The Galena/River Ridge/East Dubuque Boys Track team participated in two meets last week and Galena High School Students placed very well.

On April 16 Lena Winslow hosted the Lena Buzz Gates Jamboree. The Galena/River Ridge/East Dubuque track team as a whole did really well. As a team they got first in the 4x200m Relay with the winning time of 1:37.65. Junior Damien Stephanopoulos ran the opening leg to lead the foursome to fist place. He was also on the 1st place Long Jump jamboree team.  Finally, he was in the group of open 200m runners who finished in 2nd place as a jamboree team. His efforts helped contribute 28 points to the team total.

Not only did the team run well together some individuals got some high points for the boys track team. Senior Keiran DuPlessis placed second in the 100 Meter only by a split second. He got a 12.20 and the first place winner ran a 12.19. That second did not stop DuPlessis, he got first place in the 200 Meter scoring some 4.67 points for his team. Stephanopoulos also got sixth place in this run to add 2.67 points. This was not the end for the two boys.

On April 18 The Galena/River Ridge/East Dubuque boys track team visited Platteville, where they placed third as a team out of 11 teams. Stephanopoulos jumped his way to first place with an 18 inch long jump. “It was a descent jump but I could have done better,” he said.  “I will keep trying to beat my own records and push the team to do the same.”

Stephanopoulos also ran the 1st leg of the 1st place Medley Relay (200-200-400-800).  He finished off his day as a member of the 1st place 4x100m relay which beat several of the top relay teams in our area.  His outstanding performance helped contribute 30 points to the team total of 65 points.

His performance this week earned Stephanopoulos Pirate Competitor of the Week and was honored with a gift basket from the Galena Culver’s, as well as a newspaper courtesy of the Galena Gazette.  

The team had many great runs. They placed first in the Distance Medley 2-2-4-8 and in the 2×100 meter relay. Also placing third in both the Sprint Medley 1-1-2-4. For this event they had an overall score of 65 putting them in the top third.

Congratulations to the Boys track team and those individuals who were noticed. The boys will run again on Thursday, April 25 in Cuba City.