The Columbus Wildcats took home-field advantage and ran with it-literally-by winning the boys’ team title Tuesday at the Columbus Early Bird Track & Field Meet. Columbus finished with 212 points, 64 more than second-place Van Buren. The Winfield-Mount Union Wolves were third, followed by the Lone Tree Lions in fifth, the Hillcrest Academy Ravesn in sixth and the Highland Huskies in seventh.

Columbus had a winner in seven individual events and two relay races. Junior Kaden Amigon picked up two victories, winning the 100-meter dash in 11.35 seconds and claiming the 200 meters in 22.88. Wildcats senior Jeff Hoback was the runner-up in both races. Senior Triston Miller won the 110-meter hurdles in just under 15 seconds and had the top high jump of 6 feet two inches. Junior Damian Vergara took the 800-meter title in two minutes and 12.63 seconds to go with his third-place finish at 1,600 meters.

Columbus junior Russell Coil was the winner in both the shot put and discus throw, with top tosses of 42’9″ and 129 feet even, respectively. Senior Coby Frost and sophomores Bryce Grimm and Markell Zapiensz rounded out the top four in the shot put, and Wildcat sophomore Payton White joined Grimm inside the top four in the discus. The team of Amigon, Hoback, Miller and sophomore Riley Kaalberg took the four-by-100-meter relay, while Vergara teamed with sophomore Bryan Tlatenchi and juniors Cole Storm and Tim Hills-Carrier to take the 4-by-800.

Along with the 4-by-400 relay, 800 sprint medley and distance medley teams, other Columbus individuals earning top-four finishes were Hills-Carrier in the 800-meter run; Amigon in the long jump; junior Cael Phillips in the 3,200 meters; freshman Alexander Rees in the 110 and 400-meter hurdles; and senior Dante Zuniga in the 400 hurdles.

While Lone Tree’s only medal came from their 800 sprint medley team taking third, Winfield-Mount Union dominated in relays and medley team competition. The Wolves won both the 4-by-800 and distance medley and finished second in both the 4-by-100 and 4-by-800. WMU was third in the 4-by-200.

Individually, the Wolves got wins from junior Cam Buffington in the long jump; sophomore Kohlby Newsom in the 1.600 meters; and junior Gabriel Hemsworth in the 400-meter hurdles. Junior Carter Loyd tied for second in the high jump, while senior Kai Malone was also a runner-up in the discus and Buffington was fourth in the 100-meter dash. The top finishes for the Hillcrest Ravens were from freshman Owen Scott and sophomore Jesse Blossom, who were each fourth in the 400 and 800, respectively.