The St. John’s Blujay track teams opened their 2018 track season on Thursday April 5th at the Bennington High School Invitational. The track meet had 13 teams in action at the early season meet ranging from 1A to 3A classifications.
The Blujay boys opened up the season with a second-place finish scoring 106 points. Bennington won the invitational with 134 points. Ell-Saline finished in third-place with 80 points. Rock Hills was fourth with 80, followed by Clifton-Clyde with 70, Classical School of Wichita with 38, Minneapolis with 31, Wakefield with 13, Wilson with 11, Lincoln with eight, Canton-Galva and Herington each had seven points and Tescott rounded out the scoring with three points.
The Blujay boys took home five gold medals, two silver medals and three bronze medals including an impressive first, second and third place finish in the 3200-meter run.
Gold medals were won by Adam Bates in the 800-meter run (2:06.25), David Lutgen in the 1600-meter run (4:43.82), David Lutgen in the 3200-meter run (10:08.44), the 4x800 meter relay team of David Lutgen, Brandon Bates, Caleb Eilert and Adam Bates (8:48.01), Brady Palen in the high jump (6-feet-2).
Silver medals were won by Adam Bates in the 1600-meter run, Brandon Bates in the 3200-meter run.
Bronze medals were won by Caleb Eilert in the 3200-meter run, Kail Dubbert in the 300-meter hurdles, the 4x400 meter relay team of Brandon Bates, Brayden Perez, Braden Dameron, Adam Bates.
Fourth place finishers David Lutgen in the 800-meter run, Caleb Eilert in the 1600-meter run, Brandon Bates in the 300-meter hurdles, Brady Palen in the long jump.
Fifth place finishers were Braden Dameron in the 400-meter dash, The 4x100 meter relay team of Brayden Perez, Blake Perez, Braden Dameron and Brady Palen.
Sixth place finishers were Kail Dubbert in the 1600-meter run and Blake Perez in the long jump.
The Lady Blujays finished in 8th place on the day with 36 team points. Bennington won the meet with 100 points followed by Minneapolis with 88 points and Hope in third place with 70 points. Those teams were followed Clifton-Clyde with 59, Herington with 56, Lincoln with 48, Canton-Galva with 42, the Blujays with 36 points, Ell-Saline with 23 points, Rock Hills with 13 points, Tescott with 10 points, Wilson with seven and Wakefield rounded out the scoring with six points.
The Lady Jays took home two silver medals and two bronze medals including a second and third place finish in the pole vault.
Silver medal winners were Avery Gates in the pole vault, Kara Eilert in the shot put.
The bronze medal winner was Lauryn Dubbert in the pole vault and in the javelin.
Fourth place finishers were the 4x800 meter relay team of Bren Peters, Amy Lutgen, Lizzy Meyer and Elle Eilert.
Fifth place finishers were the 4x400 meter relay team of Bren Peters, Lauryn Dubbert, Avery Gates and Elle Eilert.
Sixth place finishers were Elle Eilert in the 800-meter run and Kara Eilert in the discus.
The Blujays are next in action Tuesday when they travel to Smith Center to participate in the Redmen Relays.