Arlington 3,200-meter relay runner Whitney Wollberg completed her two laps and motivated her teammates to the finish line Tuesday at Yutan High School.
“You got it, Hailey!” she shouted out to the Eagles' anchor, Hailey O'Daniel, as she closed in on the line. “All the way! Finish!”
AHS' girls finished the race and the Nebraska Capitol Conference (NCC) Track and Field Meet first. The overall victory was their first in NCC competition since 2010.
Fort Calhoun coach Mandy Taylor was pleased with girls' fifth-place effort, too, as the females led Washington County's two schools during the conference meet.
Arlington wins 11 events
In total, the Arlington girls won nine events in Yutan as the boys earned gold medals in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relays.
“I'm very proud of how our athletes competed and performed,” Eagles coach Steven Gubbels said. “The top highlight would be both (1,600 relay) teams finishing the day off with wins. It's always great to bring the team back together with a couple of wins.”
While Barrett Nielsen, Kaden Foust, William Eppenbaugh and Colby Grefe won the boys' mile-long relay in 3:36.59, the AHS girls won their race in 4:10.41. Chase Andersen, Kailynn Gubbels, Wollberg and Keelianne Green were all multiple-event medalists Tuesday.
Wollberg joined O'Daniel, Kelise Cook-Krivohlavek and Kiersten Taylor to win the aforementioned 3,200 relay, while Gubbels and Green dominated their individual events.
Gubbels, a senior signed to run track at Iowa State next school year, won both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles by more than 2 seconds. The multiple-time state champion finished the races in 14.81 and 46.67 seconds, respectively. She won the high jump, too.
Green, meanwhile, earned top conference honors in the long jump, triple jump and 800 run. Her triple jump was 3 feet, 6 inches better than the second-place competitor, while her 800 time — 2:20.34 — was nearly 5 seconds quicker than the silver medalist.
O'Daniel also won the individual mile. Cadie Robinson was second in the shot put, while Taylor Arp took third.
The Arlington boys' 3,200 relay team — Nolan May, Kevin Flesner, Dallin Franzluebbers and Grefe — took first in 8:36.17, too. Nielsen was second in the 110 hurdles, Foust was third in the 400 dash and Kyle Quinn earned bronze in the discus.
The Eagles were scheduled to host their home meet Thursday and will compete in the Class B District 4 meet next Tuesday at Columbus' Pawnee Park.
Drowne, Taylor lead FCHS
“Our kids battled in a tough conference,” said Taylor, Fort Calhoun's head coach.
Dala Drowne and Kaylee Taylor highlighted the Pioneers' efforts alongside Lance and Ely Olberding, and Bria Bench. Drowne was second in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. She finished the races in 13.19 and 27.54 seconds, respectively.
“She competed well today with two (personal records),” coach Taylor said.
Kaylee Taylor, meanwhile, was second in the triple jump and fifth in the 300 hurdles. She cleared 32 feet and stopped the clock in 52.58 seconds.
Lance Olberding added a second-place 3,200 run finish in 10:41.43 ahead of his fourth-place brother, Ely. Bench's two-mile run ended in 12:50.32 for third, too. She also took bronze in the high jump.
“Lance, Ely and Bria are just solid, always,” Taylor said.
FCHS' Grayson Bouwman added a fourth-place triple jump effort, while Clint Dierks, Clayton Bohenkamp, Michael Maxon and Michael Pratt finished fourth in the 400-meter relay.
The Pioneers were scheduled to travel to Arlington on Thursday and will take part in the Class B District 2 meet next Tuesday. The Wahoo Warriors host the district competition.
NEBRASKA CAPITOL CONFERENCE MEET
Tuesday at Yutan High School
BOYS
Team standings: Ashland-Greenwood 91, Douglas County West 85, Arlington 70, Syracuse 64, Louisville 62, Yutan 57, Raymond Central 36, Logan View 30, Fort Calhoun 21, Conestoga 11.
Top-6 Washington County Finishers
400-meter dash: 3, Kaden Foust, Arlington, 55.13 seconds. 6, Grayson Bouwman, Fort Calhoun, 56.44.
800 run: 4, Colby Grefe, A, 2:06.6.
1,600 run: 4, Kevin Flesner, A, 4:53. 5, Luke Hammang, A, 5:00.3.
3,200 run: 2, Lance Olberding, FC, 10:41.43. 4, Ely Olberding, FC, 10:50.23.
400 relay: 4, FCHS (Clint Dierks, Clayton Bohnenkamp, Michael Maxon, Michael Pratt), 46.76.
1,600 relay: 1, AHS (Barrett Nielsen, Foust, William Eppenbaugh, Grefe), 3:36.59.
3,200 relay: 1, AHS (Nolan May, Flesner, Dallin Franzluebbers, Grefe), 8:36.17.
110 hurdles: 2, Nielsen, A, 16.26.
300 hurdles: 4, Nielsen, A, 43.02.
Long jump: 2, Foust, A, 19 feet, 9.5 inches.
Triple jump: 4, Bouwman, FC, 40-2.
Shot put: 4, Brady Hancock, A, 43-9.
Discus: 3, Kyle Quinn, A, 133-11. 4, Ian Buckley, A, 126-2.
GIRLS
Team stanings: Arlington 124, Syracuse 108, Ashland 59, DC West 44, Fort Calhoun 41, Yutan 40, Conestoga 33, Raymond Central 32, Logan View 26, Louisville 20.
Top-6 Washington County Finishers
100-meter dash: 2, Dala Drowne, FC, 13.19.
200 dash: 2, Drowne, FC, 27.54. 4, Chase Andersen, A, 27.91.
400 dash: 4, Andersen, A, 1:04.39.
800 run: 1, Keelianne Green, A, 2:20.34.
1,600 run: 1, Hailey O'Daniel, A, 5:45.44.
3,200 run: 3, Bria Bench, FC, 12:50.32.
1,600 relay: 1, AHS (Andersen, Kailynn Gubbels, Whitney Wollberg, Green), 4:10.41.
3,200 relay: 1, AHS (Wollberg, Kelise Cook-Krivohlavek, Kiersten Taylor, O'Daniel), 10:45.47. 6, FCHS (Kaitlyn Thalman, Harley Schwarte, Xinzhi Huang, Kylie Perfetti), 12:04.5.
100 hurdles: 1, Gubbels, A, 14.81.
300 hurdles: 1, Gubbels, A, 46.67. 5, Kaylee Taylor, FC, 52.58.
Long jump: 1, Green, A, 17 feet, 9 inches. 3, O'Daniel, A, 15-8. 5, Angel Nelson, FC, 15-1.5.
Triple jump: 1, Green, A, 35-6. 2, Taylor, FC, 32.
High jump: 1, Gubbels, A, 5-3. 3, Bench, FC, 4-11.
Shot put: 2, Cadie Robinson, A, 36-4.75. 3, Taylor Arp, A, 35-10.5.
Discus: 4, Arp, A, 108-2. 5, Robinson, A, 105.
