Greiner racks up wins, Pekin takes title

PACKWOOD - It wasn't raining or sleeting or snowing but the wind was constantly blowing.

Pekin hosted nine other schools Monday in the 2021 Ruritan Relays, the first track and field competition in almost two years on the Davis Eidahl Track. Panthers coach Eidahl, in his 57th year at the helm, saw his boys team run away with the title by more than 50 points on second-place Cardinal.

Cardinal had the best individual performance with Griffin Greiner's four victories in as many events. Greiner took first in the sprint races of the 100 meters (12.43 seconds), 200 (25.5), and the 400 (52.73) and he rose to much greater heights than other competitors in the high jump, clearing 6 feet, 2 inches. Van Buren County's Tyler Stoltz was third at 5-8. Wyatt Mertens had the lone win for Van Buren when he traveled 18-11.75 in the long jump.

Greiner scored 40 of Cardinal's 71 points while Brady Millikin and Michael Jones were each a part of 30 Panther points. Millikin with wins in the 3200 meters in 11 minutes, 12.62 seconds, the 1600 in 5:05.79 and the anchor leg of the distance medley with Jones, Cade Parmenter and Zack Wise in a time of 4:07.83. Wise contributed a win in the 800 with a time of 2:16.24. Jones also had a part of the shuttle hurdle relay win with Kyler Dickey, Justice Kirkbride and Logan Lauderman in 1:18.38. Jones hurdled his way to victory in the 110-meter high hurdles. Mason Juhl's strength led to a Pekin win in the shot put at 40-8.

WACO finished ahead of Van Buren County in the team race 42-38 with four finishes of third place. That was Mason Miller's 200 time of 25.69, Braden Spain's 400 time of 56.73, Chase Waterhouse's discus toss of 98-9, and the sprint medley's time of 1:51.17.

TEAM SCORES

1. Pekin 124, 2. Cardinal 71, 3. Lone Tree 64, 4. English Valleys 63, 5. Sigourney 57, 6. North Mahaska 54, 7. Moravia 52, 8. WACO 42, 9. Van Buren 38, 10. Tri-County 8