ROXANA - Jersey’s boys track and field team was full of bright spots in Monday's Roxana Relays, most of all carrying home the team title with 98 points.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Highland was second with 86 points, then came host Roxana (65), Civic Memorial (46) and East Alton-Wood River (37 points). One of the highlights of the entire competition was a Roxana Relays Meet record discus toss by Roxana's Jordan Hawkins of 171 feet even.
“The meet went great today,” Jersey head boys track and field coach Harold Landon said. “We took 28 boys to the meet today and were able to come off with a team win. We spread the wealth around and really got a lot of boys in the meet. It was great to come up with a victory.”
The Panthers’ prize distance runner Ben Flowers, who is recovering from a knee bruise injury, looked his old form, pulling out a 2:02 split in Jersey’s winning 4 x 800 relay. First-year track and field sensation Jacob Ridenhour, a senior, continues his phenomenal rise in both the sprints and long jump, capturing first in a tough field in the 100 with a time of 11.44. Highland’s Sebastian Wolf followed him with a time of 11.49 and East Alton-Wood River’s Zach Womack recorded a 11.65 in a race that was close to the finish. East Alton-Wood River’s T.J. Lawson was seventh (12.05).
Ridenhour also won the long jump (20-8) and was a member of the first place 4 x 200 relay team of Austin Kimbrel, Dereck Hill, Kevin Hall (1:33.40). He also ran a leg of the first-place Jersey sprint medley relay team of Hill, Hall and Lucas Ross (1:39.30).
Landon said Ross has been invaluable for the team this season in the relays and in the open 400. Ross places the team first and is extraordinarily versatile, Landon said, a huge asset for his Panthers.
“Lucas Ross ran on the 4 x 100, the 4 x 200 and anchored the 4 x 400 relay at Granite City,” Landon said. “Today, he anchored the sprint medley relay and the 4 x 200 both to victories. He is a junior and if he keeps improving he has a chance to run in college. I think if he can get under the 51 mark, some bigger schools will be calling. He could already run at the Division III level.”
Jersey’s Tom Rexing won the 110-meter high hurdles (16.10), followed closely by teammate Kimbrel (16.53).
The Panthers’ 4 x 800 relay team of Dereck Hill, Asher Stidd, Alan Wendell and Flowers won (8:53.70).
Roxana’s 4 x 100 relay was second with a solid time of 45.80, just behind winner Highland. The Shells team included: Joey Johnson, Michael Cherry, Ken Wilson and Larry Lowe. The Panthers’ shot putter Brandon Baalman was first (43-6.50).
Civic Memorial’s 4 x 400 relay team of Jayden Heeren, Ricky Beck, Parker Borth and Michael Stevenson placed first (3:37.90). The distance medley relay of Andrew Bertman, Austin Koenig, Alan Wendell and Flowers won in a time of (11:29.70). CM’s Cohl Callies won the triple jump (37-08.50). Eian McIntire was second in the high jump for CM (5-8).
East Alton-Wood River head boys and girls track coach Russ Colona said Womack ran a good race in the 100 meters. He said his team was missing some key boys in the sprint relays because of the Easter weekend, or he thinks his team would have been in contention there with Womack and Lawson, both top-notch sprinters.
The Oilers’ Brendon Springman high jumped 5-8 for third place, which is great for a distance runner, Colona said. He also ran on our distance medley and 4 x 800 relay teams. “Our 4 x 800 relay team was third and the distance medley was second,” Colona said. “Springman was injured in the cross country season and didn’t get the miles over the winter that he normally does, but he is coming back in shape.”
