simpson placed 4th in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 21.06. Along with Karr and Himmelberg, 8th graders Molly Hemberger and Heather Jensby placed 5th in the 1600-meter relay with a time of 5:23.90. 7th grader Jerzey Brittain placed 5th in shot put with a heave of 24-04 and 6th in discus with a distance of 60-10.25. The girl’s team placed 5th and the boy’s team finished 7th for the meet.