BLOOMING PRAIRIE – Last year’s annual Jaycee-Lions Blossom Co-Ed Invitational was called off due to a torrential downpour.

Wednesday, May 03, 2000

BLOOMING PRAIRIE – Last year’s annual Jaycee-Lions Blossom Co-Ed Invitational was called off due to a torrential downpour.

This year it went off with out a hitch with the home team victorious over three other teams. The Blossoms led by Jon Krejci, a double winner in the discus and shot put and also a member of a victorious 4×100 meter squad, scored a total of 140 points. Grand Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Southland came in second with 111 points, Zumbrota-Mazeppa third with 65 and Kasson-Mantorville fourth with 55.

Blooming Prairie had four first place finishes out of the nine co-ed relays and 10 individual firsts. Krejci’s two, two from Kyle Verley in the boys 100 and 200 yard dashes, one from Maren Peterson in the girls 100, one from Kristin Olivo in the girls discus, one from Jenny Burt in the girls pole vault, one from Lisi Ingvalson in the 300 low hurdles, one from Abbi Christianson in the girls 200, and one from Andy Hjelman in the boys high jump.

"Lisi Ingvalson is having a great year for us," Blooming Prairie girls coach John Bruns said. "Her time today in the hurdles, 51.9, was faster than she ran all last year. She is only a freshman."

Krejci had a terrific meet. Warming up before his first event of the day, the discus, he out threw the landing area and his discus bounced and hit a parked car. He then threw for a personal best of 142 feet on throws that counted.

"By far Krejci had the standout performance for us," Blooming Prairie boys coach Dan Jacobusse said. "He threw the discus nine feet further than he has ever done."

It was 18 feet further than second place finisher Jesse Hamilton of GMLOS threw on the day.

"I beat him by a foot a couple of weeks ago in the Kasson-Mantorville Invite," Hamilton said. "I had my best throw of the year there, 129 feet, eight inches. Were trading off who wins. I look to be on top next time."

Hamilton also finished third in the high jump and anchored the winning 800 medley (100, 100, 200, 400).

GMLOS picked up three top finishes in the relays (4×200, 800 medley, and the 4×400) with Angie Holst and Amber Ihrke a member of each team. Holst also picked up a first place ribbon and was awarded with a tee shirt (like all the other champions) in the long jump.

GMLOS’s Ben Thorsen won three tee shirts on the day with wins in the triple jump and 300 intermediate hurdles and as a member of the 4×200 relay. Matt Decker, the fourth member of that 4×200 relay, won the boys long jump.

Blooming Prairie next takes to the track Friday, May 12, in the Section 2 True Team meet in Wells. GMLOS hosts Rushford-Peterson next Monday.