Changing the books

The Southwest boys track team is rewriting the Trojans record book this week after a high-flying performance at the Class 2, District 6 meet at Sarcoxie, where the team won three relays.

The 4×800 team stole the show, setting a new school record with a time of 8:26.44. The team of Christian Long, Caden Uthe, Robert Humphries and Matteo Lumetta beat the old mark of 8:27.62 established by Caleb Mitchell, Logan Pendergraft, Dustin Breedlove, and Luke Hackett in 2008.

In all, nine Trojan athletes advanced to the Class 2, Sectional 3 at College of the Ozarks Saturday.

“It was surreal,” said Steve Voyak, Southwest track coach. “We just wanted to be District champs, but when Matteo went out in the first leg at 2:05, I thought it was possible, but we got a big lead so I was focused on just winning the race. And then, it just got faster and faster. Robert was around 2:10, and then Caden and Christian at 2:08 and 2:03. The kids have worked really hard to get to this point, and they deserve it, but we did not go into the meet thinking we might break a 14-year-old record.”

Southwest advanced all four relay teams, with the 4×200 winning in a personal record of 1:35.65 and the 4×400 capturing gold in another personal record of 3:35.36.

The 4×200 is comprised of Otis Rainer, Ezra Sprowes, Uthe and Lumetta, and the 4×400 runners are Long, Uthe, Rainer and Lumetta.

The 4×100 group of Braydan Eggleston, Sprowes, Rainer and Lumetta ran 47.43 and placed fourth, taking the final sectional slot.

Lumetta was a member of all four relays that advanced.

“It’s wild to watch one athlete run four such different races, but Matteo seems to be able to just shift to a different gear for each one,” Voyak said.

Other Southwest athletes who advanced to Sectionals were:

• Long in the mile and the 80-meter

• Humphries in the 800-meter

• Lyric Bernard in the long jump and triple jump

• Cally Bowyer in the mile