This past Friday and Saturday, Manual’s boys’ and girls’ track and field teams competed in the Eastern Relays. This annual outdoor track and field meet attracts over 150 teams across the Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois region.
The tournament was primarily held at the University of Louisville’s track and field stadium–Cardinal Track Stadium. Manual also hosted a few open events on Saturday at their track and field. For once, this past weekend was close to some perfect weather days for athletes, family and friends alike to watch one of the biggest track and field meets unfold in the region. However, the change in weather is a challenge for runners as it takes time to become acclimated.
Despite the weather and vast competition, the boys’ team was able to capture the open championship, while the girls’ team captured fifth place in the invitational championships out of 50 teams and ninth place in the open championships out of 23 teams. Many individual Manual runners who competed in individual events ran personal bests or season bests.
Among some of the top finishers for Manual include Aidan Bransford (9, HSU) who finished sixth in the boys’ 100-meter open with a time of 11.25 seconds. Zoa Scott (9, YPAS) also ran the same event for the girls’ team, finishing 12th out of 44 runners with a time of 13.38 seconds.
Alex Allen (12, HSU) placed third in the girls’ 200-meter invitational with a time of 25.23 seconds. Allen also finished second in the girls’ 400-meter invitational with a time of 57.66 seconds.
The boys’ and girls’ 800-meter open and invitational races are where Manual shone. In the boys’ open, four Manual runners finished in the top 20, including Oliver Zausch (10, HSU), who finished second with a time of 2:06.20, Calvin Brooks (11, HSU) who finished in sixth with a time of 2:08.06, Jacob Bohn (12, HSU), who finished 12th with a time of 2:10.95 and Michael Okeke (12, HSU), who finished in 20th with a time of 2:15.04.
As for the girls’ open, Ava Basa (10, MST) finished with a time of 2:38.76, capturing fifth place overall, while Dagny Morgan (10, HSU) finished in 12th place with a time of 2:45.25. Maggie May (12, VA) finished seventh with a time of 2:17.18 in the girls’ invitational for the same event.
“I think that overall we did pretty well for such a big meet, but the less than ideal conditions left many people frustrated with their times and performances,” Morgan said.
In the boys’ open mile, all four of Manual’s runners finished within the top 20 yet again. Zausch finished in fourth place, with Bohn right behind him in fifth place. Ty Barnes (12, MST) also finished in 15th place, with Brooks following him in 17th place. Basa also finished seventh with a time of 5:56.68 in the same girls’ event.
In the girls’ 3200-meter invitational, all four of Manual’s runners finished with a time under 12 minutes and within the top 21 out of 85 runners. May placed ninth, Emerson Wyatt (12, MST) placed 11th, Bailee Montgomery (11, HSU) placed 15th and Madison Price (10, HSU) placed 21st.
E’ternity Starks (12, YPAS) captured first place in the girls’ high jump invitational, jumping 1.68 meters into the air. Kaelem Muhamedziev (10, HSU) finished in second place for the boys’ long jump open, jumping 6.23 meters. Favor Odebowale (11, MST) also finished fourth in the girls’ long jump invitational.
Ingram Quick (12, HSU) finished sixth in the boys’ open shot put. Chaz Stallard (12, HSU) captured fourth place in the boys’ triple jump with Muhamedziev finishing right behind him in fifth place.
To see all of Manual’s results, click here. To see all of the results from the 2025 Eastern Relays, click here.
