The O’Neill boys track and field team delivered an impressive all-around performance to capture the team championship at the Ainsworth Invitational, piling up 154 points to outdistance runner-up West Holt, which finished with 94.
The Eagles were dominant across multiple events, showcasing both depth and top-end talent in sprinting, distance races, relays, and field events.
Leading the way on the track, Ryker Sudbeck sprinted to a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.42 seconds. Porter Mathews added another gold in the 200 meters, crossing the line in 23.99. In the 400, Nate Brown contributed valuable team points with a fifth-place finish in 58.82.
O’Neill’s distance crew turned in a strong showing. Paul Fonseca clocked 2:15 in the 800 meters placing 1st, while Brandon Romero earned a runner-up finish in the 1600 with a time of 5:29. The Eagles dominated the 3200 meters, as Alonso Hernandez claimed the title in 10:55, followed by Tomas Arciniega in second (11:26) and Romero in third (11:58).
The hurdle events also proved fruitful. Drake Brandt raced to first in the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 17.71, while teammate Ian Yates took second. In the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, Yates added a fourth-place finish (46.51), and Maguire Heiss followed in fifth (47.76).
O’Neill’s relay teams played a major role in securing the team title. The 4x800-meter relay team of Tomas Arciniega, Alonso Hernandez, Brock Latzel, and Angel Sanchez captured first place in 9:15.7. The sprint medley relay team of Yates, Brandt, Jordani Perez, and Sanchez also claimed gold.
In the 4x400-meter relay, O’Neill showcased its depth by placing two teams in the top three. The “A” team of Sudbeck, Peyton Benner, Daine Brandt, and Brown finished second in 3:45, while the “B” team of Fonseca, Heiss, Latzel, and Mathews took third (3:50). The 4x100 relay team of Ryan Owen, Talon Kurtz, David Garcia, and Colby McKay placed fourth in 50.18.
In field events, the Eagles continued to shine. Sudbeck won the long jump with a winning leap of 22 feet, 6.75 inches, while Mathews placed second at 21-9. Grady Welke cleared 12 feet to win the pole vault.
Additional contributions came from James Welsh, who placed sixth in the discus with a throw of 117-8, and Brown, who added a sixth-place finish in the high jump. Heiss also scored with a fourth-place finish in the triple jump.
With strong performances across nearly every event, the Eagles demonstrated the balance and depth needed to secure the team championship and continue building momentum early in the season.