Chase County’s 3200 meter relay team was just one of the three relays to take the gold medals at the SPVA meet. Team members running last Friday were, from left, Kalen Wallin, Caleb Weiss, Juan Venegas and Tell Richardson. (Johnson Publications photo)
Scott Wheeler gives it his all as he approaches the 800 meter finish. He bettered the third place Bridgeport runner, who came into the meet with a faster time. (Johnson Publications photo)
Logan Jussel continues to improve in the hurdles. Above, at the SPVA meet last Friday, he competes in the high hurdle prelims and went on to finish sixth in the finals. He also earned fourth in the 300 meter hurdles. (Johnson Publications photo)
Longhorns run away with another SPVA track title
For a third straight year, Chase County’s Longhorns are SPVA Conference track champions.
Coach Carl Zuege said it not only was a good weather day in an uncooperative season, but his boys’ team competed well in both field events and on the track as the Longhorns took the title by a 51-point margin Friday in Sidney.
While Zuege was concerned about a talented Bridgeport team Chase County hadn’t seen yet this season, it proved for naught as Bridgeport finished fourth, but just 14 points out of second place.
With last week’s seventh straight win this season, Zuege said a lot of credit has to go to the seniors, five of whom brought home 10 individual or relay team gold medals.
“That’s a credit to them. I’ve always told them they’re a strong track class,” he said.
“Along with a lot of good junior team members, too, they’re the heart of this team,” he said.
Zuege said the Longhorn throwers set a good tone in the morning field events taking first, third and fourth in both the shot and discus.
Jack Bauerle took the gold medal in both events, while Bridgeport settled for a pair of seconds. Evan Fisher, who had two PRs, and Eli Hinojosa claimed third and fourth.
Those three alone racked up 40 points, or about 30 percent of the team score. Bauerle’s marks are among the Class C state leaders, Zuege said.
Sprinters Chase Rowley and Kadin Vrbas went two, three in the 100 and 200, and also ran on the gold medal 400 meter relay team.
Francisco Barrientos split up the two Perkins County runners in the 400 to earn silver, while Scott Wheeler did the same in the 800, but wedged between Bridgeport’s top two runners who came into the meet with faster times, Zuege said.
“Those extra points in the 400 and 800 were a factor,” Zuege said.
Wheeler’s time of 2:01.87 in the 800 was “tremendous,” Zuege added, especially considering he’d been home sick part of the week.
“In the right situation, he’ll be under two minutes,” the coach said.
Then, Chase County’s Will Kuenne added another 20 points to the team total with golds in both the 1600 and 3200. His times were both PRs, too, Zuege said.
All three relays repeated their feat from the week before and won the gold medals.
Zuege added a couple of new runners to the 3200 meter team, Kalen Wallin and Tell Richardson, who replaced Wheeler and Francisco Barrientos so they would be fresher for the open events. Both Wallin and Richardson had PRs in their 800s, and added with strong 800s from Juan Venegas and anchor Caleb Weiss, edged Sutherland by a half second.
Based on how the four 3200 relay regulars Venegas, Wheeler, Barrientos and Weiss have been running their open 800s, Zuege is excited about the prospects ahead for the team.
Team scoring at the conference meet was
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