Nofziger and Byron win Apollo Conference Championships

By Fred Kroner

Mahomet-Seymour senior Kyle Nofziger and junior Robert Byron won Apollo Conference championships on Thursday (May 5) in the boys’ outdoor track and field meet, hosted by M-S.

Nofziger was the winner in the 1,600-meter race, finishing the four-lap event in 4 minutes, 36.08 seconds.

Byron prevailed in the discus, with a winning toss of 135 feet, 9 inches.

The Bulldogs had runner-up finishes in two events. 

Pole-vaulter Ty Clark cleared 12 feet, 3 ½ inches.

The 400-meter relay unit of Jayvon Irwin, Deangelo Hughey, Nick Golden and Cole Marshall placed second with a time of 46.16 seconds.

In all events, the first- and second-place performers received All-Conference designation.

In the team chase, Mount Zion claimed the crown with 158 points. M-S was second (112 points) and Mattoon third (90 points) in the seven-school field.

The Bulldogs copped third place in six events and fourth place in eight events.

Individuals capturing third-place finishes were: Tyler Lewis (400 meters in 53.90 seconds), Jonah Singer (800 meters in 2:00.13), Ian Dobrucki (110-meter hurdles in 17.98 seconds), Nolan Nierenhausen (300-meter hurdles in 45.56 seconds), Gabe Labbe (long jump at 19 feet, 1 inch) and Cole Marshall (triple jump at 38 feet, 7 inches).

Three Bulldog relays crossed the finish line in fourth place. 

Featured on the 800-meter relay were Irwin, Erik Christianson, Golden and Travis Hoffman. They were timed in 1:38.74.

The 1,600-meter foursome included Singer, Hughey, Josh Franklin and Lewis. Their cumulative time was 3:37.88.

The 3,200-meter unit included Benjamin Wallace, Taylor Fan, Avery Seaman and Mitchell McAnally. They were clocked in 9:13.24.

Dayten Eisenmann had matching fourth-place finishes in both hurdles races. In the 110-meter hurdles, he stopped the clock in 18.35 seconds. His time in the 300s was 45.88 seconds.

Golden was fourth in the 200 meters (24.97 seconds), Blake Dillman was fourth in the 800 meters (2:07.76) and Labbe was fourth in the triple jump (38 feet, 6 inches).

The Bulldogs produced 13 other top-eight finishers: Christiansen (fifth in the 100 meters in 12.30 second), Kaden Jackson (fifth in the 400 meters in 55.09 seconds), Sam Garber (fifth in the shot put at 42 feet, 3 inches), Karsten Waisath (sixth in the 3,200 meters in 10:22.83), Nierenhausen (sixth in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 ½ inches), Luke Johnson (seventh in the 200 meters in 25.73 seconds), Ethan Ramirez (seventh in the 1,600 meters in 5:02.09), Hayden Grotelueschen (seventh in the 3,200 meters in 11:01.30), Byron (seventh in the shot put at 40 feet, 2 inches), Eisenmann (seventh in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 ½ inches), Caleb Boykin (seventh in the discus at 102 feet) and Marshall (seventh in the long jump at 17 feet, 4 inches and eighth in the 100 meters in 12.53 seconds).

M-S returns to action in the Class 2A Tolono Unity Sectional on Thursday (May 19).

On Saturday (May 7), M-S placed second in the seven-school Apollo Conference freshmen-sophomore meet.

The winner, Mount Zion, had 158 points. M-S totaled 138 points. Third-place Lincoln had 77 points.

Pole-vaulter Ty Clark (12 feet, 2 inches) and two relays were triumphant.

The winning relays included the 800-meter unit which featured Jayvon Irwin, Dylan Smith, Alex O’Brian and Ryken Kirby. Their combined time was 1:39.06.

The 1,600-meter relay squad included Deangelo Hughey, Josh Franklin, Blake Dillman and Kaden Jackon.They were timed in 3:42.99.

Ian Dobrucki garnered runner-up finishes in two hurdles races. In the 110s, his time was 18.37 seconds. In the 300s, his time was 46.08 seconds.

Also placing second were Jackson (400 meters in 54.19 seconds), Lukas Nykaza (3,200 meters in 11:14.45) and the 400-meter relay foursome of Irwin, Hughey, O’Brian and Travis Hoffman (46.13 seconds).

Ellis Tira was third in two events: long jump (17 feet, 7 inches) and triple jump (35 feet, 10 inches).

Other teammates in third place were Seth Christiansen (pole vault at 9 feet, 7 inches), Hughey (100 meters in 11.92 seconds), Franklin (400 meters in 56.97 seconds), Dillman (800 meters in 2:06.04),  Ethan Ramirez (1,600 meters in 4:56.45) and the 3,200-meter relay squad of Ramirez, Grant Smysor, Lukas Carey and Dillman (9:20.87).

The Bulldogs’ fourth-place performers were: Kirby (100 meters in 12.45 seconds), Smysor (1,600 meters in 4:57.83), Franklin (discus at 99 feet,9 inches) and Austin Crull (shot put at 31 feet, 5 inches).

Kirby was fifth in the 200 meter (26.01 seconds) and Jaxon Themanson was fifth in the 110-meter hurdles (21.60 seconds).