As the track and field season gets closer and closer to the end, Roth Field in Wayland was tasked with hosting the annual Southeast Iowa Super Conference Championship meet on May 4. 

This CO-ED meet featured all the schools in the SEISC, 15 schools in total, including Lone Tree, Hillcrest, and Highland in the North Division. Nine schools battled it out in the North Division and six schools competed in the South Division. 

The meet began with some heat, weather that would make someone seek out becoming best friends with an air conditioner, but near the end of the event, the weather cooled down and a full moon could be seen clearly in the sky. 

The school that came out on top in the North Division on the girls side was Pekin with 185 points. Columbus was the big winner on the boys side in the North division, winning the meet championship with 183 points. 

Lone Tree Results 

While Pekin took the championship in the North Division in this SEISC meet, the Lady Lions performed well enough to take second place in the North, winning five event championships. 

Lone Tree’s runner up finish was accomplished by earning 125 team points. Pekin and Lone Tree were the only schools in the North Division whose scores went above 100. 

Putting on an outstanding performance for the Lions was sophomore, Vivian Zaruba. Competing in and placing first in four events, Zaruba left her finger prints, or rather shoe prints, all over this championship meet for Lone Tree.

In the 800 meter run, Zaruba set a new personal best and was able to outrun 16 others to claim the gold. Her first place time was 2:37.88, just beating Louisa-Muscatine senior, Mckenzie Kissell’s runner-up time of 2:38.75.

Lone Tree also took first place in the 4x100 meter relay, the 4x200 meter relay, and 800 meter medley relay. These relay teams consisted of four Lady Lions and Zaruba was a part of all three of them. Freshman, Ava Christofferson, and sophomore, Rylee Shield, were also part of the three relay teams that took first place. 

The team of Christoffreson, Shield, Zaruba and senior, Riley Krueger, won the 4x100m with a time of 51.75 the team of Christofferson, Shield, Zaruba, and sophomore, Avery Morarie, raced past all the competition in the 4x200 with their first place time of 1:49.36, re-breaking the Lone Tree school record they themselves set this season. 

In the 400 meter dash, freshman, Sophie Bell, claimed the top spot for Lone Tree. Bell was able to take first place with a time of 1:06.46. She outraced 11 competitors in this event to take gold, including her teammate junior, Avery Lisk, who placed sixth with a time of 1:16.79. 

Bell was also part of the four-person relay team that won the 800m medley relay with a time of 1:54.71. Lone Tree’s time was the only one that clocked in under two minutes. 

For the Lone Tree boys team, they finished this championship meet with 58 points, giving them a sixth place finish in the North Division. The event where they scored the most points was the 4x200 meter relay. 

The Lone Tree team of senior, Drew Gauley, freshman Emmett Burke, senior, Alt Tyce, and junior, Ethan Bockelman, earned a runner-up finish in the 4x200m. 

It was a close race with the difference between first, second, and third place being about two seconds. With Bockleman as the anchor, the Lions crossed the finish line with a time of 1:36.24, just getting beat out by the first place time of 1:36.02. 

In another tight race, Gauley took third place in the 100 meter dash. Gauley earned third place with a time of 11.61. The first place time of 10.99 and second place time of 11.12 shows just how close Gauley was to securing a top two finish. 

Also competing in the 100m was Burke. He completed the dash with a time of 12.30, giving him a sixth place finish. 

Earning a pair of top ten finishes for the Lions in the 200 meter dash was freshman, Domonic Garcia, and senior, Ethan Willoz. Willoz was able to edge out the eighth place time of 26.02 to take seventh place with a time of 25.98. Garcia secured fifth place with his time of 24.75.

Highland Results 

Taking fourth place in the North Division, the Highland girls track and field team ended the SEISC Championship meet with 79 points. 

It was another first place finish in the long jump for Highland junior, Sarah Burton. Head and shoulders above the competition, Burton won the SEISC long jump title with a jump of 17-01.50. Her jump was in no danger of being topped as the runner-up in this event, Pekin senior, Claire Roth, was the closest to Burton with a jump of 15-05.75.

Another top finish for Highland came from freshman, Siena Stanerson. Racing in the long-distance event, that is the 3000 meter run, Stanerson crossed the finish line with a time of 13:07.66, giving her a runner up finish. The winner of this event, Pekin junior, Lauren Steigleder, posted a time of 11:52.64 and was the only runner to have a sub 12 minute time.

