Meyer, Knott and relays excel for SJO boys’ track and field in Clinton

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track and field team received wins from two individuals and two relay teams to help the Spartans place fifth at the Clinton Carnival this past Friday night.

SJO compiled 69 points to land in fifth at the 12-team meet. Eureka won the event with 104 points, followed by Ridgeview/Lexington (78), Maroa-Forsyth (71) and Monticello (70).

Aiden Meyer continued his stellar season for SJO by winning the 400-meter dash in 51.38 seconds while running on two first-place relay teams. The 400 relay of Dwight Colvin, Meyer, Kaleb Harshbarger and Lane Gaskin won in 44.29 seconds, edging Ridgeview/Lexington by one-tenth of a second.
Gaskin, Harshbarger, Meyer and Keanen Swanson made up the 1,600 relay team that also placed first in 3:28.81.

Hayden Knott kept up his exceptional season in the throws by sweeping both the shot put and discus. Knott put forth a toss of 44 feet, 2.25 inches to win the shot put and hurled the discus 143-8 to claim first place.

Meyer also finished second in the 100 (11.34) and Isiah McCune added a third-place finish in the 1,600 (4:48.48), while the 800 relay team of Colvin, Brayden Grimsey, Harshbarger and Gaskin took fourth (1:34.09).

SJO is slated to end the regular season starting at 10 a.m. this Saturday at the Bulldog Invitational hosted by Mahomet-Seymour before turning its attention to the Class 1A sectional meet the Spartans will host on Friday, May 17.