Taylor takes first in three events, Panthers claim team title

WEST BRANCH ? Leslie Taylor won three individual events and ran the leadoff leg of the winning 4x100 relay to aid the Mt. Pleasant girls? track and field team in a first-place team finish at West Branch last night.

The Panthers scored 170 points as a team, beating out the second-place host team, West Branch, which scored 144. Solon took third place with a score of 126.

Taylor took the gold in the 100-meter dash with a time of :13.07; she won the 100 hurdles in a time of :15.92, and took first in the long jump at 15-11 1/2.

Two other Panther girls had individual first-place finishes: Hannah Becker won he 400 hurdles in :72.28, and Chloe Haffarnan won the 800 in 2:31.04.

Four of the Mt. Pleasant relay teams also took the top spot: the shuttle hurdle relay team of Chelsey Stark, Kaitlin Jones, Becker and Kelsi Phipps finished in 1:07.30; the 4x100 team of Taylor, Kelsey Smith, Jones and Taylor Shull finished in :52.57; the 4x800 team of Natalie Myers, Natalie Ita, Emma Ludwig and Taryne Shull finished in 10:33.50; and the distance medley team of Sierra Wyse, Grace Lutovsky, Myers and Haffarnan finished in 4:28.60.

The Panthers also had a number of second place finishes: Becker in the high jump (4-10) and the 100 hurdles (:16.18); Mary Wester in the discus throw (96-8 1/2); Emma Ludwig in the 400 (:66.60); Taryne Shull in 800 (2:37.41); and the 4x200 team of Smith, Phipps, Jones and Taylor Shull (1:52.28).

?(Another) top performance was by Ellie Conrad in 1500 (5:18),? Coach Dave Hutchcroft said.

But, while the team enjoyed its success, the goal of the meet was not quite met.

?The purpose of going to this meet was to go head to head with 3A power Solon, so it was disappointing that they elected not to run full strength because they have another meet tonight at Tipton,? Hutchcroft said.

Next up for the Mt. Pleasant track and field team is the Panther Relays at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex on Tuesday, starting at 5 p.m.