By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG girls’ track and field team was having a great night.
Then lightning struck.
It ended the meet after the 400-meter run, and it left the Panthers in first place in the Blooming Prairie True Team Invitational last Tuesday, April 30.
The Panthers, paced by Carlie Wagner and Kayla Lindell, totaled 528.5 points to top the eight-team field. WEM was second with 447.5, Blooming Prairie third at 415.
Wagner, a junior and the defending Class A state high jump champion, nearly missed a career-best 5-7 in the high jump, clearing 5-6 for first. She anchored the first-place 4x200 relay team that won in 1:54.9 and included Hailey Schuller, Maddie Wagner and Marnie Wagner. She was second in the 100 in 13.20 seconds.Mikayla Lindell continued her strong spring in the throwing events, winning the shot put at 34-3 and taking first in the discus at 100-7.
The Panthers’ other first was by the 4x800 relay team of Kelly Harden, Emily Prigge, Katie Crabtree and Sandra Quezada, which clocked 11:11.93.
Emmy Hobbs cleared 8-0 for second in the pole vault.
Maddie Wagner was third in the high jump at 4-8, fifth in the 400 in 1:06.3 and sixth in the 100 in 14.12.
Hailey Schuller took third in the 100 hurdles in 17.74, sixth in the long jump at 14-5.
Other NRHEG places: Abby Wacholz, fourth, triple jump, 30-7 and fifth, high jump, 4-6; Katie Cole, fourth, discus, 88-0; and Shanna Stencel, sixth, 100 hurdles, 20.65.
“We are very excited for our younger girls in the 4x800,” said NRHEG coach Duey Ferber. “They are really bringing their times down. Kayla had a nice meet with two firsts. Carlie jumped great.”