The Lakeland Track and Field team had a strong showing at the Sweeney Invitational on March 21 in Lewiston, with standout performances across multiple events.
Sapphire Ruelle led the way for the girls, taking first place in both the 100-meter sprint with a time of 13.23 seconds and the 200-meter sprint with a 27.18-second finish.
These victories showcased her speed and consistency.
Karstyn Kiefer also had a strong showing, securing fourth place in the 100 meters with a time of 13.42 seconds.
The girls’ 4×100 relay team, consisting of Ruelle, Kiefer, Jordin Cysewski, and Melia Gilbert, had an excellent race and placed first with a time of 51.86 seconds.
“We I’m pretty confident about our team we placed first at most of the meets last year,” Gilbert said, “We have three of the same people and we added Jordin who is a good addition.”
Additionally, the 4×200-meter relay team of Bailey Chadwell, Casey Foster, Gilbert, and Kiefer finished in second place with a time of 1:53.83 another strong result for the girls.
The Distance Medley Relay 4000-meter team, Piper Peterson, Reesa Saxe, Annie Mattila, and Maddison Chapple, placed fourth with a time of 14:57.31.
Jaron Yager also had an impressive day, placing sixth in the 200-meter sprint with a time of 24.44 seconds.
“I ran well, I did not accelerate out of the start like I normally would,” Yager said, “I think the outcome was good, especially with the bad weather conditions.”
Yager along with Apolo Gratzinger, Ethan Hunt, and Kayden Karle, formed the boys’ 4×100 relay team, which finished sixth with a time of 46.08 seconds.
In the distance events, Frank McCarthy earned a third-place finish in the 1600-meter race with a time of 4:52.83, showing his endurance and competitive spirit.
In the field events, Brayden Carrel delivered a solid performance, finishing third in the shot put with a throw of 43′ 10″, showcasing his strength in the event.
In the high jump, Kros O’Brien placed sixth with a jump of 10’6″, while Macy Bretveld placed sixth for the girls with a 4’8″ jump, adding points to the team’s overall score.
For the girls, their strong individual performances led them to an impressive sixth-place finish out of 21 teams.
This solid result speaks to their depth across multiple events. On the boys’ side, the team finished 12th out of 19 teams, which, while lower than the girls’ team, still reflects strong individual performances that contributed to the overall ranking.
The Lakeland Track and Field team had a successful outing at the Sweeney Invitational, with several athletes earning top finishes.
The team’s performance in both individual and relay events shows that they are a competitive force in the area, and they’ll be looking to build on these results as they continue the season.
