By Tim Taylor

CHS’s Megan Garrett broke the school record in the 1,600 meters on Monday with a time of 5:01.64, her third school record in three weeks.

The former record was 5:08.4.

“She is running extremely strong and confident right now,” said Coach Chris Hawk, “and has her sights set on the upcoming State meet.”

This season Garrett has broken three school records in the 400, 800, and now the 1600.

“Due to numbers, we ran the girls and boys 1,600 together,” said Hawk. “She ran with teammate Luca Carcasi through the first 800 meters in about 2:32 and credited him with putting her exactly where she wanted to be to go after the school record.” 

Overall, spectators saw another win for the CHS Trojans in a Coles County Clash on Monday — this time in track & field at Trojan Hill.

The CHS girls’ team defeated Mattoon 76-56, and the CHS boys’ team beat the Green Wave 75-62.

Makenna McBride asserted her dominance in the 100 and 200 meters. She won both events with times of 13.15 and 28.17, respectively. Teammate Treveia Couch took second in both events. Mattoon’s Makayla Brown placed third in the 100 meters, and Charleston’s Ally Thompson came in third in the 200.

The Charleston girls’ squad won three of four of the relay races: 4×100, 4×200, and 4×400. Mattoon was unopposed in the 4×800. McBride was the anchor for both the 4×100 and 4×200 races.

In the 400 meters, Trojan teammates Sophie Kattenbraker and Malia Hodges won first and second. Kattenbraker won the event with a time of 1:07.11. Mattoon’s Chloe Jobe came in third.

On the field side for CHS, Tesa Brown won pole vault with a clearance of 7-6, and freshman Mackensie Williams won discus with a throw of 78 feet, 7 inches.

The Green Wave had a strong day at the jumping events. Macy Overton won both long jump and triple jump with leaps of 14 feet, 3 1/4 inches and 30-5 1/4, respectively. Maya Cook won high jump by clearing 4-8, and she also won shot put with a heave of 33-5. Charleston’s Hannah Taylor won second in all three jumping events.

The boys’ side was more of a back-and-forth affair on the day.

Jackson Spurgeon of Mattoon won the 100-meter dash followed by CHS’s Caiden Pruett in second and Aiden Spurgeon of Mattoon in third. The winning time was 12.32.

In the 200, Trojans earned the top two spots with S.J. Howell in first and Peyton Cox in second. Austen Hilgenberg of Mattoon came in third.

In a similar fashion, in the 400, Howell and Zac Stout came in first and second in the race with Mattoon’s Riley Spencer in third. 

In the 800, Mattoon’s Chase Armstrong and Kegan Kirts took the top two spots in that order, followed by Charleston’s Austin Sikorski.

Mattoon’s Brock Davee won both the 1,600- and 3,200-meters races with outstanding times of 4:38.34 and 10:19.42, respectively.

In a number of events, Charleston was unopposed by Mattoon athletes. Caleb Oakley won the 110 hurdles. In two jumping events, Wyatt Strader won the long jump, and Jacob Flight won triple jump.

At high jump, Mattoon’s Jackson Whalin cleared 5 feet, 11 inches to win the event, while Charleston’s Jacob Flight and Wyatt Strader came in second and third.

Zac Stout cleared 10-6 to win the pole vault. Mattoon’s Trent Hettinger came in second, and Caleb Oakley placed third.

Dakota Spencer of Mattoon dominated the throwing events, winning shot put and discus with throws of 43 feet, 4½ inches and 133 feet, 6 inches.

Mattoon also won three of the four relays: 4×200, 4×400 and 4×800.