Full Washington County Track & Field Invitational -- click here

Mother Nature played a factor earlier this season postponing the Washington County track meet and almost played a factor again on Monday but five Twin Valley League teams competed against each other in track action in the cool conditions on Monday.

At the end of the day it was the host Washington County Tigers coming out on top winning both the girls and boys team titles in competition, topping Centralia, Valley Heights, Linn and Blue Valley-Randolph.

In the girl’s competition, Washington County took home first place winning six events, while Linn followed in second place winning six events also. Centralia girls placed third, Valley Heights took fourth place and Blue Valley-Randolph finished fifth.

Washington County boys were led by nine first place finishes on their way to a first place team finish at their home meet. Valley Heights Mustangs took home second place as a team, while Linn finished third, Centralia placed fourth and Blue Valley-Randolph took fifth place.

The Tigers were led by multiple multi-event winners on the day at their home meet on their way to first place finishes for both the girls and boys teams. Both Brett Herrs and TJ Miller each won a pair of field events for Washington County as Herrs claimed the shot put (52'02) and discus (152'10.25) titles, while Miller won both the long jump (20'01) and triple jump (40'00.25). On the track, Tigers runner Jon Harding swept the hurdles posting times of 10.74 and 22.46 to win the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. Tigers 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams notched times of 46.40 and 3:45.26 to win those competitions, while Jefferson Simmons also won a gold medal, notching first in the 400 meter dash (54.94).

Washington County lady Tigers were led by another great performance by Erin Alexander this track season as she won the shot put (42'01.75) and discus (116'03). Brooke Tuma and Heidi Stegman each also grabbed golds in the field events for the lady Tigers winning the javelin (111'00) and pole vault (9'01.50), respectively. On the track Courtney Moore won the 100 meter hurdles for the Tigers with a time of 16.51 and the Tigers 4x800 team took first (12:45.73).

Linn Bulldogs ranked in 10 first place finishes between the girls and boys at the Washington County Invitational. Kurt Van Der Merwe continued his strong track season sprint to wins again in the 100 and 200 meter dashes with times of 10.74 and 22.46. While, Chad Gross and Josh Meyer were the only other Linn boy's to claim first place finishes winning the high jump (5'06) and javelin (145'09), respectively. For the lady Bulldogs the 4x100 and 4x400 meter relay teams raced to victories with times of 51.54 and 4:26.69, respectively. Also on the track for the lady Bulldogs winning golds were Kaylie Rahe and Nicole Ohlde who won the 300 meter hurdles (50.23) and 1600 meter run (6:03.28), respectively. In the field events Rachel Bott and Acacia Thalmann claimed first place finishes winning the triple jump (32'00) and high jump (4'08), respectively.

Valley Heights Mustangs saw six first place finishes earned with four by one gal in Brandi Jo Roepke as she continued to win on the track and in the field claiming first in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes with times of 12.56, 25.83 and 59.90, while also winning the long jump (17'07.75). On the boys side of competition Adrian Pishny won the 3200 meter run (11:00.97), while the Mustangs 4x800 meter relay team posted a time of 10:33.35 to take first.

Centralia Panthers took home three first place finishes on the day as Mayda Stallbaumer, Sadie Jones and Wyatt VanDorn each won events on the day. Stallbaumer paced her way to the win in the 800 meter run (2:35.80), while Jones claimed the 3200 meter run title (13:37.40) and VanDorn vaulted his way to the pole vault title (12'06).

For Blue Valley-Randolph their day was highlighted by Chase Carey who claimed the Rams two first place finishes on the day by winning the 1600 and 800 meter runs behind times of 5:04.10 and 2:18.74.