Despite the wet, wicked and windy weather Wednesday, the Central Alberta Schools Athlete Association zone track and field meet went on as scheduled.
The Lindsay Thurber Raiders finished as the top 4A school in the team rankings with a total of 528 points, almost 200 points ahead of the Lacombe Raiders who ended up in second.
Athletes from each school receive points based on their place in each event.
Wetaskiwin Composite was the top ranked 3A school with 218 points and Camrose was second at 159 points. Wainright was the best 2A team and David Thompson was a close second.
In the 1A team rankings, Eckville was number one with 121 points and Central Alberta Christian School was second at 108 points.
Megan Hebert (Wetaskiwin Composite) finished first overall in the junior girls aggregate score with a total of 34 points. She was first in the shot put, javelin and discus and second in the pole vault. Keanna Richards of Hunting Hills was second overall. Richards finished in top spot in the 80 metre hurdles (13.62 seconds), second in the 80m (2:40.47) and second in the long jump (4.61m). Her relay team also finished second in the 4X100m (55.61). Tori Brower of Wm. E. Hay was third and Lindsay Thurber’s Jamie Lalor was fourth.
Eckville’s Jacob Berdahl was the junior boys winner with 29 points, ahead of Notre Dame’s Illya Omelyanchuk and Zachary Bettesworth who finished second and third respectively. Omelyanchuk was number one in the 200m (24.93), high jump (1.75m) and also finished second in long jump (6.13m). Bettesworth won triple jump (11.53m), was second in the 100m (11.51) and fourth in the 200m (24.78).
Lacombe Rams athlete Kaitlyn Swartz won the girls intermediate aggregate with 26 points. She finished one point ahead of Katie Ballhorn of Wetaskiwin Composite and two points ahead of Hayley Lalor. Swartz finished first in the 400m (1:01.58), 800m (2:24.06) and 1500m (5:24.25). Her relay team also finished first in the 4x100m. Hayley Lalor won the javelin with a throw of 28.98m.
Lacombe’s J.R. Tabungbanua was the best on aggregate in the intermediate with 28 points. Jeremiah Lauzon of Lindsay Thurber was second and Blessed Sacrament’s Landen Gau was third. Tabungbanua won the 100m hurdles (14.86) and long jump (5.90m). He was also second in the triple jump with his best attempt at (12.34m). Lauzon was tops in both the 100m (11.02) and 200m (22.46).
In the senior girls individual scores, Provost’s Lauren Kroetsch and Jessie Handley of Hunting Hills tied with 27 points. Megan Leek of CACS was third with 19 points.
Kroetsch was first in the 100m (12.44), 200m (25.93) long jump (4.77m) and her team also won the 4x100m relay. Handley won the 80m hurdles (13.95), was second in the 200m (27.08, third in the 100m (13.21) and fourth in the long jump.
Blayde Melaney of West Central High School finished first in the senior boys aggregate with 30 points. Caleb Heinrichs of Lindsay Thurber was second with 28 points and Lacombe’s Lucas Wessner was third. Melaney won the long jump (5.67m) and triple jump (12.48m). Heinrichs was first in both the 200m (22.52), 400m (54.55) and second in the 100m (11.15). His relay teams also finished first in both the 4x100m and 4x400m.
Provincials for track and field go on June 2 and 3 in Edmonton.
byron.hackett@reddeeradvocate.com