By Robert Whitmire

The SPASH Boys and Girls varsity track teams finish big in the Wisconsin Valley Conference Indoor Meet at the UW-Stevens Point Multi-Activity Center on Tuesday.

The Panther girls won their meet scoring 179 points. Wausau West was second with 152 and D.C. Everest finished third with 104. SPASH entered the meet as the defending WVC champions.

Abbey Hyland of SPASH. (City Times photo)

Junior Abbey Hyland was a double winner taking the 1600 meter run with a time of 5:24.7 and the 800 meter run crossing the finish line at 2:24.04.  Hyland was also a member of the winning 4 x 400 meter relay (Talyn Solinsky, Hannah Sankey, Hyland, Halle Gregorich).

Top finishers included Taylor Louis in the shot put (37.10.00), the 4 x 200 meter relay (Kiana Thompson, Laura Canapa, Lauren Woyak, Autum Shurbert-Hetzel) with a time of 1:51.36 and Mya Zajakowski in the 3200-meter run at 12:21.84.

“It was an all-around team effort in which every single girl contributed,” said Panther Coach Nate Olson. “We overcame some adversity early in the meet when we got down early to Wausau West and D.C. Everest but the girls kept their cool and really showed a lot of guts and determination. The conference competition is definitely improving with a lot of outstanding athletes. Our hat goes off to them.”

The Panther boys successfully defended their 2015 conference title outscoring D.C. Everest 205 to 147.5. Wausau West finished third with 91 points.

Senior Victor Kizewski topped the field in the 55 meter dash with a time of 6.64 and came back to win the 200 meter dash at 22.91.

Sophomore Liam Belson was a double winner for the Panthers taking the 1600 meter run at 4:33.62 and the 800 meter run at 159.57. Belson also ran the second leg for the winning 4 x 400 meter relay (Nolan Metz, Belson, Chase Franz, Jacob Beilke) crossing the line in 3:29.66.

Top finishers for the Panthers included Alex Scott (shot put) with a toss of 52-04.75, Connor Pliska (pole vault) with a height of 13-00.00, the 4 x 800 meter relay (Blake Milkowski, Cjad Franz, Tyler Bernstein, Mark Stokopf) at 8:40.43, Nolan Metz (400 meter dash) with a time of 51.05 and Tyler Patoka winning the 200 meter dash at 25.64.

The Panthers will compete in the Wisconsin Valley Conference Relays May 3 at 3:30 PM at D.C. Everest.