On Thursday, April 21, the track team faced off against the Shoals Jug Rocks and the Loogootee Lions. The girls won with 108 to the Loogootee score of 16 and the Shoals team score of 16. The first place finishers were: freshman Jericho Hopper in shotput and discus, sophomore Carley Higgins in the 400 meter, 800 meter, and long jump, junior Kyrsten Fehribach in the 100 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, and high jump, senior Julie Radcliff in the 100 meter and 200 meter, junior Cailyn Baechle in the 1600 meter. 

Hopper had a few things to say about her all around first place finishes. 

“I felt relief, achievement, confidence, and success. I have been practicing throwing so much at practice trying to improve every day and place in every meet. Just because I took first in all three events, doesn’t mean it’s over. I am just getting started, there is more to practice and way more to improve on. Hopefully this is only the beginning!” said Hopper.

The first place finishers in the girls relay teams were in the 3200 meter relay team of sophomore Stella Windhorst, sophomore Eliza Ross, junior Lara Brace, and Hopper, the 400 meter relay team of senior Gracie Walls, sophomore Anna Radcliff, Julie Radcliff, Fehribach, and the 1600 meter relay team of Higgins, Baechle, Anna Radcliff, Gracie Walls.

Baechle set a new personal record for herself, which to her was a big accomplishment.

“I felt really great about my performance. I pushed myself harder to keep up with the boys pace since the girls and boys ran together and got a personal record for myself. First place is great but a PR topped it,” said Cailyn Baechle.

The boys came out with a win with a score of 110 to the Shoals team score of 39 and the Loogootee score of 2.

The first place finishers for the boys were senior Gus Radcliff in the high jump, senior Samson Johnson in the long jump, junior Marty Higgins in the Shotput and Discus, junior Connor Evans in the 100 meter and 400 meter dash, junior Austin Benales in the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles.

Benales spoke on his many first place finishes.

“I feel pretty solid about my performance, I did my usual hurdles and took both the dubs easy. On top of those two, I did the 4×1 also getting an easy victory and tried out long jump for the first time ever and jumped a 19’1 which I am told to feel confident about,” said Benales.

The first places finishers for the boys in the relay races were the 3200 meter team of sophomore McKinley Stewart, junior Braven Cook, junior Dawson Poe, and sophomore Cameron Apple, the 400 meter team of Benales, sophomore Andrew Kumpf, freshman Dashawn Robertson, and freshman William Baker, and the 1600 meter team of sophomore Willson Windhorst, Johnson, Baker, and Kumpf.

The Rams face off against the Orleans Bulldogs and West Washington Senators at Orleans tonight starting at 5 p.m.