Keokuk, IA- The Southeast Conference (SEC) clashed at Calvert Stadium in Keokuk, which had its track and field complex renovated less than two years ago. Despite the difference in appearance, the Mt. Pleasant girls’ team kept the status quo, capturing their 12th conference banner in the last 14 years, while the Washington boys’ team reclaimed the crown.
SEC Girls’ Results
Mt. Pleasant needed last event heroics last year to steal the crown back from Washington. There was no need for the dramatic this season, as the Panthers generated 183 points, nearly 20 more than second-place Washington.
A big reason for the boost was Mt. Pleasant freshman, Avery Fedler. The phenom competed in four events last night and rattled off 1st place finishes in the 400-meter dash (59.7 seconds), the 800-meter run (2 minutes and 21 seconds), and the 1500-meter run (4 minutes and 54 seconds) before capping off her night with a 2nd place run in the 3000-meter run.
Altogether, Fedler accounted for 38 points or nearly 21% of her team’s total points. The Panthers also secured victory in the 100-meter hurdles with Delaney Anderson turning in a time 16.32 seconds and the long jump with Izzy Sloat flying 17 feet and 1.25 inches.
Additionally, the team of Kynlee White, Alex Scott, Ellie Freeman, Taylor Williamson sprinted to a win in the 4×100 meter dash with a mark of 50.15 seconds. Jenna Schartz jumped in for Williamson to help the Panthers snatch the 4×200 meter relay with a time of 1 minute and 48 seconds.
Washington only captured victory in three events: Leighton Messinger claimed the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1 minute and 7 seconds, the team of Lauren Drahota, Jaslyn Villa, Sawyer Manz, and Brynnlee Flynn took the 4×400 meter relay with a time of 4 minutes and 17 seconds, and the squad of Lillyn Magdefrau, Emma Lins, Manz, and Iris Dahl snatched the gold in the distance medley relay with a mark of 4 minutes and 28 seconds.
Nevertheless, the Demons finished in 2nd place in the following events: the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter dash, the 800-meter run, the 4×100, the 4×200, the 4×800, the sprint medley relay, the shuttle hurdle relay, and the long jump.
Fairfield’s best finisher was Elyse Setterstrom in the discus, as her toss of 104 feet and 7 inches was good enough for 2nd place.
Other notable finishers included Burlington’s double team of Mylee Stiefel sprinting to the win in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes and Kylee Hill sweeping the throwing events with tosses of 50 feet and 4 inches in the shot put and 138 feet and 9 inches in the discus.
Final Team Standings
Mt. Pleasant: 183
Washington: 166
Burlington: 74
Fort Madison: 67
Keokuk: 63
Fairfield: 29
SEC Boys’ Results
In a more contested battle, Washington reclaimed their crown after Fairfield evicted the Demons last year from the throne they had held the previous three years. For the top teams, it was not so much about winning the most events but garnering the most amount of help.
Still, the Demons were led by the usual suspects as Andrew Rees outpaced the field in the 1600-meter run with a time of 4 minutes and 34 seconds—just one second faster than Mt. Pleasant’s Silas Hulett. Moreover, Greyson Hartman kept his stranglehold on the throwing events, winning with heaves of 64 feet and 7.5 inches in the shot put and 186 feet and 6 inches in the discus.
The Demons also got help in the distance medley relay with a time of 3 minutes and 42 seconds with the squad of Nic Stone, Liam Roberts, Sawyer Tschantz, and Rees. Washington made their mark in 2nd place finishes as Isaac Medrano finished with the silver in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles. Overall, the Demons finished in 2nd place in six events.
The Trojans had a fine meet day with 129 points but lacked the help outside of their gold medal finishes.
Fairfield’s Spencer McCready raced to a win in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.75 seconds. Eli Zillman collected two conference championships, soaring 6 feet and 6 inches in the high jump and flying 21 feet and 4 inches in the long jump. The Trojans took the 4×200 meter relay with the team of Dayson Workman, Blake Burnett, Voss Richardson, and Eli Hoffman in 1 minute and 33 seconds.
Keokuk dominated the sprinting events as Ryan Bair raced to pair of gold medals in the 100 and 200-meter dashes. He also jumped in to help the Chiefs generate a win in the 4×100 meter relay. The sprint medley team of Jackson Bair, Chayce Smith, Jadyn Burton, and Travarius Smith won their event by four seconds.
Mt. Pleasant’s lone victory occurred in the 3200-meter run, as Silas Hulett turned in a mark of 9 minutes and 53 seconds, which was over 30 seconds faster than second place. The Panthers’ team of Kayle Brown, Hoang Quang, Franky Lopez, and Griffin Jones took the silver medal in the 4×200 meter relay.
Final Standings
Washington: 147
Fairfield: 129
Keokuk: 103
Fort Madison: 92
Burlington: 57
Mt. Pleasant: 54
Up Next
Mt. Pleasant will host the State Qualifying Meet on Thursday, May 14th, with the rest of the SEC making the trip.