Moeller Track Off To Hot Start
After last season’s success, Moeller is off to a hot start on the track. The team opened the season with a trip to Ann Arbor, Head coach Frank Russo said, “Going up [to Ann Arbor] is a great way for guys to get in front of college coaches and see where they are at if they want to compete at the next level.” In Ann Arbor Theo James set a blazing time of 8.62-second time in the 60m hurdles putting him 20th in Ohio. Landon Adams also had a strong season opener in the long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 6 inches, good for 8th in the state. On the field side, Koa Anoai has burst onto the scene with a 56-1.23 throw in the shot put, coming close to the school record
In the following weeks, the team competed at the Cedarville University meet, where Kayleb Willis set a new personal best in the 60 meters at 7.21 seconds. This was just the start of Moeller’s success at Cedarville. Preston Wesley placed 8th in the 1600m with a time of 4:38, a strong mark to build off. Lastly, Koa Anoai set a new school record in the shot put with a throw of 58-4.75 feet. Though it was a school record, Koa was dissatisfied with the throw, He wants a 60-foot mark, and He is on the right track.
Koa Anoai getting ready to throw the shot put
Photo taken by Jacob Gath
The following week, the team traveled to The Ohio State University, where Moeller’s 4x800 placed 5th and the 4x200 placed 2nd with a impressive 1:35. Kayleb Willis placed 5th in the 60-meter dash, and Owen Speed placed 3rd in the 1600m with a time of 4:31, placing him in the top 25 in the state. Also in the 1600m, Preston Wesley ran a 4:33, improving on his time from Cedarville, and Koa added three inches to his school record.
Kayleb Willis running the 60m Final
Photo taken by Jacob Gath
Since then, the team has raced locally at Mount Saint Joe, set many personal records and bringing home a team win. Highlights from the meet include:
3rd place in the 60m from Kayleb Willis
7th in the 200m from Paxton Dodsworth
2nd in the 400m from Gavin West
3rd and 4th in the 800m from Dylan Prater (3rd) and Noah Steigerwald (4th)
2nd in the 60m hurdles from David Boehm
1st in the 4x200 and 4x800 relays
1st in the high jump from Teague Boland
1st in the long jump from Landon Adams with a season-best 22-1.25 feet
And lastly, Koa Anoai continues to hit the mark, winning the shot put