Wildcat boys win Paola Invitational title

Louisburg junior Hayden Feikert lands in the long jump pit during the Paola Invitational on Thursday. Feikert took fourth in the long jump and the Wildcats won the meet with 141 points.

PAOLA — The Louisburg boys track and field team got a lot of contributions in several events Thursday during the Paola Invitational.

It showed in the final tally as the Wildcats racked up 141 points to win the meet as it defeated runner-up Paola by 17 points.

The Wildcats scored points in all but three events, one of which was due to a disqualification in the 4×100 relay, or it could have been more.

“There were multiple personal records throughout the meet, and athletes went in and competed,” Louisburg boys coach Andy Wright said. “I felt it was a good team performance across the board.”

On the girls side, the Lady Cats took fifth overall with 64.5 points. Spring Hill and Paola tied for the meet title with 150 points.

Junior Jaden Vohs had a big day to lead the Louisburg boys as he won the 800-meter run in 2 minutes and 9 seconds. 

Louisburg went on to continue to score points in the distance races as Vohs, Cade Holtzen, Carson Houchen and Hayden Ross won the 4×800-meter relay in the 8:52.

Houchen also fared well in the 1,600 run as he took second in 4:59. Junior Ryan Rogers also scored points as he finished eighth in 5:19.

“It was Jaden’s first time running the open 800, and we were very happy to see him go out and run hard for the win,” Wright said. “The 4×800 team is running super hard and Coach (John) Reece has them running to compete.”

The Wildcats also accumulated a lot of points in the sprints and hurdles. Sophomore Mason Dobbins took second in the 110-hurdles in 15.67, while junior Tom Koontz (15.74) and sophomore Nathan Apple took third and fourth, respectively.

In the 300 hurdles, Koontz finished runner-up in 41.99 and Dobbins was sixth in 43.38.

Seniors Justin Collins and Ben Wiedenmann scored several points in the sprints. Collins (11.56) and Wiedenmann (11.67) took third and fifth, respectively, in the 100 dash. Widenmann went on to take second in the 200 dash in 23.40.

Collins, sophomore Ethan Ptacek and senior Dylan Armstrong all finished in the top eight in the 400 dash. Collins was runner-up at 51.92, while Ptacek was fourth in 52.85. Armstrong took eighth in 56.04.

The Wildcat 4×400 relay of Wiedenmann, Collins, Koontz and Ptacek took second overall in 3:31.

“Again, I keep using this word, but we are solid,” Wright said. “We have multiple guys that have the potential to win or place in the sprints.  The guys are challenging each other in every practice and will just keep getting better with that mentality.

“Our hurdlers are really coming on strong and that’s a credit to the work those guys are putting in. That success is fantastic for the team.”

In the field events, Louisburg went 2-3 in the pole vault. Senior Luke Faulkner cleared 13 feet to finish second and freshman Caden Caplinger was third at 12 feet.

“Caden clearing 12’ was a PR for him,” Wright said. “We are still early in the season, and I know he will get up there to 12-6 or 13-0 or higher by the end of the season. Luke had good attempts at 13-6 and he is our leader in the pole vault group, it is very nice to have him helping and being a leader with the underclassman.”

Louisburg also scored several points in the throws as sophomore Nathan Vincent took third in the javelin at 154 feet, while junior Chase Pritchard was third in the discus with a throw of 124-3.5. 

Vincent also took sixth in the discus at 116-2 and sophomore J.R. Rooney was eighth in the shot put at 41-7.

“It was great to get points out in the throws,” Wright said. “Those guys are putting in the work and it’s paying off at the meets. I expect them to continue to put throws out there and be competitive.”

In the jumps, sophomore Isaiah Whitley was third in the high jump as he cleared 5-10 and Dobbins was seventh at 5-6. Junior Hayden Feikert took fourth in the long jump with a mark of 19-10.

Delaney Wright continued to shine for the Louisburg girls as she picked up a pair of victories.

Wright won the long jump with a mark of 17-2.25 and also went on to win the 400-meter dash in 1:01. She finished runner-up in the 200 dash in 27.10.

“It was great to see Delaney continue to push herself,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “She was happy but not satisfied with the long jump as she left an 18′ jump in the sand because she drug a foot on the landing. She is demanding of herself which makes her easy to coach.”

Freshman Emma Vohs also scored points in the sprints as she took fifth in the 400 (1:03) and sixth in the 200 (28.76).

In the field events, junior Corinna McMullen had her season best throw in the discus of 107-9.25 to win the event for the first time this season.

Senior Alyse Moore continued her success in the javelin as she recorded a season-best of 140-9 to take second to Wellsville’s Jadyn Troutman. The Wellsville senior won with a toss of 141-8 on her final throw.

Moore also scored points in the shot put as she took fourth at 34-5.

Juniors Davis Guetterman (113-4) and Tae Ellison (98-2) also had season best throws in the javelin and finished seventh and eighth, respectively.

“Corinna threw well and in tough competition came away with the gold,” Reece said. “Alyse and Davis continue to improve in javelin as well as other events. The throwing crew is doing a great job so far this season.”

Other results are:

GIRLS

100 dash: Andrea Gaza, 19th, 15.19

200 dash: Gaza, 22nd, 31.72

800 run: Alexis French, 11th, 2:52; Erin Apple, 14th, 2:54

1,600 run: Apple, 12th, 6:22; French, 14th, 6:38

Shot put: Emma Prettyman, 9th, 30-11; Aiyana Penca, 20th, 22-11

Discus: Penca, 14th, 83-11; Prettyman, 17th, 79-1

BOYS

100 dash: Hayden Feikert, 15th, 12.26

200 dash: Dylan Armstrong, 14th, 25.22

800 run: Cade Holtzen, 13th, 2:17; Ryan Rogers, 14th, 2:18

1,600 run: Hayden Ross, 10th, 5:20

3,200 run: Andrew Brown, 11th, 11:55

300 hurdles: Nathan Apple, 9th, 44.88

Pole vault: Caleb Shaughnessy, 9th, 10-6

Long jump: Ethan Ptacek, 11th, 18-8; Isaiah Whitley, 14th, 18-5

Shot put: Chase Pritchard, 11th, 39-0.5; Nathan Vincent, 20th, 35-2.5

Discus: Layne Ryals, 16th, 95-8.75

Javelin: Ryals, 14th, 123-3; Jay Scollin, 17th, 114-8