By JIM LUTGENS
Sports Editor
Name the race or event, and it's a good bet it was won by a member of the NRHEG High School girls' track and field team.
The Panthers were dominant in their four-team invitational in New Richland last week, winning 12 events while running away with the team title, totaling 127.5 points in longtime head coach Duey Ferber’s final home meet. Maple River was a distant second with 69. USC/AC had 57, Albert Lea 18.5.
"What a fantastic night for our girls!" said Coach Duey Ferber. "It was a great performance on Senior Night."
Evelyn Nydegger, a senior, finished first in the 200 in 27.7, won the 300 intermediate hurdles in 49.2 and took gold in the triple jump at 31-1. She was second in the 100 high hurdles with a time of 16.7.
Sophomore Quinn VanMaldghem had a great night, winning the 400 meters in 1:02.5 and topping the 800 in 2:31.0. She anchored the first-place 4x400 relay, joined by Sierra Misgen, Clara Buendorf and her twin sister, Camryn VanMaleghem, to win in 4:25.6.
Chloe Riewer, Gabby Schlaak, Anika Ladlie and Camryn VanMaldeghem won the 4x100 in 53.8.
The Panthers' other individual firsts were by Riewer, 100, 13.6; Anika Ladlie, high jump, 4-10; Schlaak, long jump, 14-5; and Kylie Olson, shot put, 32-2.5. Riewer, Misgen, Buendorf and Ellie Clark won the 4x200 in 1:54.9.
Taking second were Julieann Wobbrock in the 3200, Schlaak in the high jump, Riewer in the long jump and Sierra Fish in the discus. Holly Bartness, Buendorf, Ella Jeno and Wobbrock were second in the 4x800.
Other NRHEG places: Misgen, third, long jump; Malonna Wilson, third, shot put and fourth, discus; Olson, third, discus; Paige Johnson, fourth, 100 and fourth, long jump; Jeno, fourth, 1600; Annabelle Petsinger, fourth, 3200; Clark, fourth, 300 hurdles; Schlaak, fourth, 100 hurdles; Alaina Modder, fourth, triple jump; Makenziee Mueller, fourth, shot put; Quinn VanMaldeghem, fifth, pole vault.
The NRHEG boys finished third with 32 points, behind Maple River with 107 and Albert Lea 106. USC/AC totaled 26.5.
"It was a decent night for the boys against two very good teams," said Ferber. "All the seniors had a great meet on Senior Night."
Will Tuttle was on pace to set the school record in the 300 hurdles, but hit the seventh hurdle and went down. He clipped another hurdle and fell again, but got up and still managed to take first in 40.78. He won the 110 high hurdles in 15.28.
Second-place finishers were Levin Kitzer in the 110 hurdles and Jaylin Raab in the long jump.
Other Panther places: Justin Beauvis, third, 800; 4x100 relay, third (Harbor Cromwell, Kitzer, Will Tuttle, Raab); 4x800, third (Devon Nelton, Gavin Sletten, Gavin Lewison, Jacob Karl); 4x400, third (Cromwell, Parker Bunn, Sletten, Raab); Wyatt Tuttle, fourth, triple jump; Kitzer, fifth, 300 hurdles; Lewison, fifth, high jump.