MANKATO – Six key starters were missing for the NRHEG girls’ track and field team, but it didn’t keep the Panthers from finishing on top.

Wednesday, April 10, 2002

MANKATO – Six key starters were missing for the NRHEG girls’ track and field team, but it didn’t keep the Panthers from finishing on top.

The Panthers won the Gopher Conference Indoor meet at Minnesota State-Mankato without their juniors, who were taking the ACT test. All were letterwinners last year, and Camille Kyte won four events at the outdoor conference meet.

&uot;We are pleased to take the conference indoor without the help of our juniors,&uot; said Panthers co-coach Duey Ferber. &uot;We saw some nice things from our younger competitors.&uot;

The Panthers had 119 points to edge JWP by three. WEM had 101, Medford 67, Alden-Conger 63, Blooming Prairie 47.

Three of the Panthers’ four firsts were relays.

Jessica Brouwers, April Bayerkohler, Melissa Maurer and Michel Maurer won the 4×800-meter relay. Tami Sorenson Megan Groskreutz, Steph Hanna and Brouwers took the sprint medley. Hanna, Ashley Misgen, Amber Sommers and Brouwers were first in the 4×400.

&uot;Those relays showed some grit by pulling out first places,&uot; said Ferber.

Sophomore Kalisha Anthony, a returning state entrant in the pole vault, won that event. She was second in the 55 high hurdles. Seventh-grader Karla Lewer took second in the 3200. Misgen was second in the 55 low hurdles, third in the 55 high hurdles and fifth in the high jump.

Other top-four places: Alison Anderson, third, 55 dash; Michel Maurer, third, 800; Jean Raimann, third, shot put; Groskreutz, third, pole vault; Brandis Hagen, fourth, 200.

The NRHEG boys finished third with 89 points. Blooming Prairie had 131, WEM 92.

The boys had two firsts, by Peter Petride in the 400 and Brian Bos in the 800. Petride was second in the long jump. Also taking second were Matt Reiter, 1600; Sonny Berg, 55 intermediate hurdles; Luke Perry, shot put; and the medley relay team of Ryan Graves, Perry, Tom Bartness and Tim Rysavy.