The 2021 spring sports season officially got underway Monday with the first track meet in southeast Iowa since 2019 when the Columbus Wildcats hosted their early bird. In the boys portion of competition, the top area finish came from Columbus. The Wildcats were team runners-up with 134 points. New London won the meet with 145 points. Columbus had six second place event performances including Kaden Amigon in the 100m and long jump, Isaac Acosta in the 800m, Garrett Palmer in the 400 hurdles and a pair of relays with Gerardo Orozco, Jose Vazquez, Dante Zuniga and Andy Gonzalez runner-up in the sprint medley and the 4×800 team of Will Schwab, Tyler Humiston, Damian Vergara and Freddy Vergara.

Highland finished fifth of six teams on the boys side of the meet with 74.5 points. The Huskies had two event championships on the night with Brenton Bonebrake winning the high jump by clearing 5’8″. The Highland 4×100 team of Jackson Schneider, Ethan Krotz, Tyler Hoppman and Tyler Thompson were also champs with a time of 47.73 seconds.

Hillcrest was sixth with 20 points. The Ravens Aaron Hershberger had a pair of titles, winning the 110 hurdles in 17.47 seconds and the 400 hurdles in 1:02.17.

On the girls side of the meet Tipton won the large school division with 194 points. Highland had the top area finish in the small school division, placing second with 125 points. North Cedar won the team title with 194 points. The Huskies had one event champion on the night with Sarah Burton winning the long jump, clearing 16′ 1.5″. Other top events for the Huskies included second place finishes in the 100m hurdles for Addy Kloepfer, 200m for Mackenzie McFarland, Dani Laughlin in the long jump, the 4×800 team of Kylie Allen, Angelina Roling, Avery Pierson and Emma Soukup, the 4×200 of MyLei Smith, Mackenzie Hora, Allison Golden and Katelyn Waters, the 4×100 of Laughlin, Hora, Smith and Burton, the shuttle hurdle team of Pierson, Kloepfer, Courtney Chalupa and Halle Hazelett and the distance medley team of Laughlin, Burton, Alyssa Clarke and Fiona Mahler.

Columbus was fifth of six teams with 61 points. The Wildcats had one event championship at their home meet with Libby White winning the discus throw at 88’7″. Michelle Diaz in the shot put and Averi Sipes in the 1500 were both runners-up.

Hillcrest Academy finished in sixth with 17 points. Madeline Fox led the way for the Ravens, winning the 400 hurdles in a time of 1:29.46. She was also third in the 100 hurdles.