)NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Timm Chandonia competes in the discus at the WaMaC conference meet. Chandonia finished in fourth place for the Trojans

The STC boys track and field team finished in twelfth place at the annual WaMaC conference meet on Thursday night, May 8. Hosted by Mount Vernon High School this year, the Trojans were led by juniors Barrett Jesina and Timm Chandonia.

Jesina and Chandonia secured STC’s only top-five individual performances on the night and, in the process, earned eleven of the nineteen points the Trojan team collected. Jesina finished third in the 3200 with a time of 10:24. He also ran the 1600 and finished in ninth place (4:48). Chandonia finished in fourth place in the discus with a throw of 153 feet-1 inch.

The Trojans also received team points from individual performances by senior Cody Blocker and sophomore Josiah Houghton. Blocker finished in sixth place in the 200 with a time of 23.76. Houghton ran the 400 hurdles in a time of 59.10 to pull in seventh place.

STC received their remaining team points from two top-ten relay teams. The 4×100 team of sophomore Michael Henry, Blocker, senior Tyrus Clegg, and junior Nick Upah finished in seventh place (44.97). Coming in eighth place was the 4×800 team of junior Carver Cecak, freshman Brady Jesina, freshman Henry Martinez-Alvarado, and Houghton.

In other action, Clegg was the top finisher for the Trojans in the long jump (12th, 18 feet-9 inches), while freshman Lakyr Peska paced the team in the shot put (20th, 35 feet-10.75 inches). Blocker also finished twelfth in the 400 (54.87) and junior Wes Hanus came in eleventh in the 110 hurdles (18.23). The Trojans also finished with two other top-ten relay teams. The 4×200 team of Upah, freshman Izak Schroeder, Clegg, and Henry finished in tenth (1:36.05), while the 4×400 team of Schroeder, Brant, Hanus, and Houghton ran 3:46 for tenth place.

EWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Wes Hanus runs the second leg of the Distance Medley relay at the annual WaMaC conference meet.

The annual conference meet was won by Clear Creek Amana, who finished with a top score of 134 points. They were followed by Center Point-Urbana (107) and Mount Vernon (75.5). Clear Creek Amana sophomore Tay Seals was voted MVP of the meet. Seals won both the 100 (10.69) and the 110 hurdles (14.10). He also anchored the first place 4×100 and Shuttle Hurdle relay teams for CCA.

The STC track and field team now turns its attention to the postseason. Following their State Qualifying Meet this past Thursday, May 15, the annual State Track Meet will be held from May 22-24 in Des Moines.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Barrett Jesina finds running room among a pack of runners in the WaMaC conference 3200. Jesina finished in third place for the Trojans.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC senior Tyrus Clegg takes the baton from freshman Izak Schroeder in the 4x200 relay. The team of Nick Upah, Schroeder, Clegg, and Michael Henry finished in 10th place for the Trojans.