DUNCAN – The Altus High Lady Bulldogs track team opened up their 2013 campaign in Duncan on Saturday at the Southern Oklahoma Invitational and came away with a runner-up finish.

Lawton Ike took the team title with 136 points while Altus was right behind with 134. Elgin, Marlow and Duncan rounded out the top five in the 12 team field. The weather conditions ran the gambit on Saturday as the meet started an hour late because the timing system was malfunctioning due to the mist and strong winds. Once the meet got going the runners dealt with a 25-30 mph wind blowing into them as they finished each race. The meet was again delayed an hour due to heavy rain and finally a lite breeze.

Altus was able to crown 3 champions. Tisay Woodhouse won the shot put with a throw of 38’3 ½”, Kendra Gibson took the long jump with a leap of 15’8” and Gibson, Itiya Knight, Tyara Jones and Vetta McCaskill won the 400 Relay in a time of 51.80

Finishing second for the Lady Bulldogs was Ashely Hughes in the 100 Hurdles (16.16) and 300 Hurdles (49.07), Woodhouse in the Discus (115’5”), Sarah Gilstad in the 800 Run, Zetta McCaskill in the 400, the 1600 Relay comprised of Z. McCaskill, Hughes, Gilstad and V. McCaskill and the 3200 Relay team comprised of Gilstad, Julia Pack, Lexie Herron and Brenda Ortiz.

Finishing third was the 800 relay team of Knight, Gibson, V. McCaskill and Z. McCaskill. “This was about what we wanted in a first meet,” said coach Robert Garrison, “Most of the girls posted some good times and distances for this early in the season. I’m proud of the way the ladies competed today. We like to win meets but I didn’t need anyone getting injured this early in the season so we kept the girls down to three events each instead of four,” added Garrison.

The next action for the Lady Bulldogs will be Thursday when they travel to OKC Bishop McGuinness for a tough early meet. “We chose this meet because of the 6A and 5A teams that will show up,” said Garrison, “some of the best teams in the state will be there.”

Complete Altus Results from the Southern Oklahoma Invitational

100 Dash- Itiya Knight (6th) 400 Dash- Zetta McCaskill (2nd), Tyara Jones (5th) 800 Run- Sarah Gilstad (2nd), Julia Pack (5th) 1600 Run- Pack (4th) 100 Hurdles- Ashely Hughes (2nd) 300 Hurdles- Hughes (2nd) 400 Relay- Knight, Kendra Gibson, Vetta McCaskill, Jones (1st) 800 Relay- Knight, Gibson, V. McCaskill, Z. McCaskill (3rd) 1600 Relay- Z. McCaskill, Ashely Hughes, Gilstad, V. McCaskill (2nd) 3200 Relay- Gilstad, Pack, Lexie Herron, Brenda Ortiz (2nd) Long Jump- Gibson (1st), Hughes (6th) Shot Put- Tisay Woodhouse (1st) Discus- Woodhouse (2nd)