Placing third in the discus event was Highland senior Jessica Kraus. Kraus’ third place throw was measured at 88-01. The threshold between a top two finish and a third place finish was a significant distance as both throws that earned first place and second place traveled farther than 100 ft. 

Also giving Highland a top three finish was the team of freshman, Kealy Roberts, sophomore, Lilly Barre, junior, Lorelei Lueck, and junior,  Grace Prybil. These four Huskies placed third in the 800 meter sprint medley relay. They took third place with a time of 2:09.04.

Not settling for just one top three finish in a relay event, the four-person Huskie team of freshman, Emma Cole, freshman, Mackenzie Davis, senior , Adelynn Kleopfer, and freshman, Brena Hazelett, earned third place in the 4x100 meter shuttle hurdle relay. Highland’s time of 1:18.44 gave them a third place finish, just beating out Lone Tree’s fourth place finish time of 1:19.03. 

Finishing the SEISC championship meet with four points,  the Highland boys team placed ninth out of nine teams in the North Division. 

Earning half of Highland’s points was junior, Jackson Schneider. Schneider competed in the 110 meter hurdles and placed sixth with a time of 20.12. A new meet record was set in this event, when Columbus senior, Triston Miller, finished first with a time of 14.25, topping the previous record set in 2013 of 14.86.

Highland also earned a point in the 800 meter sprint medley relay. The Highland quartet of senior, Brendan Schnoebelen, freshman, Brayden Zywiec, Schneider, and freshman, Owen Knox placed eighth with a time of 2:10.74. 

The last point Highland obtained came in the 4x100 meter relay. Finishing in eighth place with a time of 55.63 was the Highland team of Zywiec, Knox, Schnoebelen, and freshman, Elvin Hernandez.

Hillcrest Results 

After all the events were completed the Hillcrest girls team found themselves with 24 points. Those points place them in ninth place out of nine teams in the North Division.

Setting a new PR in the 200 meter dash was Hillcrest sophomore, Delaney Shaw. Shaw would take fourth place with a time of 29.60. Fellow teammate, sophomore, Morgyn Nafzigerm, who competed in the same event, would finish in seventh place with a time of 30.67.

Shaw also set a new PR in the 400 meter dash. In a close finish for second place, she would cross the finish line with a time of 1:08.79, finishing as the runner up, edging out Louisa-Muscatine sophomore,  Isabel Stout’s third place time of 1:08.79. 

In the same event Hillcrest sophomore, Erin Bontrager, would finish with one of her best 400m times on the season, 1:17.61, to place eighth. 

The 100 meter dash event saw a pair of Ravens finish almost side by side to give Hillcrest two top ten finishes. Nafziger would just outrace teammate junior, Anna Torok, to earn eight place with a time of 14.34. Torok would have to settle for ninth place with her time of 14.35. 

The Hillcrest boys team obtained 11 points to place eighth out of nine teams in the North Division.

Freshman, Owen Scott, was the main point gatherer for Hillcrest at this meet. Scott took part in both jumping events, the high jump and the long jump, and he was able to procure top five finishes in both events. 

The high jump saw Scott match his personal best, clearing 6-00.00 to claim second place. It only took Scott one attempt to clear the six foot crossbar. The height of 6-02.00 proved to be too formidable for him however, not being able to clear it after three tries. 

Scott would finish the long jump with his farthest jump being measured at 19-11.75. He would accomplish this jump in his second attempt. The top three in this event all had jumps travel past the 20-00 mark. 

Up next Lone Tree, Highland, and Hillcrest track and field teams will travel back to Wayland to compete in the 1A State Qualifier meet on May 11.

Girls North Division Results

100m: 1, Lilly Reneker, Pekin, 13.15; 2, Ava Christofferson, Lone Tree, 13.27; 6, Mackenzie McFarland, Highland, 13.63; 8, Morgyn Nafziger, Hillcrest, 14.34; 9, Anna Torok, Hillcrest, 14.35; 14, Emma Slaughter, Lone Tree, 16.45.

200m: 1, Lilly Reneker, Pekin, 26.94; 2, Rylee Shield, Lone Tree, 27.34; 4, Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 29.60; 7, Morgyn Nafziger, Hillcrest, 30.67; 13, Shauna Sublette, Highland, 34.16.

