Bulldogs take team honors at Judah Christian’s Field of Dreams
By Fred Kroner
Four individuals and one relay were victorious for the Mahomet-Seymour girls’ track and field team on Monday (May 24) in the Uni High Invitational at Judah Christian’s Field of Dreams in Champaign.
Shaelin Ruzich was the top pole vaulter, clearing 10 feet, 8 inches. Grace Rodebaugh took top honors in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet.
Hailee McCall-Ochs was triumphant in the shot put, with a winning toss of 34 feet, 5 inches. Runner Elizabeth Sims prevailed in the 1,600 meters, clocking a time of 5 minutes, 44.78 seconds.
Sims ran the leadoff leg in the first-place 3,200-meter relay. Following her were Callie Jansen, Ava Boyd and Chloe Allen. Their combined time was 10:59.17.
The Bulldogs raced to team honors in the seven-school meet with 153 points. Runner-up Urbana Uni High totaled 132 points.
M-S had a successful group of relay entries. Two of the school’s foursomes in both the 400- and 800-meter relays ended among the top four as did the 1,600-meter unit.
The school’s top-placing 400-meter relay featured Mallory Carr, Teri Hall, Holly Hawes and Emily Bergia. Their third-place time was 1:00.00.
They finished a step ahead of teammates Meah Beacham, Janae Hall, Hannah Hofbauer and Lizbeth Ramos. They took fourth in 1:00.63.
In the 800-meter relay, Taylor Good, Teri Hall, Chloe Merkle and Bergia ran third in 2:16.27.
Placing fourth for M-S was the 800-meter grouping of Karen Marht, Janae Hall, Hawes and Ramos. They were clocked in 2:18.09.
The other M-S relay among the leaders was the 1,600-meter unit of Lauren Bednar, Kaile Jeffers, Emily Bednar and Jansen. They finished in a time of 5:04.56.
Individual runners-up for the Bulldogs were Lauren Burr (400 meters, 1:06.10), Gwen Tee (discus, 79 feet, 8 inches) and Cece Abramson (pole vault, 10 feet, 1 inch).
In both of the weight events, M-S secured four of the top six positions.
Trailing McCall-Ochs in the shot put were Tee (third, 31 feet, 9 inches), Teri Hall (fourth, 28 feet, 1 inch) and Janae Hall (fifth, 25 feet, 4 inches).
In the discus, following Tee were Ochs (third, 76 feet, 8 ½ inches), Teri Hall (fifth, 72 feet, 9 inches) and Janae Hall (sixth, 68 feet, 9 ½ inches).
Clair Johnson ended sixth in the triple jump (23 feet, 3 inches) and 10th in the long jump (12 feet, 1 inch). Teammate Marht was third in the long jump (13 feet, 8 inches).
In the pole vault, the third M-S medalist was Good, who cleared 6 feet, 8 inches.
The Bulldogs showed their strength in the 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter runs with three top-10 runners in each event.
In the 400, following Burr were Carr (third in 1:07.83) and Beacham (sixth in 1:12.82).
In the 800, Allen ran third (2:42.04), Lauren Bednar was eighth (3:03.85) and Jeffers was ninth (3:10.09).
In the 1,600, after Sims were Boyd (fourth, 5:54.16) and Emily Bednar (eighth, 6:02.19).
Abramson placed fifth in the 300-meter hurdles (1:00.53).
M-S returns to action in the Class 2A IHSA sectional on Wednesday (June 2) at Kankakee.
