July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Bruggeman sparks win
JCHS track
Bruggeman sparks win
PORTLAND — Just as she was about to run the 200-meter dash — her final race of the day — Jamie Bruggeman was told she would run again in the 1600-meter relay. “(The 1600) is my least favorite race, so I was really not feeling good about it,” Bruggeman said.
She feels a little better now.
Bruggeman roared back in the final 200 meters of her anchor leg, winning the race by a comfortable margin to earn a 63-60 victory for her team against Bellmont Thursday. Jay County lost to the Squaws by the same margin last season.
Jay County’s boys team lost the Braves, 78-45.
Bruggeman had already won the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the Patriots’ opening meet of the season, but Jay County still trailed because of a strong effort in the 3200-meter run by the Squaws. Down by two points, it needed to win the final relay to take the meet.
It was a back-and-forth race for the team victory, with Jay County’s Jill Roughia slipping behind in the opening leg. Jessica Heitkamp rolled back in her 400 to take the lead, but Bellmont’s Sarah Ellis pushed past Lindsay Friddle on the third leg to reclaim the advantage.
Then came time for Bruggeman, who looked doomed midway through her final 400-meters. However, by the time she made the final turn that had all changed.
The sophomore, knowing her team needed the precious five points, kicked it into high gear and passed Jamie Holt with just under 100 meters to go. She never looked back, streaking to the finish line to win the race and the meet.
“It was awesome,” said Bruggeman. “The adrenaline rush makes you forget about everything. All those people just screaming — I don’t think I could’ve done it without them.”
“It took guts,” added Jay County girls track coach Tyler Caldwell, whose team has gone through a variety of hardships over the past week. “Anything they did tonight was on their own.”
The Patriots haven’t had their coach with them for much of the past week because of personal reasons. They lost their top distance runner, Alyssa Johnson, Tuesday to a broken foot, and fellow distance runner Melissa Fifer sat out the 3200-meter run with an ankle injury.
Heather Manor came back from injury to win the discus (95 feet, seven inches) and place third in the shot put. Add that to a disqualification in the 400-meter relay — which would have given Bruggeman a fourth victory on the night — and the Jay County win was that much more impressive.
Caldwell also credited senior Amber Golden, who gave up her spot in the 1600 relay for Bruggeman, with a huge part of the team victory.
“She didn’t win the race, but it still comes down to senior leadership,” he said. “She was willing to give her spot to a younger girl for the benefit of the team.
“These girls decided they wanted to go undefeated in dual meets and three-way meets this year. We’ve have a real team unity thing going for us. That’s where conference and sectional championships are won.”
Nicole VanSkyock matched Bruggeman with a pair of individual wins, taking first in the 800-meter run (2:40.59) and the 1600-meter run (5:59.60). Kristina Link was first in the shot put (37 feet, nine inches), Danielle Michael won the high jump (four feet, 10 inches) and Jessica Heitkamp took the 400-meter run (1:04.80).
Overall, Jay County won eight of the 12 individual events on the evening.
Paul Imel did the job for the Patriot boys, winning a pair of individual vents. He was first in the 100-meter dash in 12.19 and the 200-meter dash in 24.72.
He also placed second in the 400-meter dash.
David Stith and Kyle Carpenter eked out wins in a couple of field events.
Stith pushed in a new personal best with a toss of 47 feet, one inch to win the shot put by one inch. Carpenter matched Aaron Richie with a high jump of five feet, eight inches, and took first on the tie breaker.
Alex Loucks, Lucas McBride, Adam Grile and Steven Castillo teamed to win the 400-meter relay with a time of 45.06.
“(The kids) said 39 was the most they scored last year,” said Jay County boys track coach Shane Hill. “We’re already performing better.
“I think some guys have seen personally that they have some work to do. Some of their times weren’t what they wanted them to be.”
The Patriots’ next meet is Tuesday at Richmond at 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
She feels a little better now.
Bruggeman roared back in the final 200 meters of her anchor leg, winning the race by a comfortable margin to earn a 63-60 victory for her team against Bellmont Thursday. Jay County lost to the Squaws by the same margin last season.
Jay County’s boys team lost the Braves, 78-45.
Bruggeman had already won the 100- and 200-meter dashes in the Patriots’ opening meet of the season, but Jay County still trailed because of a strong effort in the 3200-meter run by the Squaws. Down by two points, it needed to win the final relay to take the meet.
It was a back-and-forth race for the team victory, with Jay County’s Jill Roughia slipping behind in the opening leg. Jessica Heitkamp rolled back in her 400 to take the lead, but Bellmont’s Sarah Ellis pushed past Lindsay Friddle on the third leg to reclaim the advantage.
Then came time for Bruggeman, who looked doomed midway through her final 400-meters. However, by the time she made the final turn that had all changed.
The sophomore, knowing her team needed the precious five points, kicked it into high gear and passed Jamie Holt with just under 100 meters to go. She never looked back, streaking to the finish line to win the race and the meet.
“It was awesome,” said Bruggeman. “The adrenaline rush makes you forget about everything. All those people just screaming — I don’t think I could’ve done it without them.”
“It took guts,” added Jay County girls track coach Tyler Caldwell, whose team has gone through a variety of hardships over the past week. “Anything they did tonight was on their own.”
The Patriots haven’t had their coach with them for much of the past week because of personal reasons. They lost their top distance runner, Alyssa Johnson, Tuesday to a broken foot, and fellow distance runner Melissa Fifer sat out the 3200-meter run with an ankle injury.
Heather Manor came back from injury to win the discus (95 feet, seven inches) and place third in the shot put. Add that to a disqualification in the 400-meter relay — which would have given Bruggeman a fourth victory on the night — and the Jay County win was that much more impressive.
Caldwell also credited senior Amber Golden, who gave up her spot in the 1600 relay for Bruggeman, with a huge part of the team victory.
“She didn’t win the race, but it still comes down to senior leadership,” he said. “She was willing to give her spot to a younger girl for the benefit of the team.
“These girls decided they wanted to go undefeated in dual meets and three-way meets this year. We’ve have a real team unity thing going for us. That’s where conference and sectional championships are won.”
Nicole VanSkyock matched Bruggeman with a pair of individual wins, taking first in the 800-meter run (2:40.59) and the 1600-meter run (5:59.60). Kristina Link was first in the shot put (37 feet, nine inches), Danielle Michael won the high jump (four feet, 10 inches) and Jessica Heitkamp took the 400-meter run (1:04.80).
Overall, Jay County won eight of the 12 individual events on the evening.
Paul Imel did the job for the Patriot boys, winning a pair of individual vents. He was first in the 100-meter dash in 12.19 and the 200-meter dash in 24.72.
He also placed second in the 400-meter dash.
David Stith and Kyle Carpenter eked out wins in a couple of field events.
Stith pushed in a new personal best with a toss of 47 feet, one inch to win the shot put by one inch. Carpenter matched Aaron Richie with a high jump of five feet, eight inches, and took first on the tie breaker.
Alex Loucks, Lucas McBride, Adam Grile and Steven Castillo teamed to win the 400-meter relay with a time of 45.06.
“(The kids) said 39 was the most they scored last year,” said Jay County boys track coach Shane Hill. “We’re already performing better.
“I think some guys have seen personally that they have some work to do. Some of their times weren’t what they wanted them to be.”
The Patriots’ next meet is Tuesday at Richmond at 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
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