Defeat Adams High School 67-61

The Lake Orion varsity track and field team headed to Farmington High School to compete in the New Balance Invitational over the weekend where the Dragons finished in 3rd place with 40 points.

With a split squad, (9th and 10th-grade boys were competing in Fenton), the boys team placed extremely well in this 40-team invitational. And with the weather finally cooperating, there were a lot of personal bests.

Thede, had a season best time, in his 2nd place effort in the 110M high hurdles.

Kuiper had a similar finish in the 1600m run, with a personal record and 2nd place finish.

Peardon ran a season best in the 800m run, finishing 6th.

Senior Josh Trudell placed 4th in the 300m hurdles with his personal record. The 4th place 3200m relay team of Jacob Corless, Will Houvener, Peardon and Kuiper also ran a season best time.

In the field events, Eaton threw a personal best in the discus by 15 feet for 7th place. And Ian McCullum set his personal best in the pole vault with a 4h place effort.

The 4 x 400m relay with Corless, Zach Petrycia, Thede and Peardon, finished 4th.

Other personal records were set by Hill, (100m), Houvener, (800m), Tang, (1600m) and Hafeli, (3200m).

The team headed to Adams High School on May 4, defeating the Highlanders 67-61 and improving the Dragon’s record to 4-0 on the OAA Red division.

“No matter the coach’s strategies, it all comes down to athletes willing to compete,” said head coach Stan Ford.

Senior Adam Hafeli, came from behind to take 3rd place in the 1600m run, completing a Dragon sweep, with Will Houvener and Hong Bing Tang.

Sweeping the long jump, were junior Joey Owczarek, Caleb Jones and Drew Barkeley.

Senior Stephen Brown won the 100m, 200m and anchored the sprint relays to victory along with senior Joey Thede, (2nd in the 110m high hurdles), Anais Pillot and Dorian Hill.

Clayton Kuiper, Hafeli and Bing Tang swept the 3200m run.

“These were expected outcomes, but it’s the unexpected performances that can mean winning or losing,” Ford said.

Junior Nick Eaton upset the Adams thrower in the Discus, for 5 points that were unexpected.

Junior Caleb Jones doing the same thing in the high jump.

Third place finishes also prove to be crucial in a meet this close. Hill in the 100m and 200m dashes, Nick Eaton in the shot putt, Luke Peardon in the 800m run. — By Megan Kelley