GILBERT - Getting back under a blanket was just as important as winning a gold medal for many of the competitors at last night's Bengal Relays.
It was teeth-chattering cold, and the whipping winds made running along the backstretch a nightmare for much of the evening.
Some girls wilted and crumbled. Others blocked out the adverse conditions and thrived.
Article Photos
DFJ photo by Troy Banning
South Hamilton’s Jenna Heeren safely clears her fifth hurdle during the third leg of the shuttle hurdle relay at yesterday’s Bengal Relays in Gilbert.
Throw the veteran members of the South Hamilton girls' track team into the "others" category. As for the youngsters, well, head coach Jim Klein says they'll learn.
"With this kind of weather, it's a competition," he said. "You see how competitive you are and how much you're going to let the weather bother you. Our older kids handled it pretty well and our younger kids handled it about how you would expect younger kids to handle it."
Final team scores were not available as of press time. The Hawks sat in fourth-place in Class B during the late stages of the meet.
Fact Box
Bengal Relays
Monday at Gilbert
South Hamilton Results
Shot Put - 6. Ella Jans.
3,000 Meters - 2. Kayla Lucas 12:29.63.
4x800 Relay - 1. South Hamilton 11:41.42 (Kayla Monthei, Kassy Hegland, Sarah Rueger, Eliana Lowry).
100 Meters - 2. Kali Lucas.
Distance Medley Relay - 1. South Hamilton 4:52.64 (Lowry, Meghan Fisher, Allyson Ervin, Alyson Fisher).
400 Meters - 6. S. Rueger 1:12.96.
4x200 Relay - 3. South Hamilton 1:59.33 (Kal. Lucas, Ervin, Tiffany Jacobson, Lowry).
100 Hurdles - 2. Shannon Hoyle 16.99.
800 Meters - 3. M. Fisher 2:44.04; 5. Monthei 2:50.42.
200 Meters - 6. A. Fisher 28.40.
400 Hurdles - 6. Jacobson 1:20.22.
Sprint Medley Relay - 2. South Hamilton 2:03.00 (Hoyle, Ervin, M. Fisher, A. Fisher).
1,500 Meters - 1. Kay. Lucas 5:44.44.
4x100 Relay - 3. South Hamilton 55.79 (Hoyle, Ervin, M. Fisher, A. Fisher).
4x400 Relay - 3. South Hamilton 4:52.00 (Monthei, S. Rueger, Jacobson, Lowry).
South Hamilton captured nine medals in all, including five for individuals.
The Lucas twins - freshmen Kayla and Kali - didn't seem to even notice the elements, as they combined to win three medals. Kayla used a surge down the homestretch to slingshot by several competitors en route to a second-place finish in the 3,000-meter run (12:29.63), and later she set the Class B pace towards gold in the 1,500 (5:44.44). Kali came out of Lane 8 to place second in the class in the 100-meter dash.
Shannon Hoyle was a silver medalist in the 100 hurdles (16.99), and Meghan Fisher placed third in the 800 (2:44.04).
South Hamilton was the first team to reach the finish line in the opening two relays - the 4x800 (11:41.42) and distance medley (4:52.64).
Kayla Monthei, Kassy Hegland, Sarah Rueger and Eliana Lowry teamed up on the 2-mile relay. Lowry led off the distance medley. She handed off to Meghan Fisher, followed by Allyson Ervin and Alyson Fisher.
The Hawks' sprint medley relay (2:03.00) was second, while the 4x200 (1:59.33) was third.
Hoyle and Ervin ran the 100 legs, Meghan Fisher the 200 and Alyson Fisher the 400 on the sprint medley.
Ervin, Lowry and Kali Lucas joined forces with Tiffany Jacobson on the 4x200.
South Hamilton will next compete on Thursday at the CMB Invite in Baxter.