The 7th- and 8th-grade boys track team continued its dominant season Tuesday night at the Newell-Fonda Invitational, capturing its fifth meet victory of the year heading into the conference meet on Friday.

The night belonged to Tristan Hanson, who delivered one of the most impressive performances in recent program history by breaking three school records. Hanson sprinted to a record-setting 11.94 in the 100-meter dash, followed it up with another school record in the 200-meter dash at 24.42, and then broke his own long jump record with a leap of 19-00.25.

Griffin Vote also etched his name into the record books with a remarkable performance in the 1600-meter run. Vote shattered the previous school record of 5:30, formerly held by Cooper Nuss, with a time of 5:18.16, a mark that showcased the endurance and determination he has displayed not only all track season, but throughout the fall’s cross country season as the XC team’s number one runner. Coaches and teammates alike were not surprised to see the record fall — but the fashion in which Vote demolished it turned heads across the meet. “As a track runner, getting a record feels amazing. I enjoyed the feeling of shattering the record. As I ran, I felt the adrenaline kick in as the gun fired. As the race went on, I kept pushing and pushing to hold my pace. I persevered through the wind as the final stretch grew upon me. I knew I had to kick it in. I finished and immediately asked what my time was. Once I heard 5:18, I exploded with excitement; I had just gotten a record.”

The boys also found success in relay action as the 4x400-meter relay team of Tristan Hanson, Jayden Christie, Boe Davis, and Wyatt Muench raced to a first-place finish in 4:02.26 while earning a personal record in the process.

Another strong relay performance came in the 4x200-meter relay, where Traysen Gutshall, Hudson Ulicki, Jax Hindt, and Zaine Phillips powered their way to a second-place finish with a time of 1:53.51. The quartet delivered an energetic race and provided valuable points toward the overall team title. Gutshall said, “It was an amazing experience, being able to run races and trying to get a better time every race.” Although the season is close to a close, Gutshall finishes with, “I'm still going to try to get faster and beat my time.”

Several other athletes delivered standout performances and personal bests throughout the evening. Nicholas Vogel placed second in the discus with a throw of 100-09.50, earning a new PR. Landyn Fisher dominated the hurdle events, winning the 100-meter hurdles in 14.46 and the 200-meter hurdles in 27.22, both personal-record performances. Bennett Nolte added a PR in the 100-meter hurdles with a fifth-place finish in 17.20, while Wyatt Muench sprinted to second place in the 200-meter dash with a personal-best time of 25.60.

“I really enjoyed running overall because everyone is so supportive and motivates you through it all. Track was probably my favorite part of this school year, and I encourage everyone to try it out because you definitely won’t regret the outcome of it,” stated eighth-grader Haidyn Clark. 

The team’s combination of speed, depth, and relentless competitiveness has fueled an exciting season so far, and the athletes now have their sights set on one final goal. Bringing home a conference championship on Friday to serve as the cherry on top of an already amazing season.