More school records fall for Rachford, Cardinal

MOUNT PLEASANT ? AJ Rachford has been big for the Cardinal track team all season, but he may have just had his best night yet at the Winfield-Mount Union Invitational Thursday.

Rachford was a winner in all four of his events and broke two school records in the process. The biggest of which came in the 400-hurdles ? a race he hasn?t run since his sophomore year ?where he posted a winning time of 56.78.

The senior also anchored the school-record setting shuttle-hurdle relay that finished in 1:07.27 along with Charlie Rachford, Tyler Goodell and Brandon Warren.

And even that wasn?t enough for the Comet star. Rachford followed up with winning anchor legs in the 4x100 (46.21) and 4x400 (3:49.33) relays to cap the night.

Sid McMartin, Marcus Giltner and Brandon Warren led off the 4x100, and McMartin, Giltner and Jimmy Edwards ran the 4x400.

McMartin, Giltner, Warren and Edwards also teamed up to keep Cardinal undefeated in the 4x200 (1:39.40) this season.

?We had a pretty good night even in the rain.? said Comet head coach Darren Hill. ?Any time you can win 5 events and set school records it is a good night, but I would love to have another meet with good weather sometime this year, just to see how fast we could run.?

The talented sprinters helped Cardinal to a fourth-place tie in the final team standings. Host Winfield-Mount Union finished on top.

Trevor Kayser added a runner-up finish in the high jump with one of his best jumps of the year ? clearing the bar at 6-feet, 0-inches.

Next up for Cardinal is a trip to the Warrior Relays Monday at Van Buren.

Winfield-Mt. Union Invitational

Cardinal Placewinners

Shot Put ? 5. Conner McElderry (38? 5.25?)

High Jump ? 2. Trevor Kayser (6? 0?)

Shuttle Hurdle-relay ? 1. Cardinal (C. Rachford, Goodell, Warren, A. Rachford, 1:07.27)

100-dash ? 3. Marcus Giltner (11.78), 6. Joe Olson (12.32)

400-dash ? 3 Sid McMartin (54.63)

4x200-relay ? 1. Cardinal (McMartin, Giltner, Warren, Edwards, 1:39.40)

400-hurdles ? 1. A. Rachford (56.78)

1600 Medley-relay ? 6. Cardinal (Olson, Edwards, C. Rachford, Kent, 4:49.86)

4x100-relay ? 1. Cardinal (McMartin, Giltner, Warren, A. Rachford, 46.21)

4x400-relay ? 1. Cardinal (McMartin, Giltner, Edwards, A. Rachford, 3:49.33)

Final Team Standings

1. Winfield-Mt. Union 121, 2. WACO 92, 3. West Burlington-Notre Dame 86, 4. Cardinal 74, 4. New London 74, 6. Columbus 42, 7. Harmony 27, 8. Danville 4