4x100m relay: 1, Lone Tree (Rylee Shield, Ava Christofferson, Riley Krueger, Vivian Zaruba), 51.75; 4, Highland (Sarah Burton, Katelyn Waters, Mackenzie McFarland, Lilly Barre), 54.15; 7, Hillcrest (Anna Torok, Delaney Shaw, Erin Bontrager, Morgyn Nafziger), 56.29.

400m: 1, Sophie Bell, Lone Tree, 1:06.46; 2, Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 1:08.04; 6, Avery Lisk, Lone Tree, 1:16.79; 8, Erin Bontrager, Hillcrest, 1:17.61; 10, Hailie Hoppman, Highland, 1:21.36; 11, Brena Hazelett, Highland, 1:22.56.

4x200m relay: 1, Lone Tree (Ava Christofferson, Rylee Shield, Vivian Zaruba, Avery Morarie), 1:49.36; 4, Highland (Mackenzie McFarland, Katelyn Waters, Sarah Burton, Lilly Barre), 1:54.06; 7, Hillcrest (Delaney Shaw, Anna Torok, Erin Bontrager, Morgyn Nafziger), 56.29.

800m: 1, Vivian Zaruba, Lone Tree, 2:37.88; 9, Avery Pierson, Highland, 3:01.69; 10

Claire Withrow, Hillcrest, 3:02.31; 13, Laney Skelton, Highland, 3:06.49; 14, Delanie Graap, Lone Tree, 3:13.75.

4x400m relay: 1, Pekin, 4:20.20; 5, Lone Tree (Cate Sexton, Bella Pourry, Sophie Bell, Lindsay Werbach), 4:51.66; 6, Highland (Kealy Roberts, Hailey Netser, Halle Hazelett, Shauna Sublette), 5:17.53.

1500m: 1, Chloe Glosser, Pekin, 5:05.88; 3, Jazmine Nino, Lone Tree, 6:03.78; 4, Siena Stanerson, Highland, 6:10.13; 11, Lilly Mills, Lone Tree, 6:56.54; 13, Kylie Allen, Highland, 7:25.25.

4x800m relay: 1, Pekin, 10:18.17; 3, Lone Tree (Avery Lisk, Sophie Bell, Bella Pourry, Delanie Graap), 12:25.70; 5, Highland (Halle Hazelett, Laney Skelton, Hailey Netser, Kylie Allen), 13:12.19.

800m medley relay: 1, Lone Tree (Vivian Zaruba, Rylee Shield, Ava Christofferson, Sophie Bell), 1:54.71; 3, Highland (Grace Prybil, Lorelei Lueck, Lilly Barre, Kealy Roberts), 2:09.04.

100m hurdles: 1, Keetyn Townsley, Winfield-Mt. Union, 17.14; 3, Riley Krueger, Lone Tree, 18.24; 4, Adelynn Kleopfer, Highland, 18.25; 5, Mackenzie Davis, Highland, 18.52; 13, Lindsay Werbach, Lone Tree, 20.63.

Distance medley: 1, Pekin, 4:27.50; 5, Lone Tree (Cate Sexton, Jazmine Nino, Bella Pourry, Alyson Ford), 5:09.59; 7, Highland (Grace Prybil, Kealy Roberts, Lorelei Lueck, Avery Pierson), 5:15.43.

4x100m shuttle hurdle relay: 1, Winfield-Mt. Union, 1:12.33; 3, Highland (Adelynn Kleopfer, Mackenzie Davis, Emma Cole, Brena Hazelett), 1:18.44; 4, Lone Tree (Riley Krueger, Cate Sexton, Avery Morarie, Lindsay Werbach), 1:19.03.

400m hurdles: 1, Zoey Dennler, Waco, 1:13.21; 7, Mackenzie Davis, Highland, 1:23.86.

3000m: 1, Lauren Steigleder, Pekin, 11:52.64; 2, Siena Stanerson, Highland, 13:07.66.

Long jump: 1, Sarah Burton, Highland, 17-01.50; 4, Avery Morarie, Lone Tree, 15-00.50; 5, Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 14-09.00; 7, Cate Sexton, Lone Tree, 14-01.50; 8, Anna Torok, Hillcrest, 13-05.50; 9, Hailie Hoppman, Highland, 11-03.25.

