After a day of travel, beach time, and team bonding, a select group of the Burroughs track and field team delivered strong performances Feb. 28 at the Elmer Runge Invitational in San Diego.
Only 42 athletes from the Burroughs track and field team were selected to attend the highly competitive invitational, making it one of the most selective meets of the early season for the Burros.
The trip began Feb. 27, when the team drove down to San Diego. After arriving, athletes spent the evening at the beach and at Belmont Park, giving them a chance to relax and have fun before the competition. The team stayed overnight at a hotel before competing at the track the next morning.
Distance runners dominated the meet with a performance in the boys varsity 1600 meters. Junior Quan Laskey took first place with a time of 4:37.64, while his teammate Ethan Pendergast finished just behind him in 4:37.66, securing second place and giving Burroughs the top two spots in the race.
According to Laskey, the meet was memorable for both the environment and the results the team produced. “The meet was amazing for a lot of the team,” Laskey said. “The weather was great (if you forgot about the humidity) and conditions were otherwise really good. The green and the beach were really nice. There were PRs all around the distance team!”
The Burros also had a strong performance in the boys distance medley relay, where the group of Isaac Pendergast, Tyler Beitnes, Chase Rogers, and Ryan Carter placed third overall with a time of 11:32.43.
Burroughs athletes also found success in the sprint and hurdle events. Senior Hayden McLaughlin finished sixth in the boys varsity 100 meters, running 11.03 seconds, while Angel Hudson placed fourth in the boys 300-meter hurdles with a time of 44.85 seconds.
In field events, Tyrell Gray tied for third place in the boys high jump, clearing 6 feet, with teammate Alex VanLuven also finishing among the top performers.
The girls team also recorded several solid performances. Eve Washburn placed third in the girls 1600 meters (in her division) with a time of 5:22.88, while sprinters Dannika Nelson and Angelina Placencia competed in the girls 100 meters, running 13.71 and 13.79 seconds, respectively.
With several standout finishes and a memorable team experience in San Diego, the meet marked an outstanding early-season meet for Burroughs as the track and field season continues.
