Newton 4x400 relay team wins gold at Charleston: 'We finally finished on top'
May 30—Parker Wolf, Ben Meinhart, Owen Mahaffey, and Evan Schafer combined to break a 17-year school record on the final day of competition at the Class 1A state track and field championships Saturday.
The quartet ran the 4x400-meter relay in 3:23.24, breaking a record originally set by Clay Britton, Ryan Britton, Cody Yager, and Levi Richards. Those four crossed the finish line in 3:23.83.
"We've talked about that for a couple of years, even during COVID; if we can all stay together, we would have a chance to not just win by the 4x400, but the school record is just icing on the cake," head coach Todd Short said.
Wolf started the race for the Eagles, handing off to Meinhart.
"I wanted to get a good lead for Ben and lengthen the lead for Owen and 'Schaf,' but we knew we had to get a lead for the anchor, and that's what we did," Wolf said.
Mahaffey then ran the third leg of the race before Schafer sealed the deal for Newton.
"Coming off Thursday, we knew Winnebago, there three and four runners were good. Evan told me before the race that we got to gain a 10-20-meter lead if we want to win, which was my goal," Mahaffey said.
As Schafer was rounding the corner at Eastern Illinois' O'Brien Field, right on his tail was Winnebago's Michael Cunningham.
Schafer was one step quicker, though, eventually edging out Cunningham and receiving hugs from his teammates afterward.
"We've been working for this for four years now; we've been working our butts off in every sport we've been in, and it feels good to get something worth bringing home," Schafer said.
Meinhart added that after coming up short during basketball and baseball season — both of which ended in regional championship losses — that a state championship in track and field was that much sweeter.
"We finally finished on top," Meinhart said.
As for Short, when asked about his quartet of runners, he couldn't help but explain how grateful he was to be able to coach them.
"Every kid on our team is just great. They've been one of the best groups of kids I've ever coached — I've been doing it a long time," Short said. "Ben Meinhart is the most-decorated athlete in our school. Seventeen major letters, and now he has a state championship on top of that; Evan Schafer is an unbelievable kid. He's been our sprint leader for the last two years. He's worked hard and been dedicated, but he couldn't ask for a better athlete. Owen Mahaffey coming back; he'll be one of our leaders next year; he'll do unbelievable on his own, and, of course, Parker Wolf as a sophomore has been unbelievable for us and will continue to be for the next two years."
------
Please check out Wednesday's edition of the Effingham Daily News and online, at effinghamdailynews.com, for a feature story on the Cowden-Herrick Beecher City track and field team.
Contact EDN Sports Editor Alex Wallner at 618-510-9231 or alex.wallner@effinghamdailynews.com.