High jump: 1, Abby Guise, Pekin, 5-02.00; 3, Riley Krueger, Lone Tree, 4-10.00; 4, Alyson Ford, Lone Tree, 4-06.00; 6, Kealy Roberts, Highland, 4-06.00; 7, Hailey Netser, Highland, 4-04.00. 

Shot put: 1, Anna Hadley, Pekin, 36-06.25; 7, Hayden Yoder, Lone Tree, 29-05.50; 9, Sami Branson, Lone Tree, 28-00.75; 12, Jessica Kraus, Highland, 26-08.50; 13

Anna Torok, Hillcrest, 26-02.00.

Discus: 1, Anna Hadley, Pekin, 114-04; 3, Jessica Kraus, Highland, 88-01; 5, Alex Dautremont, Lone Tree, 87-00; 9, Hayden Yoder, Lone Tree, 76-00.

Boys North Division Results

100m: 1, Kaden Amigon, Columbus, 10.99; 3, Drew Gauley, Lone Tree, 11.61; 6, Emmett Burke, Lone Tree, 12.30; 12, Owen Knox, Highland, 13.27; 13, Elvin, Hernandez, Highland, 13.33; 15, Owen Scott, Hillcrest, 14.95.

200m: 1, Kaden Amigon, Columbus, 22.27; 5, Domonic Garcia, Lone Tree, 24.75; 7, Ethan Willoz, Lone Tree, 25.98; 11, Owen Knox, Highland, 27.24; 15, Brayden Zywiec, Highland, 33.22.

4x100m relay: 1, Columbus, 42.79; 5, Lone Tree (Harry Brenneman, Dominic Garcia, Emmett Burke, Maddox Jondle), 47.47; 8, Highland (Owen Knox, Brendan Schnoebelen, Elvin Hernandez, Brayden Zywiec), 55.63.

400m: 1, Chris Day, Louisa-Muscatine, 51.52; 6, Brody Magruder, Lone Tree, 59.19; 8, Grey Spilman, Lone Tree, 59.91.

4x200m relay: 1, WACO, 1:36.03; 2, Lone Tree (Emmett Burke, Tyce Alt, Ethan Bockelman, Drew Gauley), 1:36.24.

800m: 1, Kohlby Newsom, Winfield-Mt. Union, 2:00.24; 9, Brendan Schnoebelen, Highland, 2:40.53. 

4x400m relay: 1, Winfield-Mt. Union, 3:34.51; 4, Lone Tree (Tyce Alt, Ethan Bockelman, Emmett Burke, Drew Gauley), 3:47.01.

800m medley relay: 1, Windiel-Mt. Union, 1:40.32; 4, Lone Tree (Brody Magruder, Ethan Bockelman, Maddox Jondle, Harry Brenneman), 1:43.39; 8, Highland (Brayden Zywiec, Brendan Schnoebelen, Jackson Schneider, Owen Knox), 2:10.74. 

Distance medley: 1, Winfield-Mt. Union, 3:47.28; 5, Lone Tree (Ethan Willoz, Braxdyn McAtee, Gabe Forbes, Joey Birtcher), 4:48.20.

400m hurdles: 1, Gabriel Hemsworth, Winfield-Mt. Union, 57.09; 10, Jackson Schneider, Highland, 1:17.17.

Long jump: 1, Cam Buffington, Winfield-Mt. Union, 21-04.50; 3, Owen Scott, Hillcrest, 19-11.75; 8, Elvin Hernandez, Highland, 16-00.50; 9, Keaton Van Schoyk, Highland, 11-08.25. 

High jump: 1, Triston Miller, Columbus, 6-04.00; 3, Owen Scott, Hillcrest, 6-00.00; 8, Grey Spilman, Lone Tree, 5-04.00.

Shot put: 1, Spencer Kessel, Louisa-Muscatine, 57-01.50; 10, Jack Patterson, Lone Tree, 31-11.25; 13, William Boileau-Futrell, Highland, 28-06.25; 14, Spencer Thompkin, Highland, 26-04.50.

Discus: 1, Spencer Kessel, Louisa-Muscatine, 168-11; 7, Andrew Hotz, Lone Tree, 109-01; 13, Jack Patterson, Lone Tree, 78-07; 15, Brayden Zywiec, Highland, 72-01; 16, Brody Sobolik, Highland, 55-11.