Hancock track and field produced nearly 75 season and personal bests between two meets last week. The Owl boys finished in second while the girls were third at Border West Monday, in Wheaton, and the boys tied for third while the girls were seventh overall at the Benson Invite Thursday, May 11.

The Owls next compete at the Little Eight Conference Championships Tuesday, May 16, in Wheaton.

Border West

Three first-place finishes led the Hancock boys track and field team to a runner-up finish at the five-team Border West Invitational Monday, May 8, at the Greg Deal Track and Field Facility in Wheaton.

“It was a beautiful night for a track meet, and we continued to see improvements from our athletes,” Owl coach Kalee Nuest said.

The boys 4×100-meter relay of Titus Bjerketvedt, Nathan Kellenberger, Brayden Kisgen and Jackson Koehl took first by over two seconds with a time of 48.12. Jared Koehl was first in the 800-meter run in 2:15, and Jackson Koehl won the high jump, clearing 5-06.

“Jared had a strong finish in the 800, separating from the pack of leaders the last 150 meters,” Owl coach Kalee Nuest said.

Border West won the boys title with 201 points while the Owls posted 105 team points.

The Hancock girls track and field team finished third behind Ashby-Brandon-Evansville (143) and Border West (134).

Kaylee Wink was the lone champion for the Owl girls as she won the 3200-meter run with a personal best time of 13:26.72. She also had a personal best in the 1600-meter run with a time of 6:02.42, good for third at the meet.

The Owls produced 40 season or personal bests at the meet.

Brayden and Preston Kisgen both had three personal bests each. Brayden Kisgen had personal bests in the 100-meter dash (12.5), the long jump (17-07.5) and the triple jump (35-02) while Preston Kisgen had bests in the 100-meter dash (13.25), 200-meter dash (28.11) and high jump (5-02).

Blake Koehl had a personal best 110-meter hurdles in 19.21, which was good for second place, and he had a personal best in the 300-meter hurdles as well with a time of 49.72.

“Blake even ran a solid two-mile for me right after the 300 hurdles,” Nuest added. “Kaylee Wink and Blake Koehl continue to get better every meet, getting PR after PR in multiple events.”

Also noteworthy, the girls 4×800-meter relay of Kaylynn Christianson, Abigail Nuest, Tabitha Bjerketvedt and Vivian Messner ran a season-best 11:14.27. The time was more than 15 seconds better than the foursome’s previous season best time.

Benson

Hancock produced 34 season bests at the invitational Thursday, May 11, in Benson. BOLD/BLH won both boys and girls titles and Benson/KMS was runner-up on both sides.

The Hancock boys tied for third with West Central Area with 116 points, and the Owl girls were seventh with 50 points.

For the boys, Jeremiah Schmidgall improved his 200-meter dash, 400-meter dash and discus throw while Preston Kisgen improved his 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and high jump personal bests.

The Owl girls were led by two-event improvements apiece by Eva Schaefer, Karina Koehl, Vivian Messner and Giana Feuchtenberger.

The Owls had four first-place finishes, including one for the girls in Misti Zempel, who won the shot put title with a 31-11. The junior added a third-place finish in the triple jump with a 30-08.75. 

For the boys, the 4×800-meter relay of Wilson, Jeremiah Schmidgall, Jett Nuest and Jared Koehl won the event in 9:35. Jett Nuest won the 3200-meter run in 11:36.96, and Blake Koehl won the 110-meter hurdles in 19.01.

Jared Koehl was runner-up in the 800-meter run 2:11.54.

The 4×100-meter relay of Titus Bjerketvedt, Nathan Kellenberger, Brayden Kisgen and Jackson Koehl took second with a time of 47.48.

Jackson Koehl took second place in the high jump with a 5-10, and Jared Koehl took third in the triple jump with a 37-11.5

Kaylee Wink was third in the 3200-meter run in 13:47.94.

The 4×200-meter relay of Bjerketvedt, Kellenberger, Sean Wilson and Jackson Koehl was third in 1:38.58.