By Staff
NILES – During the 1940s and 50s, the famous comedians Bob Hope and Bing Crosby made a series of movies called 'Road Shows' where they traveled to different countries and participated in their adventures.
The young Vikings of Ring Lardner's track team have had their own road show the past 11 days. They have traveled to St. Joe Upton Middle School three times and have won all three meets.
Last Thursday, they beat the Bears and Benton Harbor. Both the boys and girls teams topped the hundred point total -the girls scoring 109 and the boys 120. St. Joe came in second with 77 and 79 points.
On Monday, Coloma and St. Joe challenged the Vikes. The boys' team scored 86 to St. Joe's 67, while the girls scored 83 to the Bears' 46 and Coloma's 36.
The Vikings were led by the usual cast – Jordan and Justin Potthoff, Alex Haimbaugh, Trey Nichols, Whittney Ellis and Ron Smith.
Coach Joe Zdziebko said the seventh graders have really been stepping up to help the team.
Anne Taylor, Taylor Brandstatter, Matthew McLaughlin, Logan Harpenau, Austin Parks, Brittany Brown, Starr Ford, Maureen Craig, Mikea Briggs and Brandon Partee have all played major roles for the team.
Wednesday, Ring Lardner formed a coed team to participate in the St. Joe Relays. This race has two boy and girl participants in each event. The Vikes have won these relays the past four years and they did it again this year.
Ring Lardner competed against 10 other teams from the area. The team scored 84 points, with the closest competition coming from Upton with 58 points.
Going into the last two events, the score was close and the outcome still in doubt. The Vikes knew they had to take first in both races to ensure the victory. Seventh grader Starr Ford took the 3,200 meter relay lead and put her team into first place. She jumped out to a fast start and never looked back, outdistancing her closest rival by almost 100 meters.
Ford's three teammates, Nick Lucero, McLaughlin and Craig cruised home in the event because of the early lead.
The next race saw three seventh graders blow away the opponents in the 1,600 meter relay.
Brandstatter, Austin Parks, Tyler and Logan Harpenau took charge and were not to be denied as the team took first place and put the Vikes in the overall lead.
Craig also had the race of her career in the 6,400 meter relay. After falling behind early in the race, Craig, who ran the third leg, made up almost 200 meters in her mile and placed the team in second.
Nichols and Haimbaugh took second in the shot put, while Potthoff and Ellis won the high jump.
Partee, Smith, Ellis and Aimee Whetstone finished a second behind Dowagiac and finished the hurdle relay in second place.
"Three meets – three first place finished. Overall a great well and a half," Zdziebko said.