It was another strong showing for the Sacred Heart High School track and field team.
After the event had been cancelled last year, the runners and throwers from SHHS were out on a mission last week when the best of eastern Saskatchewan high schools and elementary schools got together in what turned out to be one of the worst ever for bad weather.
"Sacred Heart's track and field team had excellent results during two cold days of competition," reports SHHS distance runners coach Rachel Sterzuk.
This year, the word ugly barely describes the weather for at least the second half of the two-day competition. Snow hit several times and there were students huddled up in blankets and camping tents, and track pants.
"It went really smoothly," says East Central District co-commissioner Chantelle Kitchen following the end of the two-day event. "But the weather didn't really co-operate. There were no major problems."
Kitchen told the media that when the weather gets that crazy, student athletes have to take it upon themselves to "warm up so they don't pull something" states Kitchen
She added that the commissioners had to move the javelin throwing onto the track surface in order to prevent slipping.
As a result of the districts, SHHS will be sending 12 students to the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association provincials. It will be held in Saskatoon this year, says Sterzuk.
Preston Liebrecht led the way by breaking district meet records in both the 100-m and 200-m events, notes Sterzuk.
"He (also) won gold in the 100, 200, long jump and the high jump, collecting a perfect 40 points and winning the senior boys top athlete award, the Aggregate Award," she points out.
Liebrecht has won numerous track and field awards since he started Gr. 9 at SHHS, said he wasn't tested as much.
"I thought it would be tough getting it. It's more nice breaking records."
The rain and snow wasn't helping but none of it stopped him.
"It seemed like every time I ran, it seemed to (just) pour."
That meant Liebrecht had to warm up more.
"The track's really good but I'm more concerned about the start.
His best performance was the 4x400-m.
"We ran that extremely well."
Rita Fetsch also got in on the fun "broke a record, this time in the 80m hurdles," which Sterzuk told the media, had stood for 30 years.
"Rita won gold in the 80m hurdles, 800m, 1500m and the 3000m races," Sterzuk points out.
Fetsch's 30 points also won her the senior girls Aggregate Award.
Other Saints finishers included Brooke Mentanko, who won gold medals in the 400m, 800m, 1500m and 3000m races, says Sterzuk.
Alex Appel brought home one gold medal in the high jump event, Emily Kruger took silver in the 80m hurdles and a bronze medal in the 1500m and the 3000m races. Chloe Mrozowich took a silver medal for her efforts in the girls high jump, Shannon Rehaluk got a silver medal for her efforts in the shot put.
Jenna Sahulka finished the ECDs with a gold medal from the 80m hurdles and a bronze medal in the 100m sprint. Bryce Sherring won two bronze medals; one came in the 100m and a second bronze in the 200m sprint, says Sterzuk. Nathan Guy took bronze in shot put. Robert Okeny had a good day too, winning a silver medal from javelin throwing and a bronze medal in the 100m sprint. Also adding to the gold medal collection at SHHS was Caleb Sutter thanks to the javelin event. He also recorded a bronze medal performance in the 100m sprint. Anthony Fetsch and Emily Kruger competed in the pole vault and are both expected to move forward to the SHSAA provincials as well. In the team events, SHHS continued to bring home gold. "Gold medals went to the girls 4 x 400m relay team and the senior boys 4 x 100m relay team," reports Sterzuk. "Silver medals went to the boys 4 x 400m relay team and bronze medal went to the senior girls 4 x 100m relay team," closes Sterzuk.
