Hornets claim Don Dobson Invite title

Lady Hornets take third

The Fulton Hornets track and field team made sure every point had significance - it proved to be necessary.

Junior Sam Christensen won both the 110-meter hurdles and high jump to help Fulton fend off Moberly and Boonville as the host Hornets locked up the boys' title in their annual Don Dobson Invitational on Friday night at the high school athletic complex.

In the girls' division, seniors Hayley Tobias and Madison Washington both produced victories in two events to spur Fulton to a third-place team finish.

Christensen triumphed in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.55 seconds and prevailed in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 8 inches. He also came in second in the long jump (18-7 1/2) and was fourth in the 100 (:11.94) as the Hornets generated 171.5 points. Moberly was a close second with 162 points and Boonville took third with 160.5.

Mexico finished fourth with 122 points and Columbia Independent placed fifth with 9.

"When you have five teams in a meet, whether it's fourth, fifth or sixth place (in an event), it shows up," Fulton head coach Jim Menderski said. "Especially on the boys' side, we scratched and clawed for every point.

"The kids who compete (for medals) week in and week out, I was happy with, but for the other kids, I'm really proud of them competing for every point we could - especially on the boys' side."

Tobias was victorious in the 110 and 300 hurdles with respective times of :16.22 and :49.56, while Washington triumphed in the shot put and discus with throws of 37-9 and 105-1, respectively. Tobias also took second in the 100 as the Lady Hornets recorded 105 points.

Moberly easily secured the girls' championship with 210 points, followed by Mexico in second with 120. Coming in behind Fulton in fourth place was Boonville with 98 points and Columbia Independent was fifth with 28.

"I couldn't have been more happy with my team, not only with how they worked to get the meet off, but with how they competed," Menderski said. "Top to bottom, the kids we count on to medal excelled.

"... We did a really good job making sure that regardless of where we were ranked in each event, that we did our best, and that paid off in the long run."

Joining Christensen in winning events for the Hornets were junior Conner Foote in the 400 (:53.84) and senior Tanner Eliuk in the discus (132-11). Foote and Eliuk were also members of the 1,600 relay - along with freshmen Jared Eliuk and Brandon Dews - that prevailed in 3:44.59.

Jared Eliuk placed second in the 400 (:54.51) and Dews was second in the 800 (2:12.14) and fifth in the 1,600 (4:56.76), while junior Grant Gaines finished third in both the 800 (2:13.15) and 1,600 (4:47.92). Freshman Tanner Steffen also came in third in both the 110 hurdles (:18.67) and 300 hurdles (:47.72), while junior Noah Braun took third in the pole vault (10-0).

Fulton's three other relays - the 400 (:49.63), 800 (1:43.13) and 3,200 (4:00.00) - each turned in fourth-place performances, while junior Nathan Lexa was fourth in the 300 hurdles (:48.93) and fifth in the triple jump (33-11). Other fifth-place finishers included Tanner Eliuk in the shot put (132-11), freshman Martin Morard in the 200 (:27.48), and senior John Perry in the 3,200 (12:40.64).

Tobias was also part of the Lady Hornets' 1,600 relay - joining junior Laurel Royer and sophomores Rachel Guse and Michaela Huff - that took third in 4:47.30.

Guse also came in third in the 100 (:13.95) and fifth in the long jump (13-3), while Huff placed third in the 200 (:30.75). Royer finished fourth in the 1,600 (6:41.31).

Among the top Fulton finishers were sophomore Maddie Tobias, third in the high jump (4-6); sophomore NaShayla Brandt, fourth in the shot put (28-8) and fifth in the discus (72-8); freshman Alyedia Sullivan, fourth in the 200 (:31.19), and the 400 relay, fourth in :56.40.

Fulton will take part in the Jefferson City 9th- and 10th-grade All-Relays at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The Hornets and Lady Hornets varsity squads then compete at the North Central Missouri Conference championships in Mexico on Friday.