Pirates top Hubs track team in outdoor opener

Freshman-sophomore squad earns victory

Russell Hodges
Posted 4/4/17

Tuesday’s outdoor track and field meet against the Ottawa Pirates proved to be a good measuring tool for the Hubs varsity and freshman-sophomore teams as they switch gears from the indoor season.

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Pirates top Hubs track team in outdoor opener

Freshman-sophomore squad earns victory

Posted

OTTAWA —Tuesday’s outdoor track and field meet against the Ottawa Pirates proved to be a good measuring tool for the Hubs varsity and freshman-sophomore teams as they switch gears from the indoor season.

The Pirates outscored the Hubs 76-63 on the varsity level, but head coach John Dobbs said he saw many signs of improvement during the afternoon. Senior Matthew Drendel took first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:05.50, while senior brother Michael Drendel won both the long jump (17-9 ½) and the high jump (5-6).

“We’re having performances that are better than what we’ve done in the past at this time of the year,” Dobbs said. “I loaded up our relays hoping we’d be pushed a little bit, but even though they ran unopposed, they still ran season-best times without being pushed, so that’s encouraging.”

Those races include the 800-meter relay (1:38.81), the 1600-meter relay (3:36.06) and the 3200-meter relay (8:58.12). Sophomore Austin Walsh anchored the team’s 1600-meter group, and he also won the 400-meter dash with a time of 52.90. Walsh and Matthew Drendel were two runners who impressed Dobbs in the racing events on Tuesday.

“Matthew ran a nice 800,” he said. “He just followed a guy for the first 650 meters and just powered by him on the home stretch... Austin ran the anchor leg of the 1600-meter relay in 51.6 and I think his only competition was lapping a girl from Ottawa.”

The Hubs will travel to Rock Island on Saturday to compete in the Assumption Invitational at Augustana College. With more and more schools coming in from different parts of the Illinois-Iowa area, Dobbs said he’s expecting the competition to be very difficult over the weekend.

“It should be fun to compete against those schools,” he said. “Double-scoring in our open events and strong performances in our relays will be important for us to have a good showing out there.”

Frosh/Soph

The Hubs freshman-sophomore track and field beat Ottawa by a score of 97-48, with freshman Gyvanziel Quinonez taking the 3200-meter run with a time of 11:39.62 and sophomore Jessee Infante winning the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 17.6. Quinonez also won the 1600-meter run with a time of 5:26.26.

Sophomore Eddie Villalobos finished first in the 100-meter dash (11.9), while fellow sophomore Benjamin DaCosta (1:00.18) claimed the 400-meter dash. Sophomores Greg Ricketts (25.22 in the 200-meter dash and 35-3 in the shot put) and Isaac Musselman (36-2 in the triple jump) were also victorious.