For the first time in a long time, the Garfield G-Men track team is not lacking depth when it comes to the track season. Garfield’s season began when the boys finished fourth place with 68 points and the girls took fifth by scoring 63 points at the fourth annual William E. Fisher Invitational last Saturday in Middlefield.
“I was very pleased with both the boys and girls’ teams on Saturday,” Coach Matt Pfleger said in an email. “It was raining, cold and every athlete really did their best to perform well despite the conditions.”
Despite not scoring any points in the hurdling events, the G-Men girls were propelled by their relay teams, which finished with 23 points.
“As a competitor, winning is always the goal,” the third-year coach noted in his email. “With that being said, it is still way too early in the season to be hitting our stride. We have plenty of room for improvement and we have a group of athletes and coaches that will put in the time to make sure that we are ready for the more important meets at the end of the season.”
The “A” team of freshman Rebecca Evans, senior Kourtney Brahler, sophomore Olivia Rowe and sophomore Kathlene McMayon were the runners-up in the 4×800 relay with a time of 11:21.69.
The “A” team of freshman Kylene McMayon, freshman Abigail Kolar, freshman Selena Groves and senior Rylie Turner finished in fifth place in the 4×200 relay, clocking 2:02.83.
Kathlene took sixth in the 1600 run with a time of 6:16.51, followed by Rowe who snagged seventh by clocking a time of 6:18.92.
The “A” team of junior Serena Blohm, sophomore Emily Seni, junior Ruby White and Groves came in sixth in the 4×100 relay at 1:00.06.
Turner was the runner-up in the 400 dash, stopping the clock at 1:05.77.
Kathlene took sixth in the 800 run with a time of 2:46.37, followed by Rowe who came in eighth place at 2:49.14.
Freshman Eva VonBergen crossed the finish line in seventh place in the 3200 run with a personal record 13:56.70, followed by senior Kourtney Brahler who finished in eighth with a time of 14:06.43.
The “A” team of Kolar, Kathlene, Kylene and Turner finished as the runners-up in the 4×400 relay with a time of 4:38.95.
Senior Lille Shackelford was the runner-up in the shot put, throwing a personal record 35 feet, 11¾ inches, followed by freshman Hannah Timmons, who scored eighth place with a distance of 28 feet, 3¾ inches.
Junior Hannah Kernig placed seventh in the long jump, recording a distance of 13 feet, 7¾ inches.
Sophomore Elise Edwards was the runner-up in the discus throw with 95 feet, 2 inches, followed Timmons, who placed eighth with a personal record 74 feet, 1 inch.
Relays were also a strength for the Garfield boys, who scored 21 points in that category to finish fourth in the meet.
Junior Nick Edic took sixth place in the 110-hurdles, with a time of 19.43, followed by freshman Collin McGranahan, who placed eighth with a personal record 20.28 seconds.
Senior Keegan Sell was the runner-up in the 100-dash with a time of 11.79, followed senior Deacon Sommer who snagged fourth place at 12.05 seconds.
Sophomore Connor Hunt won the seated 100-dash with a time of 18.37 seconds.
The “A” team of seniors Aaron Rodhe and Christian Gallagher, Sommer and Sell won the 4×200 relay with a time of 1:36.79.
Freshman Cole Porter came in fifth in the 1600 run, setting a personal record 5:04.14.
The “A” team of senior Leo Grandizio, Gallagher, Sell and Sommer teamed up to finish in third place in the 4×100 relay with a time of 46.89 seconds.
Freshman Oliver Walker captured eighth place in the 400 dash with a personal record 58.27 seconds.
Gallagher took second place in the 300-hurdles, clocking a personal record of 43.17 seconds.
Porter crossed the finish line in sixth place in the 800 run with a personal record 2.15.16, followed by sophomore Derik Stanley who took eighth place with a personal best 2:21.48.
Hunt won the seated 800 run with a time of 2:21.47.
The “A” team of Rodhe, Walker, Edic and Gallagher took fourth in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:51.17.
Sophomore Richie Shakelford came in fifth place in the shot put, throwing a personal record 42 feet, 4¼ inches, followed by senior Jon Wiczen who took seventh with a distance of 41 feet, ½ inches.
Grandizio leaped to fifth place in the long jump, with a distance of 18 feet, 7½ inches.
Wiczen came in sixth place in the discus throw with 107 feet, 7 inches.
Following the first home track meet in over a decade against Portage County rival Mogadore and Cardinal on Tuesday, the G-Men will compete in the Don Faix Invitational at Jack Lambert Stadium in Mantua on Saturday beginning at 9 a.m.
