Track and field: Lodi sweep boys, girls titles at Edgerton

For the first time ever, it was a clean sweep for the Lodi track and field teams at the Edgerton Tider Invitational.

The Blue Devils won the boys’ and girls’ divisions at the recent meet.

“I can’t tell you how impressive our athletes were,” said Lodi head coach Randy Skellenger. “We had perfect weather. We’d never won both titles at Edgerton, and we won handily, despite backing off a bit for the Arrowhead meet.”

That Arrowhead meet would take place the next day.

At Edgerton, Izzy Bahe was a double winner for the Lodi girls, taking first in the discus (123-2) and the shot put (34-9), while Olivia Heyroth topped the field in the triple jump (33-4.5), Rylie Wilcox won the 300 hurdles in 48.94 — the second-fastest time in school history — and Brook Endres was first in the 3,200 run in 13:14.40.

Natalie Kelley raced to second in the 200 dash (28.60), as Wilcox was runner-up in the 100 hurdles (16.68) to finish ahead of Heyroth (16.80). Heyroth was also third in the high jump, clearing 5-0, and Reese Ryan finished third in the long jump (15-9) and the triple jump (32-7).

For the boys, Lodi athletes shined in the field events, as Gavin Sargeant won the long jump (21-9) and the triple jump (43-11). Isaiah Groskopf was first in the shot put (51-11.5, No. 3 all-time in school history), with teammates Henry Koeppen (44-8) and Josh Klann (43-11) finishing second and third, respectively. In the pole vault, Ben Skellenger cleared a career-best 13-6 to win the pole vault, with teammate Everett Clemens finishing third (11-0). Nick Week finished a surprising fourth in the discus, breaking the 130-feet mark — a career best.

The 3,200 relay team also won, finishing in 8:29.40 — the No. 10 time in the state. In the 300 hurdles, Zach Nyquist (40.73) and Bennett Nyquist (42.40) ended up first and second, respectively. Bennett Nyquist took fourth in the 110 hurdles (17.32). Zach Nyquist’s time in the 300 hurdles was No. 4 all-time in school history and is currently No. 3 in the state.

Roger Melland ran to third in the 800 run (2:40.78), as Aiden Groskopf (23.17) and Noah Houdek (23.20) raced to first and second, respectively, in the 200 dash. Groskopf finished third in the 100 dash (11.27).

Sugar River QuadBy virtue of finishing first in both divisions, the Lodi girls and boys were able to win the Capitol Conference duals titles.

Sargeant had another big day, just missing the school record in the triple jump by leaping a state-leading 46-1.75. He also led a crew of long jumpers who all went 20 feet or more, including Sargeant, Bennett Nyquist and Jacobo Castillo-Rosalas.

Also, the 1,600 relay group of Zach Nyquist, Houdek, Brody Ripp and Roger Melland ran its fastest time of the year and Preston Follis cleared 40 feet in the triple jump for the first time, going 40-1.

“With this meet, we wanted to put down some good marks, try some different events and get ready for Arrowhead the next day,” said Skellenger. “It was like a tryout for postseason time.”

Arrowhead Invitational

Featuring many of the top Division 1 teams and athletes in the state, along with highly regarded Division 2 and 3 squads, the meet boasted 80 teams.

Highlights included Sargeant finishing as runner-up in the long jump, going 21-10. Bahe was third in the discus with a throw of 122-4 and made the finals of the shot put, finishing ninth with a throw of 34-9.

Zach Nyquist was fifth in the 300 hurdles, running a time of 41.14, and Olivia Heyroth tied for fifth in the high jump, making it at 5-0.