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MCDONALD'S GAME OF THE WEEK (prep track and field): Platteville Relays
Platteville boys soar, Lancaster girls race to victory at Hillmen Relays
Terrell Halverson
Platteville senior Terrell Halverson jumped 18'8.5" and teamed with freshman Logan Day to win the boys' long jump relay at last Saturday's Platteville Relays.
Eden Bowen
Lancaster junior Eden Bowen teamed up with Abby Burr to win the girls' 2x100 relay in 26.5 seconds at last Saturday's Platteville Relays to help the Flying Arrows win the girls' team title with 103 points.

MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM CO-GAME OF THE WEEK (April 19–26)
PREP TRACK AND FIELD: Platteville boys, Lancaster girls win Platteville Relays

By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal

PLATTEVILLE — Spring finally arrived for the Platteville track and field team.

After three cancellations, coach Rob Serres’ Hillmen finally opened the 2022 outdoor season by hosting the Platteville Relays Invitational at Platteville High School on Saturday. 

The Platteville boys earned five victories and scored 96 teams points to dominate the boys competition at the 12-team relays only meet. Lancaster (68) finished a distant second in the boys’ competition, followed by Prairie du Chien (66) and Galena (61). 

Every event is a traditional four-runner relay, or two teammates paired up with combined times or distance, heights or time to determine final placements in each event.

Cody Cushman and Marcus Sponsler won the 2x110 hurdles relay (34.62) for Platteville, while Terrell Halverson (18’8.5”) and Logan Day (17’10”) won the long jump relay. 

Ethen Boigenzahn, Logan Day, Nick Burkard and Quinn Wright won the boys distance medley relay (3:58.06). Senior Devin Digman (48’5.75”) teamed with John Baxter (37’11.75”) to win the shot put relay. Digman (147’8”) also teamed with Conner Day (106’1”) to win the boys discus relay.

The Lancaster girls track and field team took top honors with 103 total points, finishing first among 11 participating teams. The Platteville girls finished second with 93 points, followed by Cuba City (66.5).

Earning first-place finishes for the Flying Arrows were the 4x100 (:52.20), the 4x800 (10:43.63) and the 800 sprint medley (2:01.57) relay teams.

Running in the 4x100 relay team were Tatiana Place, Abby Burr, Eden Bowen and Lainee Burks, while Mallory Olmstead, Finley Knapp, Mikayla Smith and Bridee Burks ran in the 4x800. Members of the 800 sprint medley relay were Maddie Nielson, Abby Burr, Eden Bowen and Lainee Burks. 

Also finishing first on Saturday for Lancaster, were the 2x100 sprint relay team of Eden Bowen and Abby Burr (:26.50), Ava Hermsen (5'2") and Burr (5'0") in the high jump relay, Lainee Burks (15'3.5") and Place (13'11") in the long jump relay. Lainee Burks and Place also teamed up to finish second in the girls 2x100 relay.

“We were very excited for our teams on Saturday,” said Platteville head coach Rob Serres. “This was our first outdoor meet of the season, and we needed to set a mark to know where we are at this time with our training. Our girls were impressive being that close to Lancaster who was slated to be the conference favorite this season. We have some gaps to fill and we will be working throughout the remainder of the season to do just that. Our boys were actually a bit stronger than I expected, but we will continue to work to improve.

Despite the lofty team finishes and a number of impressive individual performances, Serres was just happy to be back on the track. 

“We were simply so happy to compete, as were all the teams,” added Serres. “We had this happen one other time that I can remember when our first meet was the Platteville Relays. By this time we usually have three or four meets under our belts.  As far as the weather, the wind was brutal Saturday, especially for the lap races. After not having any meets however, we weren’t really concerned about the wind.


