Lady Panthers finish runner-up at SEISC meet

Health has been a factor for the Lady Panthers all season long and they’ve had to rely on some of their depth to step up and fill the void. The girls who did run at the SEISC meet on May 3 were able to rack up enough points to finish in second place, only Mediapolis scored more.

    The Lady Panthers picked up some early points in the high jump, discus and shot put events. Ellie Ledger got over the bar set at 4’-8.00” in the high jump but couldn’t advance further, taking fourth place and getting five points. Emi Zook had the second-best throw in the discus at 97’-9.00” and teammate Katie Jones took sixth in the event at 85’-11.00”. Jones then took third in the shot put, throwing for 31’-3.00” and got six team points.

    Pekin picked up eight more big points with a second-place finish in the 800m sprint medley which was run by Cate Roth, Gracie Baetsle, Sophie Wittrock and Emilee Linder. The four girls combined for a time of 1:59.56, just shy of getting their seasons best. The Lady Panthers got back on track in the 4x800m relay with a time of 11:01.78, taking first and running their best time of the season.

    “We’ve had to deal with so many injuries and I just wanted to see these girls compete,” Lady Panthers coach Josh Roudabush said. “We didn’t have the depth like we usually do, but I think they did well for what we did have.”

    Linder picked up more points in the 400m dash, running a time of 1:06.52 to take fourth place, just shy of taking third. The 4x200m relay led to more positive times run for the Lady Panthers as they ran a combined time of 1:57.78.

    Other results as follows:

    Long Jump: Kaylee Peiffer finished 10th (11’-0.50”)

    Shot Put: Emi Zook finished seventh (28’-10.00”)

    3000m run: Trinity Ehret took sixth (16:11.38), Shannon Saeger finished eighth (16:33.28)

    400m shuttle hurdle: Pekin finished third (1:23.64)

    100m dash: Cate Roth finished sixth (14.55)

    1600m DMR: Pekin finished fourth (4:52.31)

    100m hurdles: Gracie Baetsle took third (18.16), Kira Smith finished seventh (19.68)

    800m run: Remi Duwa took fourth (2:48.06) *personal record, Hollie Loper finished sixth (2:48.06) *personal record

    200m dash: Sophie Wittrock finished fifth (29.81)

    400m hurdles: Gracie Baetsle took fifth (1:19.99), Kira Smith finished ninth (1:31.63) *personal record

    4x100m relay: Pekin finished sixth (57.66)

    4x400m relay: Pekin finished sixth (4:58.28)

    “I thought our relays ran well and all the girls’ efforts were great,” Roudabush said. “We’re going to find out the best events we could make to State, but we’re going to try and get as many there as possible.”

    The Lady Panthers’ next competition isn’t till May 10 at Eddyville Blakesburg-Fremont in the District meet.