MFL MarMac boys repeat as UIC track and field champions

By Audrey Posten | Times-Register

The MFL MarMac boys track and field team placed second or better—including eight victories—in 11 of 18 events to repeat as Upper Iowa Conference champions. The Bulldogs racked up 155 points, racing past the 137 from runner-up South Winneshiek.

The meet, held May 8 in Monona, was on what MFL MarMac coach Tracy Decker described as a “great night for a track meet. The weather couldn’t have been much better.”

He and assistant coach Karter Decker worked the week prior to craft a lineup that gave the Bulldogs the best chance to succeed, including adjusting relays and running athletes in new events.

“We thought some relays would suffer a little because we robbed it to make another one better,” he acknowledged. “But some of the relays we thought we weakened actually got us the same result or better than what we were seeded.”

Additionally, “We had some really good times in events with guys that don’t usually run them,” noted Decker.

The Bulldogs won all the individual sprint and hurdle events, including one-two finishes for seniors Carter Streicher and Tucker Ruff in the 110- and 400-meter hurdles. The two have battled for the top spots throughout the season, with Streicher coming out on top this time with respective times of 15.86 and 59.83 seconds in the races. Ruff ran the 110 hurdles in 16.9 seconds and the 400 in 1:00.59.

Junior Anthony Bunting turned in a time of 11.81 seconds to finish just ahead of West Central’s Milton Cushion in the 100-meter dash. Teammate Dante Thornton placed ninth.

Bunting was also fifth in the 200, an event won by senior Parker Kuehl, who was competing in it for the first time all season. Kuehl’s time was 23.14 seconds.

It was a similar scenario in the 400, where Bulldog Carter Lightfoot won the race in his first time running it, thanks to a time of 52.55 seconds. Hunter Bogdonovich was 10th.

Decker applauded Kuehl and Lightfoot for stepping outside their comfort zones and trying an individual running event for the first time.

The coach also highlighted the team’s success despite being without sophomore Kashton Decker, who was consistently the top placing sprinter until an injury sidelined him two weeks ago. Senior Rylee Kugel, a top hurdler, has also not competed all season due to an injury.

“We still won all the individual sprint and hurdle events without the two of them participating because others rose to the occasion in their absence,” Decker said. “I also want to commend Rylee Kugel and Kashton Decker for being there to support their buddies for the meet they were not able to run due to their injuries. It would have been easy for them to lose interest since their season was over, but that is not the kind of kids they are. They are good kids who care about their teammates and the success of the team.”

Adian Reynolds ran all three distance races for MFL MarMac, placing ninth in the 800, ahead of teammate Thornton in 11th, then was 11th in the 1600 and seventh in the 3200.

Decker was proud of his performances in a grueling slate of events.

“He ran the 3200, 1600 and 800, which is a lot to ask of someone,” the coach said.

The Bulldogs won three relays, starting with the 800-sprint medley that included Bryce Jones, Carter Stoddard, Bunting and Lightfoot. A time of 1:40.31 put them around two seconds ahead of South Winn.

“We thought the sprint med could still win even though we robbed a little speed from it,” Decker said. 

With Streicher and Ruff, along with Stoddard and Jones, it was no surprise the Bulldogs came out on top in the shuttle hurdle relay, edging North Fayette Valley with a time of 1:05.47. MFL MarMac also won the 4x200 behind Kuehl, Rylan Schroeder, Jones and Bunting, who posted a time of 1:37.17.

The combination of Stoddard, Averey Thornton, Jones and Lightfoot made MFL MarMac runners-up to South Winn in the 4x100. Then, the 4x400 of Schroeder, Ruff, Blake Schutte and Streicher placed fourth, while Schroeder, Bogdonovich, Reynolds and Schutte ran to fifth in the 4x800. The Bulldogs were sixth in the distance medley thanks to Stoddard, Jaxon Millage, Schroeder and Schutte.

“I give credit to guys for stepping up and keeping us in the relays like that. Guys like Bryce Jones, Rylan Schroeder, Carter Stoddard, Averey Thornton, Blake Schutte, Hunter Bogdonovich and Dante Thornton all did that,” Decker said.

MFL MarMac’s success continued in the field events, where Kuehl and Lightfoot were a respective second and fourth in the high jump. Kuehl reached a height of 5 feet, 8 inches, trailing only the 5 feet, 10-inch mark hit by South Winn’s Kaden Barton Franzen. Lightfoot hit 5 feet, 4 inches.

Kuehl secured another runner-up in the long jump, his distance of 19 feet, 11.25 inches behind only the 20 feet, .5 inches put up by Mason Loan from Central.

Millage had a stellar 120 feet, 6 inches throw to place third in the discus. A. Thornton reached 90 feet, 9 inches. In the shot put, A. Thornton finished sixth with a throw of 33 feet, 8 inches, while Millage’s distance of 33 feet, 3 inches landed him seventh. 

Decker said filling all the events was difficult this year due to lower numbers.

“We won the conference for the second year in a row, this time with only 14 guys participating and two more cheering and supporting them from the side of the track,” he shared. “Everyone scored and gave us a chance.

Now, MFL MarMac will look to carry that momentum into the Class 2A state qualifying meet, which will be this Thursday, May 15, at Crestwood.