The Wright City boys and girls track teams opened up their home season with a pair of second-place finishes at the Wright City Warmup Meet last Thursday.

Orchard Farm won both events, while the Wildcat girls finished less than four points out of first place.

“The team performed well in both meets,” Wright City Head Coach Billy Garrett said. “We had both older and younger athletes put in very good performances on the track and in the field. These early meets are about getting student-athletes into competition and setting standards to improve on throughout the season.”

The afternoon was highlighted by freshman Payton Hart, who tied the school record in the high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches.

“As a freshman and getting the school record in the first week of the season, we should expect that mark record to improve throughout the years,” Garrett said.

The girls 400-meter relay team continued to impress, winning the race in 55.85 seconds.

The quartet of Danielle Dyer, Kia Campbell, Mercedes Wray and Morgan Rohan outran another Wright City team, as well as two St. Francis Borgia Regional teams.

“With Danielle, Kia, and Mercedes back from our state-qualifying 4x1 last year, we expect good things from the lady sprinters,” Garrett said. “Kia has run well in the 100 and Danielle started off the season strong in the open 200, too.”

Campbell finished second in the 100 (14.09) while Dyer finished second in the 200 (28.60).

On the boys side, Jayden Mahaney led the way with a first-place finish in the 100 (12.14).

“Jayden is picking up where he left off last season with strong performances in the sprints,” Garrett said. “Sophomore Will Janowski and freshman Adam Neeley are running well in the 400, too.”

Janowski (54.82) and Neeley (56.33) swept the top two spots in the 400.

Janowski also helped capture first in the 1,600 relay.

He was joined by teammates George Pezold, John Pezold and Jack Simon, and the team finished in 3:58.89.

“At this point in the season we are still assembling some of our relays, and this meet gives us the opportunity to see how some of our athletes will do,” Garrett said. “Our guys 4x4 should be strong this year, and we have the good problem of trying to figure out which four guys to run at any given meet.  We have also been mixing up our 4x8 to see how different athletes run in it and we should get a better idea of where these relays stand heading into some bigger meets. Last year both of these relays set school records and the goal this year is to keep pushing those records down.”

The Wildcats return to action Tuesday at Bowling Green.

“It should be an interesting season to see how the relays come together on both sides, and where individuals fall into open events on the track and in the field,” Garrett said. “With good health and hard work, we have several athletes that can still be competing in late May.”