Karibi Hart’18. (Chris Heermann’18/Media)

With a third place finish, the Vikes hurdled their final obstacle before states in the regional meet on Wednesday, May 24, and Friday, May 26. While a few individuals ran qualifying times, the boys dominated the field through relays.

To advance to states in each event, the Vikes had to place in the top four. The 4×800 with senior Grayson Mick, juniors Nick Watson and Nick Robie, and sophomore Liam McCann kicked off the team’s momentum. Although the boys placed second with a time of 8:09.99, they were edged out at the line by Mt. Gilead who finished a mere .85 seconds faster.  

Michael Kusi’17, Hunter Moffett’17, Harry Mills’19, and Karibi Hart’18 ran the 4×200 with this same intensity. Only earning fifth in prelims, the boys dropped time in the final round to 1:31.39 and moved up the ranks to third place.

The same group of boys who ran the 4×200 demonstrated even more prowess in the 4×100. They dominated from the beginning, winning both prelims and finals with times of 44.31 and 43.96, respectively.

Robie and Hart took their talent that each demonstrated in relays and applied it to individual events in the 800 and 200, respectively. The boys both placed third in each of their events. Robie ran a time 1:58.82, cut off from second place by only .34 seconds.

Hart ran an equally impressive 22.29 in the 200 finishing .17 seconds behind first place and .16 seconds behind second place.

The 4×400 led by Tommy Mampieri’17, KJ Boyce’17, Moffett, and Hart finished off the meet in style. Winning first place in 3:26.16, Hart–the relay’s anchor–pushed to the final step to hold off superstar runner, Austin Hallabrin, from Mt. Gilead.

The boys will take the final steps of the season on Friday, June 2, and Saturday, June 3, when they compete in the state meet at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.