EUREKA — The Humboldt High and Yates Center High boy’s track teams had a good idea which teams were going to be toughest going into Thursday’s Eureka Invitational. (Each other.)
The two schools traded individual first-place finishes like a pair of prize fighters exchanging punches.
It began with the triple jump, where Humboldt senior Bryce Isaac was the favorite, but Yates Center’s state qualifier from a year ago, senior Brett Holloway, was among his toughest challengers.
“We’ve going against each other the last four years,” Isaac said. “So every year it is good to see where I stack up against him and he sees where he measures up against me. We just go off that.”
Holloway only jumped 39 feet, however, and had to settle for a fourth-place finish while Isaac was able to cruise to a win in the event.
Aaron King’s first-place finish in the high jump kept Yates Center very much in the race for the team crown. The freshman won the title with a jump of 5’10”.
“It is always exciting to see our freshmen,” Yates Center coach Jenny Davis said. “And because they are freshmen you know each meet is going to be better.”
But Isaac was able to respond as he won the long jump title for Humboldt with a jump of 20’6”. He jumped nearly two feet farther than his closest competitor.
“I feel pretty good because it is so early in the season,” Isaac said.
The jabs continued as the top teams prepared for the 4×400 relay. Yates Center pulled away from Humboldt with each leg. By the time Holloway took the baton to finish the race, Yates Center had a comfortable lead, and won the event comfortably. Humboldt took second.
“We gained more this season and Humboldt lost a lot so we are looking to beat them every time this season,” Yates Center junior Mikey Bruner said.
Joe Kline got Humboldt’s winning ways back on track in the mile when he faced off with Yates Center promising freshman Hadley Splechter. Kline crossed the finish line in 4 minutes, 52.35 seconds to edge out Splechter’s 4:52.98.
“I’m glad I can do good in these meets. It really pushes you for league, regionals and state,” Kline said.
The pair finished nearly 12 seconds ahead of the third-place runner.
“It is good to have competition,” Kline said. “It pushes you to do better in practice and in meets, because you want to beat them, you really do.”
Back on the track, Humboldt senior Anthony Doran was able to hold off Yates Center’s Nolan Jones and the rest of the field in the 400 meters at 55.18 seconds to give the Cubs another champion.
