Relays shine bright for SJO girls’ track and field at Unity Invite

This past Friday night saw the St. Joseph-Ogden High School girls’ track and field team turn in a sterling performance at the Unity Invitational.

The SJO boys’ track and field team, however, didn’t get in on the fun as the Monticello Invitational the Spartans were scheduled to compete in was rained out.

The Spartans’ girls’ team provided plenty of highlights, too, during their runner-up finish at the 19-team meet in Tolono.

SJO compiled 65.5 points, better than every other team in the field except Monticello, which rang up 98 points en route to first place.

Clinton (52), St. Teresa (48) and Unity (42) rounded out the top five teams.

The Spartans emerged with a first-place finish in one event, along with four second-place efforts, two third-place finishes, one fourth-place showing and two fifth-place finishes.

The 1,600-meter relay quart of Maclayne Taylor, Atleigh Hamilton, Hannah Rajlich and Rylee Sjuts cruised to a win in a time of 4 minutes, 15.58 seconds, more than eight seconds faster than runner-up Clinton.

Taylor added two second-place results in the 100 (12.79) and the 400 (1:01.36), while Taylor, Danie Kelso, Hailey Birt and Hamilton were part of the 400 relay that place second in 51.21. Jillian Plotner also turned in a solid performance by finishing second in the 3,200 (12:18.23).

Hamilton kept pace with Taylor in the 400, placing third in 1:01.77, while Sjuts, Ashlyn Lannert, Cassidy Bagby and Rajlich teamed up to finish third in the 3,200 relay (10:37.09).

Payton Vallee fared well in the discus representing the Spartans with a throw of 110 feet, 8 inches to place fourth. Lannert in the 300 hurdles (51.54) and Abby Behrens in the high jump (4-10) also chipped in on a successful night for SJO.

The SJO girls’ team will head back to Tolono on Tuesday for a quadrangular meet at 4:30 p.m. with the host Rockets, along with Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman and Salt Fork before heading north to Gibson City for the Falcon Invitational at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

On the boys’ side, the Spartans are slated to head to Tolono this week as well for the annual Unity Invitational that starts at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.