The local indoor track teams took the oval for the first time this season as both Salem and Glenvar High competed in meets.
On Saturday the Spartan mid-distance and distance runners competed in the Liberty Flames High School Invitational Meet. Both 4x 800 relay teams placed as the girls 4×800 team of McKenzie Eversole, Addison Hancock, Olivia Huff and Audrey Harmon took 6th out of 14 schools. The Salem boys 4×800 team of Austin Prosser, Thomas Scharp, Grafton Smith and John Stovall was 8th out of 19 schools.
Glenvar was also at Liberty to open the season.
“The meet was scheduled to host up to 2200 athletes, with 130 teams from multiple states,” said Highlanders’ coach Bekka Loder. “Despite the weather, there was still a strong turnout and incredible competition.”
Glenvar took 14 athletes and came out strong, setting two new school records, five state-qualifying times and five PRs across the board. Joey Loder placed 4th overall in the boys’ 55H, setting a new school record and qualifying for state while posting a PR of 7.70, putting him in the top 10 in the nation. He also qualified for states in the 300 dash.
The boys 4×800 relay team of Aldin Smith, Cash Malcolm, Asher Fought and Evan Harris set a new school record and qualified for states with a time of 8:48.36, placing 6th overall.
The GHS girls and boys 4×400 relay teams both state-qualified, with the girls team of Anna Hall, Kailee McDonald, Rayya Bryson, and Aiden Beverly running 4:30.33 and the boys foursome of Will Harold, Jackson Wimmer, Asher Faught, and Evan Harris running 3:46.27.
This week Salem will be running in the East Coast Elite Meet at Roanoke College. Glenvar was also scheduled to attend but the Highlanders will take the day off to watch the football team play for the state championship.
