December 26, 2024

Panthers run wild at Creston COED

By CHEYENNE ROCHE

Sydney Strunk kicks it into high gear down the home stretch as she anchors the girls 4x800 meter relay Monday night at the Creston COED. Though Atlantic made a push to pass, the Panthers team of Emma Pantini, Payton Davis, Ella Turner and Strunk took the win. (CNA photo by CHEYENNE ROCHE)

There’s no better way to start a home track and field meet than by breaking your own school record.

The Creston boys sprint medley relay team of Tyler Riley, Chris Aragon, Austin Evans and Brandon Briley did just that, with a time of 1:41.67, breaking the record of 1:41.71 set less than a week prior. The time earned them the first gold medal of the night.

Tyler Riley passes the baton to Chris Aragon in the boys sprint medley relay Monday at the Creston COED. The relay comprised of Riley, Aragon, Austin Evans and Brandon Briley not only took the gold, but once again broke their own school record. (CNA photo by CHEYENNE ROCHE)

Not to be outdone, the Creston girls 4x800 meter relay upset top-seed Atlantic with a new season best time of 10:55.82 and a photo finish. Senior Emma Pantini settled into third to start her leg of the race, but quickly found her way into second before passing the baton to Ella Turner who kept the momentum going. Coming around the final corner, third runner Payton Davis overtook the Atlantic runner, giving senior Sydney Strunk the baton in first place. Strunk maintained the lead until the final stretch when the Atlantic anchor began quickly gaining on her. Creston fans went wild, cheering for Strunk to keep the lead. With a burst of energy, Strunk crossed the finish line .03 of a second ahead of Atlantic to take the win.

Other girls relays finding success were the girls sprint medley relay team of Turner, Grace Travis, Maylee Riley and Kadley Bailey, the distance medley relay of Braylee Pokorny, Bailey, Davis and Pantini, both placing second, and the third-place 4x400m relay team of Doryn Paup, Pokorny, Turner and Davis.

The boys found another relay win in the distance medley relay of Jaydan Pettegrew, Payton Conley, Aragon and Evans and a second-place finish in the 4x400m relay of Jaydan and Jackson Pettegrew, Weston Trapp and Ethan Holiday. Briley took silver in the 800 meter run behind Ryce Reynolds of Mount Ayr.

Doryn Paup, left, and Kadley Bailey, right, compete in the 100 meter hurdles Monday. Bailey took second place in the event and Paup took third in the 400 meter hurdles later in the evening. (CNA photo by CHEYENNE ROCHE)

In the 100 meter hurdles, Bailey placed second in a time of :17.8. Senior Pettegrew placed first in the 110 m hurdles in a time of :16.06. Seniors Paup and Pantini placed third and four, respectively, in the 400 m hurdles.

With a personal season-best of 17 feet and an overall best of 10 feet, junior Max Chapman took gold in the discus with a throw of 147-05. Junior Quinten Fuller took third with a throw of 117-10. in shot put, Chapman took second with his throw of 44.

Creston junior Max Chapman releases the discus Monday at the Creston COED Relays. Chapman set a new personal best with a winning throw of 147-05. (CNA photo by CHEYENNE ROCHE)

Paup also took bronze in the discus with her throw of 91-02. In high jump, freshman Pokorny earned second with her jump of 4-08.

Due to scoring issues, full results are not yet available.

The boys head to Central Decatur today for the Cardinal Relays and the girls return to action Thursday in Glenwood.

Cheyenne Roche

CHEYENNE ROCHE

Originally from Wisconsin, Cheyenne has a journalism and political science degree from UW-Eau Claire and a passion for reading and learning. She lives in Creston with her husband and their two little dogs.