Friday Flashback: Lancers win WT Invite

Note: This week’s Friday Flashback takes us back to the 2015 high school track season, when Lincolnview took top honors at the Wayne Trace Invitational. Below is the story as it appeared on the VW independent Sports page.

Lincolnview track and field information

HAVILAND — The Lincolnview Lancer track and teams competed in the Wayne Trace Invitational on Friday night.  The boys’ team had a great night, winning the 12-team meet over host Wayne Trace 90-80.  The Lancers also broke three meet records and three school records.

Bayley Tow led the way, winning the 1600-meter run in a new meet and school record time of 4:22.68.  He then placed second in the 800-meter run in a time of 2:01 and then came back at the end of the night to win the 3200-meter run in a meet and school record time of 9:41. Tow also anchored the 4×800-meter relay team that placed first.

Hunter Blankemeyer also set a new meet and school record winning the 110-meter hurdles in a time of 14.90. Blankemeyer was also runner-up in the high jump, clearing 6 feet even, was third in the 300-meter hurdles, and anchored the fourth place 4×100-meter relay team.

Other top scorers for the boys were Alex Rodriguez, who placed fourth in the 1600-meter run (4:48) and third in the 3200-meter race (10:36); Trevor Neate, who was third in the 800-meter run and fifth in the high jump (5 feet, 10 inches); Ryan Rager, who was fourth in the long jump; and Nathan Diller, who placed fourth in the pole vault.

The boys’ 4×800-meter relay (Neate, Rodriguez, Snyder and Tow) won for the fourth consecutive year and the boys’ 4×100-meter relay team (Jewel, Norton, Rager and Blankemeyer) placed fourth.

The girls’ team placed 10th overall and was led by Anna Gorman, who was third in the 800-meter run (2:29) and the 1600-meter run (5:37). Hannnah McCleery was third in the high jump (5 feet, 2 inches), while Autumn Proctor placed sixth in the 200-meter dash (28.9 seconds).

“The teams had a great night; we had perfect conditions and were able to take advantage of it by putting forth the effort needed to improve,” said Lincolnview Coach Matt Langdon. “Our preparation was the best I have seen all season and everyone was engaged in what their teammates were doing the entire night.

“We also saw several performances that were in the top two or three in the state right now,” Coach Langdon added. “Bayley’s runs in the mile and 2-mile were just amazing and Hunter’s 110 hurdle race was flawless. Hannah nearly broke our school record in the high jump but just missed at 5 feet, 4 inches on a great attempt. We had numerous season and career best efforts, so that always makes for a successful night.”