Bison, Mustangs shine in track meet

BY STAN MADDUX

Our Lady of the Lake and Covert.

The first-place finishers for the boys from River Valley were Owen Slavens in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash; Landon Rogers in the 1,600 meter and 3,200-meter run and Jaquan Pierre in the shot put.

Other boys from River Valley winning were Eli Thomas in the long jump and Braiden Brooks in the 300 meter hurdles.

The winners among the boys from New Buffalo were Elliot Bourne in the 800 meter run and Jack Lantz in the pole vault.

The first-place finishers for the girls from New Buffalo were Sam Smith in the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash; Jane Funk in the high jump and Eva Bauer in the long jump and 300-meter hurdles.

The highest honors for the River Valley girls were second place finishes for Angelina York in the shot put and Ashlyn Sikorski in the 300 meter hurdles.

New Buffalo Track and Field Head Coach Nate Jones said his teams also turned in solid performances in the two previous early season competitions.

At Eau Claire last week, for example, the Lady Bison tied for first place while the boys finished third.

“Our girls, we have some really good top end talent,” he said.

Jones feels the boys’ team with a number of inexperienced, but talented members hasn’t reached it potential.

“Some of our young guys are learning how to race. We have a really good junior class. That’s exciting,” he said.

One of his juniors, Jack Lantz, broke the school record in the pole vault Tuesday by clearing the stick at 11’6.”

Jones said other performers to watch include Nmason Smothers, a sophomore placing second in the high jump.

Smothers, who seems to have springs in his legs, cleared the stick at 5’6” in the high jump and finished second in the long jump.

Jones said Smothers is also probably the team’s best sprinter.

“He’s grown a couple of inches in the last year. Especially for boys, as they physically mature, it helps them,” he said.