NEW RICHLAND &045; There are definitely some talented individuals on the 2002 New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ track and field team.

But the Panthers’ real strength is their depth.

Expected to be one of the top squads in True Team competition this spring, the NRHEG girls again displayed their depth in winning their own Panther Relays Tuesday.

NRHEG won with 188 points, followed by Byron with 160, Hayfield 152, St. Clair 142, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 106, Blooming Prairie 88, Glenville-Emmons 82 and Alden-Conger 72.

&uot;We had some tough competition in Byron, Hayfield and St. Clair,&uot; said Panthers co-coach Duey Ferber. &uot;We are starting to tune up for the True Team (section) meet.&uot;

The top individual performance Tuesday was by Nicole Lonning, who again broke the school record in the shot put with a toss over 39 feet. Lonning, Ashley Malakowsky and Kyree Wobbrock combined to win the event, one of six firsts for NRHEG.

Two traditional relays finished first. Jessica Brouwers, April Bayerkohler, Melissa Maurer and Michel Maurer won the 4×800 while Camille Kyte, Alison Anderson, Kalisha Anthony and Brandis Hagen took the 4×200.

The other firsts: 100 hurdles (Kelsie Hansen, Anthony, Ashley Misgen); discus (Lonning, Jennifer Grunzke, Brittany Schwartz); 300 hurdles (Hansen, Misgen, Tami Sorenson).

Karla Lewer, Bayerkohler and Melissa Barber teamed for second in the 1600 relay.

Other NRHEG places: 4×100, third (Emily Kofstad, Ellen Johnson, Michelle Dobberstein, Anthony); high jump, third (Hansen, Misgen, Mackenzie Tappe); pole vault, third (Anthony, Barber, Megan Groskreutz); long jump, fourth (Kofstad, Michelle Carlson, Alicia Kaplan); 4×400, fourth (Brouwers, Steph Hanna, Misgen, Amber Sommers); sprint medley, fifth (Kristin Kuglin, Taylor Vecere, Sarah Kyte, Michel Maurer); sport sprint medley, fifth (Kofstad, Johnson, Camille Kyte, Kaplan); 4×400 weightman’s, fifth (Lonning, Schwartz, Wobbrock, Malakowsky); triple jump, sixth (Camille Kyte, Tappe, Kofstad).