Seward track and field had a busy week, thanks to the weather. The Bluejays competed in the Norris Invite April 6, after the meet was postponed from April 3, and then at the Waverly Invite April 10.
The Seward girls were first and the boys third by one point at Norris.
“The girls did awesome,” Coach Jeff Hass said.
Earning first places for the Jays were Haylen Holliday in the 800-meter run (2:22.65), Lily Philips in the 3,200-meter run (11:53.49), the 4x400-meter relay (4:05.99) and Addy Heaston in the discus (124-7).
Hass said the relay team was pretty good for this point in the season, and the team of Holliday, Hayden Minchow, Jordyn Samuels and Grace Brees is aiming for the school record. The record is about 4 minutes and was set in 1989, he said.
Heaston’s discus throw was a personal best, as was Philips’ time in the 3,200, Hass said.
Earning second places were Brees, 100 (12.47) and 200 (25.74); Chloe Brozovsky in the 400 (1:02.73); Minchow in the 100 (15.7) and 300 (47.76) meter hurdles; and the 4x800 relay team (9:52.12).
Hass said the boys’ standings came down to the 4x400-meter relay, the last race, and Seward almost caught the sixth-place team.
The throwers led the team at Norris, with Kolten Green setting a new school record in the discus at 176 feet. The previous record was 174-2, set by Chris DeMuth in 1989.
The throw was only good enough for fourth place, however.
Green finished second in the shot put with a toss of 53-11.75.
The only gold medal for Seward was in the 4x800 relay, which won in 8:14.08. Team members were Micah Royuk, Cale Greisen, Cody Jacobsen and Austin Koch.
Koch also placed second in the 3,200 in 10:06.1, a personal best.
Hass said quite a few Bluejays set PRs, but because of the tough competition did not place as high in their events.
Seward was missing its SkillsUSA team at the Waverly Invite April 10. The girls’ team finished in eighth, and the boys were seventh.
Hass said the team saw more PRs at this meet, but the finishes were not as high again.
Brees switched up her lineup, running the 400 instead of the 100. She was third with a time of 1:00.62 after winning the 200 in 25.27.
The 4x100 relay team of Rydesa Else, Minchow, Aubree Solano and Brees was second in 50.58 seconds.
Minchow ran her season-best time in the 100 hurdles and placed fifth.
The boys had another good day in the field events. Jack Vyhnalek placed third in the shot put at 52-4.5, edging Green by 1/2 inch.
At the last minute, Tresten Hass decided he was going to long jump, an event he hadn’t done for awhile. He jumped 21-8.75 to win, the team’s only gold.
Although he wasn’t in the top six, Greisen ran a PR in the 3,200, which Coach Hass was pleased to see since Greisen is coming back from illness. Mason Luebbe also ran a PR in the 3,200 and continues to improve, the coach said. Creighton Olson set at PR time in the 1,600.
Up next for Seward is the Wahoo Invitational, Friday, April 17, which will be contested at Waverly. Coach Hass said the field will provide good competition for the Jays. Among the teams coming are Omaha Roncalli, Ashland-Greenwood, Bishop Neumann and Blair.
The following meet for Seward will be a new meet for the Jays at Papillion-LaVista on Thursday, April 23.
