Salesianum successfully defended its indoor track state championship on Feb. 3, besting three Henlopen Conference teams at the Prince Georges Sports & Learning Complex in Landover, Md. The Sals finished with 101 points, ahead of second-place Caesar Rodney, who had 67. Dover and Cape Henlopen came in third and fourth, respectively.
Jasyn Truitt got the day started on a good note for the Sals with a win in the 55-meter dash. His time of 6.48 seconds was just enough to edge Jack Maister of Archmere, who was .04 seconds behind.
Ethan Walther of Salesianum was a double winner. The junior took both the 800-meter and 1600-meter runs. Sals senior Bishop Lane won the 400-meter dash, and Jack Grace was the victor in the shot put. In addition, the Sals won the 4×200 meter relay.
Saint Mark’s won the 4×800 meter relay, crossing the finish line five seconds ahead of runner-up Caesar Rodney. Archmere’s Maister did take the long jump with a distance of 22-08.50.
In the team standings, the Auks were eighth, and Saint Mark’s came in 10th.
Padua finished second overall in the girls’ meet to Tatnall. The Hornets had a score of 162 to 129 for the Pandas. Saint Mark’s had a strong showing, coming in fourth, and Archmere was sixth.
The Pandas’ Juliana Balon had a standout day. The senior won four events. In the 55-meter dash, she finished in 6.99 seconds, almost a quarter second ahead of her nearest competitor. She followed that with a victory in the 200-meter dash, the 400-meter dash and the long jump. Her time of 57 seconds in the 400 was more than two seconds better than the runner up, and her long jump distance was more than five inches further that the second-place finisher.
Balon was not the only winner from Padua. Senior Mekiyah Earnest captured the triple jump, and junior Elce Walsh won the pole vault by more than six inches over the nearest competitor.
Catholic schools also did well in the relays. Saint Mark’s took the 4×200 meter relay, defeating Tatnall by .69 seconds, and Padua earned a win in the 4×400 and 4×800.
Saint Mark’s had a strong day. In addition to their wins, they got a third-place finish from Reagan Garibaldi in the 200-meter dash. Archmere’s Jane Willin helped the Auks with fourth-place finishes in both the high jump and triple jump.
