Elbert Invitational Boys: Strength In Numbers Prevail
Caleb Smith dropped the field on lap two of the 1600.
In terms of top-end talent, Byers matches up very nicely with Peyton. But, in a smaller meet like this, Peyton can simply nickel and dime you to death with their overwhelming numbers.
Byers, the lone team in green, accumulated five event titles--two from relays (4x200 and 4x800), two from Austin Davis (110 hurdles and high jump), and one from Wyatt Smith (100). Peyton countered with five event titles of their own--two from relays (4x100 and 4x400), two from Caleb Smith (1600, 3200), and one from Cannon Baker (800).
So, first place points were a draw at 50 each. But Peyton's 157 points were largely of the second, third, fourth, and fifth variety. Neither second-place Calhan (104) or third-place Byers (103) could come close to matching that.
Peyton Coach Gary Vandermark told me he had 62 kids out for track this spring. Not all of those are boys, of course, but it does mean Peyton can be relentless where other teams have to pick their spots. In that case, relentless usually wins. As it did today.
Top performers of the day included the aforementioned Caleb Smith (4:56 and 11:10), Austin Davis (16.19 and 5-11), Kiowa's Bryar Morgan who swept the 200 (24.35) and 400 (53.76), and Deer Trail's Derek Klassen, who doubled up the throws at 38-9 and 104-11. Calhan's Ben Kelly warrants an honorable mention for winning the long jump on a better second-best jump over heavily-favored Chiante Stewart of Ellicott, taking second in the high jump at 5-10, and snaring fourth in the discus. It's not immediately clear that Kelly knows what a track is, but evidently he doesn't need to.
Click on Next for the girls recap of the day.