Platteville Relays
(from Saturday, April 23, at Platteville)
(Boys)
Team scores - 1. Platteville 96; 2. Lancaster 68; 3. Prairie du Chien 66; 4. Galena 61; 5. Lena-Winslow 55; 6. CubaCity 53; 7. River Ridge 31; 8. Iowa-Grant 19; 9. Tri-State Homeschool 17; 10. Pecatonica/Argyle 16; 11. Cassville/Potosi 12. 
Top finishers from Platteville boys
2x3,200 relay — 5.Platteville (Erik Grabandt 12:44.65, Dominic Fansler 12:47.03). 2x100 relay — 5.Platteville (Terrell Halverson, Ashton Thompson) 23.68. 4x100 relay — 4.Platteville (Thompson, Logan Day, Garrison Tashner, Ethen Boigenzahn) 46.91. 4x400 relay — 2.Platteville (Quinn Wright, Nick Burkard, Andrew Donner, Casen Udelhofen) 3:36.75. 4x800 relay — 2.Platteville (Fansler, Udelhofen, Wright, Donner) 8:58.50. 800 sprint medley relay — 3.Platteville (Halverson, Thompson, Boigenzahn, Udelhofen) 1:41.83. 1,600 distance medley relay — 1.Platteville (Boigenzahn, Logan Day, Burkard, Wright) 3:58.06. 2x110 shuttle hurdle relay — 1.Platteville (Cody Cushman, Marcus Sponsler) 34.62. High jump relay — DNP.Platteville (Cushman 5’2”). Pole vault relay — 4.Platteville (Mike Loeffelholz 10’0”, Garrison Tashner 8’0”). Long jump relay — 1.Platteville (Halverson 18’8.5”, L. Day 17’10”). Triple jump relay — 3.Platteville (Tashner 37’0.5”, Caleb Digman 32’11.5”). Shot put relay — 1.Platteville (Devin Digman 48’5.75”, John Baxter 37’11.75”). Discus relay — 1.Platteville (D. Digman 147’8”, Conner Day) 106’1”.
(Girls)
Team scores - 1. Lancaster 103; 2. Platteville 93; 3. Cuba City 66.5; 4. Prairie du Chien 54.5; 5. River Ridge 50.5; 6. Galena 34; 7. Iowa-Grant 31; 8. Pecatonica/Argyle 17; 9. Tri-State Homeschool 16; 10. Belmont 10; 11. Cassville/Potosi 8. 
Top finishers from Lancaster
3200 - 3. (Kylee Sitts 14:33.75; Leah Muench 14:43.28). 2x100 - 1. (Eden Bowen, Abby Burr) :26.50; 2. (Lainee Burks, Tatiana Place) :26.92. 4x100 - 1. (Tatiana Place, Abby Burr, Eden Bowen, Lainee Burks) :52.20; 2. (Paige Oyen, Maddie Nielson, Macie Galle, Sadie Hollander) :55.57. 4x400 - 2. (Bridee Burks, Annie Martin, Mikayla Smith, Mallory Olmstead) 4:30.60. 4x800 - 1. (Mallory Olmstead, Finley Knapp, Mikayla Smith, Bridee Burks) 10:43.63. 800 sprint medley - 1. (Maddie Nielsen, Abby Burr, Eden Bowen, Lainee Burks) 2:01.57; 6. (Sadie Hollander, Cassie Nemitz, Angela Clauer, Ava Green) 2:11.06. Distance medley - 3. (Maddie Nielsen, Bridee Burks, Mallory Olmstead, Annie Martin) 4:50.51. High jump - 1. (Ava Hermsen 5’2”; Abby Burr 5’0”). Pole vault - 2. (Macie Galle 7’6”; Alaina Stader 7’0”). Long jump - 1. (Lainee Burks 15’3.5”; Tatiana Place 13’11”). Triple jump - 2. (Bridee Burks 31’1.75; Sadie Hollander 28’10.5”). Shot Put - 5. (Paige Oyen 27'9.25", Ariana Hauck 27'7.5"). Discus - 6. (Paige Oyen 81’9”, Carolyn Recker 71'8"). 4x100 throwers relay - 3. (Paige Oyen Natalie Moore, Carolyn Recker, Megan Lucey) 1:03.26.