Shenandoah trio looks to build on event wins to start outdoor season
Shenandoah girls track and field opened the outdoor season Tuesday, March 31, with three event wins. From left, Lilly Mather won the 3,000-meter run, Lilly Wittmer the discus and Ava O'Rourke the 100-meter hurdles.
The Shenandoah girls track and field team opened the outdoor season Tuesday, earning three event victories.
Junior Lilly Wittmer, sophomore Lilly Mather and freshman Ava O’Rourke were event winners Tuesday, March 31, at the Hawkeye 10 Conference South Division meet in Creston, leading the Fillies to a fourth-place team finish.
The wins came in three very different events, showing the depth that head coach Grant Staats’ young team has this season.
Wittmer is one of five juniors on a team that also has just one senior in Abbey Dumler. Wittmer set her personal best in the discus in Tuesday’s win with a launch of 107 feet, 6 inches.
“That’s exactly where I wanted to be,” Wittmer said. “My goal for (Tuesday) was to throw over 100 and I obviously achieved that. So, that was cool.”
Wittmer said she’s worked quite a bit to get to a spot where she can contend for the top spot at a lot of meets.
“I work a lot on my technique,” Wittmer said, “even outside of practice. I have gone to throwing camps and am always out working every weekend.”
Mather easily won the 3,000-meter run title, putting up a time of 12 minutes, 47.31 seconds, 40 seconds better than the field.
“I got out pretty quick,” Mather said, “and then I just tried to find my pace.”
Mather has already proven herself to be one of the better distance runners in the area, qualifying for the state cross country meet in the fall and the state track and field meet last year as part of the 4x800-meter relay team.
Mather said she continues to focus on improving which requires a lot of running during the offseason.
O’Rourke won the 100-meter hurdles title Tuesday in a time of 16.97 seconds. She said she doesn’t have much experience in the event but said a good start is what she’s been focusing on early.
“I’m really just looking to get out and make sure I get my steps right on the first hurdle,” O’Rourke said, “and then keep getting faster every hurdle.”
O’Rourke said the 400 hurdles is also a good possibility for her as the season continues.
The trio each said their goals going forward starts with continuing to get better each time out with Wittmer adding that she’s focused on being consistent.
The Fillies compete in two meets next week, at their two biggest rivals, Red Oak Tuesday and Clarinda Thursday. Shenandoah hosts its annual meet, a coed meet this year, Thursday, April 16.
