The Atlantic boys’ track team came home as the 2019 Hawkeye-10 champions at the conference meet hosted by the Lewis Central Titans on Thursday, May 2, earning a total of 145 points. The Harlan Cyclones came in second, 20 points behind the leading Trojans. The team also won in 2018, making them back-to-back champions. Points are awarded to those finishing in the top eight.

The night consisted of several first-place finishes by the team. The sprint medley relay of junior Spencer Ray, freshman Gannon O’Hara and seniors Zade Niklasen and Chase Mullenix crossed the finish line with a time of 1:35.82. Other winning relays include the distance medley, with seniors Connor Pellett and Mullenix, and freshmen Colin Mullenix and O’hara finishing in 3:42.18 and the 4x400m relay with Niklasen, Co. Mullenix, junior Tyler Moen and Ch. Mullenix with 3:27.25.  

Senior Nathan Behrends, freshman Zane Burg, junior Bradley Dennis and sophomore Craig Becker took fourth in the 4x800m relay with a time of 8:38.96. The 4x100m relay finished in eighth place, running a 47.69 with O’Hara, Ray, and seniors Sam Granner and Logan Reilly.

The individual events were also a successful area for the boys. Moen competed in the 100m dash, the 200m dash and the 400m run, taking first in all three events. This was Moen’s first time competing in the open 400m and he finished with a time of 50.05 seconds. Moen’s times for the 100m dash and 200m dash were 11.3 seconds and 22.89 seconds, respectively. Niklasen also competed in the open 400m dash and 200m dash, running a time of 50.68 and finishing third in the 400m and running 23.15 seconds in the 200m. Co. Mullenix earned three points for the team score by finishing sixth in the 110m hurdles in a time of 16.78 seconds. Co. Mullenix also finished fourth in the 400m hurdles with a time of 58.88.  

Mullenix and Becker, reliable 800m runners who each competed at the Drake Relays, finished first and second, respectively in the open 800m run. Mullenix crossed the line at 2:00.39 with Becker close behind coming in at 2:03.40.

Two Trojans crossed the line one-two in the 3200m run. Senior Jalen Petersen took second place with a time of 10:46.96 and Dennis came in seconds behind him in third place, finishing in 10:49.01. Dennis and Becker also ran in the 1600m run, finishing first and fourth. Becker took the lead with a time of 4:34.53 and Dennis ran a 4:47.94.

In the field events, Ray competed in the high jump, clearing 5’8” and taking third place. Junior Cale Roller earned a seventh-place finish in the discus throw.

The Trojans will be competing at the State Qualifying meet on Friday, May 10, held in Carroll.