Raiders Compete at CAAC League Track and Field Finals

The Portland Raiders boys track team traveled to Lansing Sexton for the CAAC Championship on a beautiful night this past Wednesday. Unfortunately on the first event of the day, junior Ethan Patrick took off from the Long Jump board and popped his hamstring. One of the favorites in the Long Jump, 200m, and on two Relay teams was now out, so the young Raiders would need to step up.

Andrew Maynard and Brett Beard stepped up like they have all year, jumping 19’1¼” and 18’1¼” and grabbing 2nd Place and 5th Place in the Long Jump. Beard went straight over to the High Jump and equaled his season best of 5’8” taking 2nd place. At the same time Noah Simpson and Evan Bower took 2nd and 3rd Place in the Discus with throws of 121’1¼” and 113’7½”. Braiden Kehr and Simpson followed up the Discus with 4th and 6th Place medals in the Shot Put for the Raiders, finishing the Field Event scoring.

On the Track, Andrew Maynard continued to do what he has all year running an 11.82 and grabbing 2nd Place in the 100m. With Patrick out, Michael Almy stepped up in the 200m with a season best time of 24.44 and a 6th Place points. The 400m thru 3200m didn’t go as well as the Raiders would hope, but the Relays stepped up. The 4x800 Relay of Caiden Pelc, Yannis Maurer, Jake Olsen and Ben Wassmus finally had 4 healthy runners and took 4th Place, showing good things to come next year. The 4x100 Relay was missing two regulars, insterted Dustin Wolf and Michael Almy to go with Baron Seal and Maynard and ran their second best time of the year taking 2nd Place! The best race of the day was definitely the 4x200 and what the CAAC Championship is about! With Baron Seal stepping in for the injured Partick, Portland ran their second best time of the year. AND ONLY after a lengthy review of a diving finish, 1st place was given to Ionia and 2nd to Portland. Portland’s 4x400 of Dustin Wolf, Caiden Pelc, Ben Wassmus, and Yannis Maurer filling in for the now injured Dylan Wolf finished the day with a 5th Place.

The Raiders season ended a little banged-up, but still managed to gather 15 medals and leave them encouraged about what next year could bring, with the strong 2021 number of athletes out and only graduating a couple seniors.