Juhl of the track
On one of the most perfect nights of the spring sports season, Estherville Lincoln Central’s Matt Juhl played a part in three all-conference performers.
The senior distance runner won both the 3200 and 1600-meter races and anchored the second-place medley relay team. The relay team’s first three legs were run by Jordan Eggers, Justin Blinkmann and Scott Schmidt.
All first and second place events earn all-conference honors.
The other all-conference performance came in the shot put where Marcus Stangl placed second.
“I was very pleased with our medley relay relay,” said ELC coach Dick Barrett. “They ran a season-best time. Scott and Matt also both ran outstanding in their open events.”
Juhl began the night by winning the 3200. For 7 1/2 laps, he let Spencer’s Ryan Edwardson lead the pack. Then in the final 200-meters, Juhl turned on the afterburners to win in 10 minutes, 7.19 seconds.
The win in the 1600-meter run came a little tougher as Spirit Lake Park’s Tyler Gustafson passed him late in the race with Juhl winning at the finish line in 4:39.08 to Gustafson’s 4:39.58.
SLP won the medley relay in 3:39.31 with ELC’s quartet finishing in 3:41.69.
Stangl’s throw in the shot put wasn’t his best at 48 feet, 11 1/2 inches. Teammate Spenser Schichtl was sixth with a throw of 46 feet, 9 1/2 inches.
Schmidt ran a career-best time in the open 400, finishing fourth in 51.67 seconds.
The 4×400-meter relay team, which ran the same as the medley–Blinkmann, Eggers, Schmidt and Juhl–finished fourth in 3:33.68.
In the 400-meter low hurdles, Brandon Hanson ran a career-best time in 59.71 seconds to place fifth.
Blinkmann finished sixth in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet, 6 inches.
“I’d like to thank all the workers that helped make the Lakes Conference meet a successful athletic event,” said Barrett.
ELC travels to Orange City for the Class 3A District meet on Friday.