By Tim Taylor

Charleston girls track compiled a whopping 202 total points in a five-team girls meet in Altamont on Tuesday evening, beating runner-up Cowden by 137 points.

Charleston distance runners Megan Garrett and Grace Spoonhour dominated again. School-record holder Garrett won the 400 (1 minute, 1.92 seconds) meters and 800 (2:21.59) while Spoonhour won the 1,600 in 5 minutes, 49.52 seconds and placed second in the 800 with a personal-record time of 2:32.15.

And Hannah Taylor nearly swept all three jumps, winning the long jump (14-5.25), triple jump (30-7) and taking second in the high jump at 4 feet, 6 inches.

Plus, Charleston girls swept the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 relays.

Overall, the Trojans won 11 of 16 events.

GIRLS TEAM RESULTSPTS
Charleston202
Cowden65
Vandalia 63.5
Brownstown45.5
Altamont37

“It was nice to have a low-pressure meet where our team size was at strength for a change,” said Coach Chris Hawk, “and to get a meet in with some hotter conditions since we know that is to be expected over the next few weeks at sectionals and state.”

Wyatt Strader and Luca Carcasi snagged first-place finishes to help Charleston take second in the six-team boys competition. Altamont won by a significant margin.

BOYS TEAM RESULTSPTS
Altamont189
Charleston99.5
Vandalia84
Cowden60
Brownstown38.5
Dieterich6

Wyatt Strader leaped 39 feet, 10 inches in the triple jump to win by nearly five inches. He also took second in the long jump (21-0.75) and high jump, where he set a personal record by clearing 5 feet, 6 inches.

Wyatt Strader leaps in the long jump Tuesday. (Video/Tim Taylor)

In the 1,600, Luca Carcasi won with a personal-record time of 4 minutes, 48.46 seconds for a 21-second margin of victory.

Peyton Cox also tied for first in the boys pole vault, making 10 feet, 6 inches.

Charleston’s Makenna McBride and Treveia Couch swept the sprints. McBride clocked in at 12.84 seconds in the 100 and Couch won the 200 in 28.74. Mariah Weiss finished 2.19 seconds back in third in the 200.

Vandalia’s Riley Ward won shot put, but three Trojans placed behind her with Mariah Weiss in second, Mackensie Williams third and Aerielle Ecker fourth. Williams placed third in discus with a throw of 71-10.

Charleston’s Mariah Weiss heaves the put in the shot Tuesday. (Video/Tim Taylor)

Some other notable performances:

  • At pole vault, Trojans Peyton Cox and Caleb Oakley came in second and third, respectively. Cox cleared 10 feet, 6 inches.
  • Sophie Kattenbraker and Malia Hodges came in second and third, respectively, in the girls 400.
  • Austin Sikorski took home second in the 800.
  • Ally Thompson came in third in the 100.
  • All three of the boys’ relay teams placed second.
  • Jacob Drake finished third in the 200 boys.
  • Aerielle Ecker got fourth in the boys discus, and Owen Gerdes placed fifth.