Newton played host to a large field on Saturday as the Olney Invitational boys track meet was relocated due to construction at Olney’s facility. Competing on their home track, the Eagles turned in a solid showing against a deep lineup of teams, finishing 11th in the varsity standings with 26 points, while the freshman/sophomore squad placed second.
Olney (Richland County) captured the varsity team title with 120 points, followed by Charleston (74.5) and Benton (71.5). Despite the tough competition, Newton found success across multiple events, highlighted by strong relay performances and several personal-best efforts.
Brock Anderson led the way for the Eagles in the sprints. The junior placed 4th in the 200 meters with a personal-best time of 24.08 and added a 10th-place finish in the 100 meters at 11.79. Brayan Ramos also turned in a personal-best performance in the 200, finishing 9th in 25.24, and contributed across multiple relay teams.
In the 400 meters, Parker Harris posted a personal-best time of 54.61 to take 8th, while Tanner Whitaker ran a personal-best 2:09.39 in the 800 meters to finish 9th. In distance events, Johnnie Brant recorded a personal-best 5:15.41 in the 1600.
Also in the distance races, Owen Schackmann made a meaningful return to competition, finishing the mile in 5:45.82. Schackmann’s performance marked his first race back after an injury ended his football season in the fall, and his return to the track was a positive moment for the Eagles program.
The hurdles saw a strong performance from Hayden Borgic, who placed 4th in the 300-meter hurdles with a personal-best 41.82, one of Newton’s top individual finishes of the day.
Newton’s relay teams were a bright spot throughout the meet. The 4×400 varsity team of Henry Will, Tanner Whitaker, Parker Harris, and Hayden Borgic placed 4th with a time of 3:37.41. The 4×100 team (Ramos, Matthew Haskett, Henry Will, Anderson) finished 5th in 45.55, while the 4×800 squad (Holden Barthelemy, Brant, Hayden Mulvey, Daniel Falcioni) also placed 5th in 9:21.76.
At the freshman/sophomore level, Newton had an impressive showing, finishing second overall. The 4×400 relay team of Daniel Falcioni, Holden Barthelemy, Dylan Earnest, and Ian Kessler took 2nd with a time of 3:56.10, while the 4×200 relay team (Ramos, Kaleb Iffert, Evan Holder, Beau Bennett) placed 3rd in 1:40.92.
In the field events, Newton saw steady performances. Caleb Flasch and Ian Kessler each recorded personal-best throws in discus at 37.49m and 37.29m, respectively, finishing 12th and 13th. In shot put, Owen Ulm led the Eagles with a throw of 10.86m. Evan Holder added a 7th-place finish in pole vault, clearing 3.35 meters.
With multiple personal-best efforts, strong relay finishes, and the return of Schackmann to competition, the Eagles made the most of the opportunity to compete at home while continuing to build momentum as the season progresses.
