Pekin still improving, second at Eddyville

EDDYVILLE ? Pekin finished second to a very strong Eddyville-Blakesburg team and Van Buren took fifth in a crowded field at the Rocket Relays Tuesday night in Eddyville.

As the Panthers run past the midway point of the season, several season bests were set on the track in Eddyville led by the core of middle-distance runners. That group led Pekin to wins in the 4x800-meter relay and the distance medley relay as Derek Robison, Brady Lamb, Matt Jones and Jeremy Tosh teamed up to win the 4x800 in 8:19.10 ? nearly five seconds ahead of their previous season best. The 1600 medley team comprised of Jones, Bryce Sines, Lamb and Robison also delivered a season best of 3:45.40 in a winning effort.

?We had several PR?s, but what I really like was how hard our team competed. That really helps us improve,? said head coach Davis Eidahl.

Field events have also become a strongpoint for the Panthers, to say the least, led by Zach Mosbey who won both the shot put and discus events Tuesday night. Trey Sathoff was fresh off a Drake Relays appearance in the high jump, where he finished in twelfth place, to win three of the four field events for Pekin. Austin Adam was right behind Mosbey in the shot put turning in a runner-up performance. Another Panther, Cody Millikin, took the second slot behind Mosbey in the discus. Sines was second behind Sathoff in the high jump to total six of the eight top two finishes in the field events.

Back on the track, Tosh remained true to form with a good finish in the 1600-meter run placing second in a time of 4:53.10. Philip Laux was also second for the Panthers in the 3200 (11:03.80). The sprinters turned in two third place performances in the 4x100-meter relay (Hunter Maeder, Sathoff, Bridger Wilcott, Cohen Phillips, 48.80) and 4x400 relay (Robison, Lamb, Jones, Millikin, 3:43.20).

For complete story, read the Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Fairfield Ledger.