VAN HORNE – Despite an abrupt end due to lightning in the area, the Union girls track and field team raced their way to a third-place finish out of 11 varsity teams at the Benton Early Bird Coed Invite held on Monday, March 30, in Van Horne.

The Knights scored 48 1/2 team points for bronze, edging out the hosts with 46 points. Grinnell took first with 66 points followed by Mount Vernon with 65 points.

Union’s 1600-meter sprint medley relay led the way, capturing the event with a winning finish of four minutes, 26.16 seconds to score 10 points. Anchored by senior Brynn Albertsen, the team also included sophomore Haylee Hegdahl, sophomore Chloe Sadler, and freshman Paige Pipho.

Union also earned a trio of third-place finishes, including junior Katie Jackson in the 400-meter dash (1:04.61) for six points; the 400-meter shuttle hurdle relay team of Paige Pipho, Caitlyn Schneider, Finley Keegan, and Reese Anderson with a finish of 1:11.57 for six points; and the 800-meter sprint medley relay team of Reese Anderson, Haylee Hegdahl, Paige Pipho, and Chloe Sadler with a finish of 2:00.76 for six points.

In the 3,000-meter run, Adeline Tudor finished fourth in 13:35.79 for five points, while her teammate Lorelei Hinebaugh finished fifth (15:15.38) earning four points.

Also securing fifth-place finishes for Union, Haylee Hegdahl in the high jump (4-feet-8) for 3 1/2 points and Taylen Smith in long jump (15-feet-1) for four points.

The Knights 4×800 relay team composed of all freshmen (Peyton Brown, Jewel Paine, Austin Kirby, Linkyn Vaughn) took sixth with a time of 12:31.67 for three points; Brown also earned eighth in the high jump for one additional point.

Before the meet was called off, Union’s boys racked up 28 points for ninth place out of 14 varsity teams.

On Thursday, April 2, Union’s Gassman Early Bird Coed was canceled due to a tornado watch and predicted heavy rains; the meet will not be rescheduled.

Union’s REB Relays – named in honor of the late Richard “Rich” Ernest Behrens, longtime track and field coach and educator – is set for Friday, May 1, at Union Stadium. This will be the first time the relays take place since Mr. Behrens passed away last year on October 1.

Field events begin at 4:30 p.m.