Oak Hill Relays - Boys
Saturday, May 09, 2004

Western continued its winning ways Friday as they rolled to a convincing win in the Oak Hill Relays. The Panthers totaled 94 points to top the seven-team field. Northwestern (55) and Peru (54) finished 3-4.

Kyle Walsh and Blayne Burkholder highlighted the Panthere' balanced attack. Walsh turned in an outstanding time of 4:25.74 to win the 1,600 run while Burkholder won the pole vault competition. He cleared 14 feet in the pole vault to set a meet record.

Other Western athletes who had winning performances were Tommy Jenkins (100 dash) and Jon Bdttain (shot put). The Panthers also won the distance medley and shuttle hurdle relays. The distance medley team featured an all-senior lineup of Noah Hoover, David Aldrich, Jim Jackson, and Walsh. Their shuttle hurdle relay. team featured Sean HolSapple, Burkholder, Brandon Youngdale and Kyle, Irwin.

"We enjoy this meet because it allows us to see some teams we don't normally see. There is a certain element of surprise, and our kids really rose to the occasion," WHS coach Dana Neer said.' "We were ' second the last two years; lest year, Rochester edged us by two points, so winning this was a big goal for our team. Rochester had the lead about a third of the way through the meet, but our kids consistently outscored them the rest of the Way."

Neer noted the Panthers have won the distance medley relay four straight years and that Jenkins is a two-time winner in the 100 dash. He also praised his shuttle hurdle relay team for becoming the first Western, team to win that event.

Northwestern received wins from Jay Young (high jump) and Jon Gonzales (long jumP). Peru was led by ' Elliot Cohee, who won the 110 hurdles in addition to running legs on the winning 1,600 and 900 sprint medley relay teams.

Oak Hill Relays - Girls

Western totaled 87 points to easily top the seven-team field. Tippecanoe Valley was a distant second with 62 points, while Northwestern (45) and Peru (38) finished 4-5.

Tiffany Reida and Annina Gruber led the Panthers' charge to victory. Reida took wins in the 100 dash and long jump, and she also helped her 900 meter sprint medley relay team grab a win. Gruber also was a triple winner. She won the 1,600 run, and was a member of the winning 3,200 and distance medley relay teams.

Other WHS athletes who delivered big performances included: Irwin (pole vautt) and Anna Hurlock (3,200 and distance medley relays) and fellow relay members Rachel A. Smith, Mary Koors, Hannah Thieke, Becky Elliott, Megan Clearwaters, Ali Hoover and Brittany Stellhorn.

"We had good performances from many people," WHS coach Peggy Obermeyer said, "Tiffany Reida contributed 14 1/2 points and Annina Gruber scored 11 points, but it was not just one or two people for us. Everyone went out and performed Well.

"We took points in every event," she` added. We averaged five points out of a possible six in the field events and open running events, and we averaged seven points out of a possible 10 points in the relay events. We won four of the seven relays."