Mendo shows out in the JC indoor track opener

MARION — Track season is underway.

The Jay County High School indoor track team opened up its season Friday at the Indiana Wesleyan University Hoosier State Relay qualifier meet, where the girls team brought home four fourth-place finishes.

Matilda Mendo put in a strong day for the girls, earning two of the fourth-place finishes for the Patriots. Her time of 8.2 seconds in the 60-meter dash tied the school record. Her other high finish came in the long jump, with her best distance coming in at 15 feet, 2.75 inches.

Jenna Dues earned the only other fourth-place finish in the high jump (4 feet, 8 inches), while the 4x800 relay team snagged the other one with a time of 10 minutes, 39.32 seconds.

Morgan DeHoff fell just short of fourth in the 60 hurdles, placing fifth by 0.06 seconds to Churubusco’s Alyssa Eby.

The highest finish for the boys came from Adam Alig, who placed fifth in the high jump at 5 feet, 10 inches. Alig also earned one of two eight-place finishes after running a  9.15 seconds time in the 60 hurdles.

The only other top-eight placement the boys earned came in the 4x200 relay.

Other top-10 finishes came from the girls 4x200 relay (seventh), girls 4x400 relay (seventh), Jordyn Hutzler in the shot put (eighth), boys 4x800 relay (eighth), DeHoff in the long jump (ninth) and boys 4x200 relay (ninth).

Bronze champions

INDIANAPOLIS — The JC Flipsters closed out the regular season with a team championship in the Xcel Bronze division on Saturday at the Super Sale Invitational.

The Bronze division was led by Brinley Steury and Carlie Runkle who each finished first all-around with scores of 37.95 and 37.6, respectively. 

Steury took the top spot in the vault, on the beam and on the floor, all with a score of 9.55 points.

Runkle’s score of 9.5 points earned the top spot on the bars. She also topped the floor competition with 9.45 points, and was runner-up in the other two competitions.

Also in the bronze division, Aubrey Forman (37.3) and Emma Robinson (37.15) finished second all-around while Oakli Bellis (36.7) and Paylin Vance (35.9) placed third.

Charli Stephens and Eden Lee both placed first all-around in the Xcel Silver division with 37.8 and 37.25 points, respectively.

Lee finished first in on the bars (9.5) and the floor (9.45), while Stephens’ only victory came on the beam (9.6).

Bella Sarver had the best day in the Xcel Gold division, netting 36.075 points for fourth all-around.