Grafton wins two track events on way to sixth place; Port finishes ninth

It turns out the new North Shore Conference — with the addition of four new teams and departure of two — may have gotten even more competitive in track and field.

Port Washington learned that firsthand at the conference indoor meet last Thursday in Cedarburg.

The Pirates scored 21 points to take ninth place of 10 teams.

West Bend West scored 87 points to edge Whitefish Bay’s 84 and Slinger’s 83 for the indoor title.

Grafton scored 59 points to take sixth.

“Conference is going to be tough, and points were definitely harder to come by,” Port coach Mark Pasten said.

The Pirates’ best finish came in pole vault, where senior Michael Murphy cleared 11 feet, 6 inches for third place.

“That was a good showing for him. 11-6 for indoors is a good height to have,” Pasten said.

Senior Sam Fritsch cleared 10-6 for eighth.

The 3,200-meter relay team of Zach Miller, Zach Wehner, Tony Cook and Brett Grisar took fourth in 9 minutes, 8.21 seconds.

Wehner took fifth in the 800 in a personal-record 2:14.15.

The 640 relay team of Deron Spicer, Patrick Zamora, Jake Lippe and Justin Wicke and Deron Spicer took sixth in 1:22.05.

The 1,600 relay team of Zach Miller, Lippe, Nathan Russell and Josh Holtebeck took seventh in 4:00.95.

Grafton won the 1,600 relay with Jack Orlowski, Jonathon Weinhold, Ian Bould and Ethan Lang in 3:46.89, and the 3,200 relay with Sam Peters, Zander Lichosik, Nathan Baker and Gordy Thompson won in 8:55.56.

Lang took second in the 400 in a PR 56.22.

Caden Knauer took fourth in the 200 in a PR 25.19, and Thompson took fourth in the 3,200 in 10:26.67. Lichosik was sixth in a PR 10:44.81, and Baker was eighth with a PR 10:48.8.

The 640 relay team of Joey Giorgi, Knauer, Mason Hunt-Olkowski and John Kluck took fourth in 1:21.2.

Orlowski took sixth in the 400 in 58.53.

Kluck took seventh in the 55 in 7.00, and Sam Peters took seventh in the 800 in 2:15.7.

Jordan Abts took eighth in long jump with a 19-7.25.

Despite missing some athletes due to spring break, Port fared better at the Chris Wilson Invite Saturday at Milwaukee Lutheran, taking second with 86 points. The hosts won the eight-team meet with 183.

Wehner won the 3,200 in 12:02.34, the first time he ever competed in the race.

All three relays took second: the 640 team of Spicer, Zamora, Russell and Wicke 1:23.17; the 1,600 team of Russell, Wicke, Warren Doll and Holtebeck, 4:05.58; and the 3,200 team of Doll, Calhan Norman, Austin Sommer and Wehner, 9:49.87.

Miller took third in the 800 in 2:13.21 and 1,600 in 5:08.52, both PRs. Spicer was third in the 55 in 7.24 and 200 in 26.25.

Tony Cook was fourth in the 800 in 2:20.98 and 1,600 in 5:21.67.

Freshman Shem Castillo took fifth in his first time in the shot put with a throw of 34-8.5. Sommer was sixth in the 400 in 1:02.82.

Port and Grafton next compete Saturday in the University of Wisconsin Shell at Camp Randall Stadium.