By Emma Moriarty
Just like Connor Woltz running and jumping over hurdles, this track season has gone by amazingly fast and finished in a good place. During the first full week of May, the majority of TPA’s track team spent a good 8 hours a day on Friday, Saturday, and for some, Thursday, at Mesa Community College, all competing in the various track and field events they qualified for in the state meet.
Rachel Matsumoto put in her best effort at the 400 meter, being close to second and first for one lap, third for another, and finishing in fourth overall. All of Tempe Prep’s athletes put in their best effort and scored amazingly.
Speaking of Connor Woltz, he made it to finals for Tempe Prep’s division on Friday in the 110-meter hurdles, placing 9th overall and also in the 300 meter hurdles, getting 7th overall. Catherine Bryant finished with an impressive 2nd place in the finals for 100-meter hurdles.
TPA’s relay teams also did very well. The girls’ 4 by 400 meter team, consisting of freshmen Kierstin Thigpen and Rachel Dietz, Sophomore Mary O’Melia, and Senior Rachel Matsumoto, finished in 8th place for the finals. For the boys’ 4 by 400, the combination of sophomores, juniors and seniors Herman Flores, Jacob Matsumoto, Isaiah Brittain, and Zach Brittain, placed 5th in finals.
The 4 by 100 Tempe Prep boys’ team with freshman Ahmad Jones, Isaiah, Herman, and Zach placed 6th. The girl’s team placed 5th with a team of Rachel Matsumoto, Mary O’Melia, Catherine Bryant, and Catherine Coriell. Rachel Matsumoto also later won an impressive 6th place in the second session of the 800 meter run, and freshman Kat Camberg ran in the 3200 meter, finishing 23rd but never giving up and finishing strong every single lap.
Moving onto the “Field” portion of Track and Field, for boys’ discus throwing, Isaiah Brittain got 3rd place in finals and senior Cameron Bergin got 13th, and for girl’s, Catherine Swingle placed 9th. Claire Ternyik got 8th in shot put for both finals and flight 2, and for the boys’ event, Isaiah Brittain placed 3rd in finals and Cameron Bergin in 10th.Catherine Bryant and Rebecca Knebelsberger did very well in triple jump as well, placing 2nd and 11th overall. For the boys’ portion, John Paul Beguhl placed 6th in finals and Jacob Matsumoto in 11th. For the girls’ pole vaulting finals, Catherine Camberg set several school records as the first pole-vaulter in the whole history of Tempe Prep, placing 8th overall against several extremely competitive schools that have been competing in the event for several years. For finals in long jump, Catherine Bryant finished with an astounding 3rd place.
The teams’ hard work and dedication have especially paid off this season and we hope to see such a successful time next spring as well!