The Columbus Wildcat boys’ track and field team put on quite a show Monday while hosting the Columbus Early Bird Invitational at Louisa-Muscatine. Columbus started its season with another team victory, finishing with a score of 196-and-a-half points that was almost 60 more than second-place Van Buren County.
Alexander Rees helped lead the way for the Wildcats with four total gold medals. The junior won the 200-meter dash in 23.54 seconds and also took home the title in the 110-meter hurdles by clocking in at just over 15 seconds. Senior teammate Riley Kaalberg finished second to Rees in the 200, while sophomore Lamar Ceant was the runner-up in the 110 hurdles.
Rees also helped Columbus win the shuttle hurdles relay in one minute seven seconds alongside Ceant, junior Tyson Kaalberg and freshman Dante Orozco, while the team of Rees, Ceant, Riley Kaalberg and senior Juan Chairez claimed the crown in the 4-by-100-meters in 44.27 seconds.
The Wildcats were winners in the 4-by-800 as well, posting a time of 9:09 thanks to the quartet of senior Bryan Tlatenchi, freshman Victor Tovar and sophomores Cade Storm and Drake Marin, while the distance medley team took third place.
Senior Ty Muniz won an individual gold medal in the 3,200 meters for Columbus by crossing the finish line in nearly 10:14, with sophomore teammate Ryan Villa one minute and one spot behind him. Sophomore Fritz Figaro rounded out the winners for the ‘Cats by taking the title in the discus throw with a top toss of 117 feet eight inches.
Columbus got second-place finishes from Storm in the 800 and Riley Kaalberg in the long jump, while bronze medals went to Muniz in the open 1,600; Orozco in the 400 hurdles; Riley Kaalberg in the 100; and sophomore Ronaldo Villegas in the shot put.
Winfield-Mount Union finished third in the boys’ team standings and were paced by a trio of victories from Kohlby Newsom. The senior won the 400 in 51.4 seconds, claimed the 800 in 2:03 and took first in the mile in 4:41.
Senior Cooper Buffington also picked up a win for the Wolves in the shot put with a top toss of 44 feet seven inches. Ashton Gipple took second in the high jump for WMU, while the 4-by-400 relay was second and both the 4-by-800 and shuttle hurdles relays were third.
The Lone Tree Lions got a pair of silver medals from their sprint and distance medley relays, while the Highland Huskies finished second in the 4-by-200.
Lone Tree had the best finish among local girls’ teams by taking third overall. Ava Christofferson led the Lions by winning the 100 13.27 seconds and the 200 in 27.71. The junior was also second in the long jump, while senior Rylee Shield took the title in the 400 in just under 1:03 and was third in the 800.
Christofferson, Shield, senior Cate Sexton and freshman Lindsay Baltazar won the 4-by-100 for Lone Tree in 54.52 seconds, while the 4-by-200 finished third. Senior Hayden Yoder added a victory in the shot put by hitting almost 32 feet and was second in the discus.
On their way to a fourth-place finish as a team in their home meet, Columbus won the 4-by-200 in almost two minutes flat courtesy of the team of senior Claire Humphreys, sophomore Kymila Bacon and juniors Daniela Diaz and Jocelyn Hernandez.
The Wildcats would also take second in the 4-by-100 and third in the 4-by-800. Senior Ariana Vergara was the runner-up in the 100 hurdles, as was sophomore Bella Forbes in the shot put, while sophomore Ellie Sanders claimed bronze in the 100 hurdles.
Winfield-Mount Union had two winners on the day. Senior Josie Nelson took the title in the 100 hurdles in 17.1 seconds, while freshman Kynlee Buffington debuted with a victory in the long jump, hitting 17 feet two inches, and was also second in the 200. The Wolves also took third in both medley relays.
Highland picked up a win in the shuttle hurdles thanks to junior Brenna Hazelett, sophomore Alexa Hahn and freshmen Maiya Singbeil and Larissa Murphy clocking in at 1:18. Singbeil was also third in the high jump for the Huskies, as was freshman Grace Bombei in the 1,500-meter run.