Prep Track & Field: All Around Effort
It was another top-notch finish for the Harrisburg High School boys' track and field team Wednesday as they beat out 13 other teams, including three from the South Seven to capture the Herrin Invitational.
Harrisburg finished with 112 points, five better than second place finisher Marion (107), Mt. Vernon (83) took third, while Carbondale (54) finished fourth. Herrin (47) rounded out the top five, while Benton (37) and Nashville (35) were the only other schools to score points. West Frankfort, Chester, Du Quoin, Massac County, Christopher and Sesser-Valier also participated.
"We had some really solid performance again today which honestly surprises me coming off such a good meet at Carterville on Saturday," Harrisburg head coach Zach Cox said. "Coming into this meet and knowing the 12 other teams that we were running against I really didn't like our chances to bring home the first place trophy but Ill take it any day of the week. Normally you have a bit of a set back the next meet after a good one but we kept on dropping times. I'm just really happy for our kids and they stepped up to challenge today to beat the best teams in the area such as Marion, Mt. Vernon, Carbondale, and Herrin."
Dustin Lane had two first place finishes and a second place finish, plus a personal best in the 100 meter run that he won with a time of 10.8.
Lane also anchored the 4x100 meter relay team (Cody Rightnowar), Michael Victoria and Aaaron Stephens) that took first place with a time of 43.5.
Lane's time of 22.2 in the 200 meter dash was good enough for second place.
Austin Lowry took first in the pole vault, clearing 13-feet-6, while the 4x400 meter relay taem of James Curtis, Adarsh Manawa, Rightnowar and Victoria finished first with a time of 3:32.5.
Kane Carrigan had a personal best throw of 156-feet-1 in the discus Wednesday to place second.
Tylor Marlor finished in a time of 15.4 in the 110 hurdles for a second place finish, while Rightnowar had a time of 41.7, a personal best, in the 300 hurdles to finish second.
Michael Victoria had a time of 2:04 to finish second, while the 4x800 (8:50) and the 4x200 (1:36.3) all finished second.
The lone third place ribbon went to Rightnowar, who had a personal best of 15.7 in the 110 hurdles.
"Dustin Lane was an absolute monster on the track today," Cox added. "The kid is just a junior and he is loaded with talent. With times of 10.8 and 22.2 in the middle of April is something you don't have every year. Kane had a bomb in the discus at 156' after a rough day in the shot, which I liked seeing his competitiveness and Austin has been really consistent in the vault and beat one of the best vaulters statewide today in the Mt. Vernon vaulter.
"Our hurdlers Tylor Marler and Cody Rightnowar really stepped up for us today and they are the ones that kept us in the meet with their 300 hurdles performance. The 4x400 sealed the deal with a gritty performance. I am just proud of how we competed today because we came over here last year and were a bit timid of the south seven schools. We started out a bit slow but finished strong and that's something we can build on."