The opening salvo of the track and field season saw Glenn Hall Park overrun with swarms of athletes from all across the region. They ran and jumped and threw. Some came first, some came last. Most were somewhere in the middle.On a breezy but sun-drenched late spring day, the Horizon Central Athletic Association (HCAA) held its pre-district meet in Humboldt. The meet was the first step on a road that leads to the provincial championships, to be held in Moose Jaw from June 7-8.All four local schools were represented at the meet. Events were held simultaneously on the field and the track - javelins flew through the air while runners loped around the track. Parents and students cheered from the stands. Each team staked out its own territory on the greenery of the field, a jumbled mass of athletic bags and gear serving as the thin red line separating Humboldt Collegiate and Middle Lake.It was a sort of controlled chaos and bore the distinctive rhythm of a track and field meet - long stretches of nothing interrupted by brief but brilliant moments of excitement. The results in all five divisions - Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget, Junior and Senior - were haphazardly taped to the side of the concession stand, a rough guide to the endless events of the day.When the dust finally settled, Humboldt Collegiate had itself a great day. Nearly all of the 52 athletes that the school sent to the meet qualified for the district championships, held on May 28 in Saskatoon."We expected to qualify between 40 and 42 athletes, so it was a very good day for us," said track and field coach Tom Schwinghamer. "We were very pleased with the effort."With their blue shirts and yellow lettering, the HCI kids were easy to spot. Schwinghamer said it was important to establish that sense of team."I think having the same shirts helped build a team atmosphere," Schwinghamer said. "Our relay teams did well, which brings all the kids together."While Schwinghamer didn't want to place additional pressure on anyone, several athletes put in particularly strong performances. Justin Lefebvre won the 400, 800, and 1500-metre races at the senior boys level. Brady Sunderland won the junior boys 100-metre dash with a time of 11.60 seconds, faster than the winning time in the senior boys race.For full results from the pre-district and district meets, visit the HCAA's website at www.hcaa.hzsd.ca.
