The Seymour girls and boys track and field teams started its season on Tuesday evening with a dual meet against Columbus East.

The Olympians won on both sides, scoring 72 to Seymour’s 60 on the girls side and 80 to 52 on the boys side.

But the Owls still had plenty of solid moments, like in the final event of the evening, the 4×400 relay, Seymour’s girls team was in a battle with the Olympians.

Seymour had the lead after the first leg, Columbus East took it back on the second leg, and then Samantha Jacobi regained the lead for the Owls on the third leg and handed it off to Hayley Harpe with a slight lead.

The Columbus East athlete was breathing down Harpe’s neck, but the senior never relinquished the lead and closed it out for the Owls with a winning time of 4:29.17.

“I knew that I had what it took for the last 200 meters,” Harpe said. “I had a lot left in the tank, sprinted at the end and it worked out.”

Harpe said she enjoys the pressure of being the team’s anchor.

“The feeling of everyone at the finish line, and anchoring knowing we’re gonna win is just really good,” she said.

Harpe also won the 400 meter dash individually earlier in the meet with a time of 1:02.66.

“It was amazing,” Harpe said. “This was definitely the best start I’ve had to any season. I’ve been working on short strides, just getting out first seven seconds and getting into my race and those last 200 meters, giving it everything I got.”

Harpe said she hopes to get under 60 seconds in the 400 this season because the school record is 60.1

“My goal is to just keep working, working, working and get under 60 seconds,” she said.

Other first-place finishers for the girls included Brooke Trinkle in the 1600 with a time of 5:32, Jacobi in the 800 with a time of 2:32.82 and Vivienne Siefker in the 3200 with a 12:01.14.

Evah Snyder was second in the 110 hurdles at 19.23, Kate Connell was third (19.93) and McKenzie Wirtz was fourth (20.00). Snyder was also second in long jump (13’9.75”) and Connell was third (13’6.25”). Connell won high jump with a 4’8”, and Ashlyn Henderson was third with 4’6”. Connell was also third in pole vault with a 6’9”.

Lillian Sunbury was third in the 1600 in 6:05, Hannah Dart was second in both shotput and discus with throws of 29’6.5” and 89’6”, respectively, and Kiley Sons was third in shotput (29’5.25”).

Addison Lemon was second in the 200 with a 26.69, Kinsley Folsom was second in the two mile with a 12:43.57 and Grace Lewis was third in the 300 hurdles in 55.39.

On the boys side, Jude Bane won the 1600 (4:53) and 3200 (10:32.47), and he was also a part of the winning 4×800 team.

“It felt great, just training all winter running by myself, it felt great to get out here and put up some good times,” Bane said.

Bane was alone for most of his races, but he has a strategy for himself to stay engaged.

“Just always pushing. Making sure I surge for the first 200 (meters) of each lap, just never getting comfortable and always trying to push harder,” he said.

Ty Tormoehlen was second in both the 1600 (5:05) and 3200 (11:20.25), which is a solid first meet for a freshman.

“I always encourage him to try to get up with me on some workouts,” Bane said. “It’s obviously paid off. He came out here and ran some great times. 5:05 as a freshman in your first meet is great.”

Bane said he hopes to go below 10 minutes in the two mile this season and get around 4:40 in the mile.

Other top finishes for the Owls were Cam Wheeler in the 110 hurdles, placing third in 18.43. Owen Kruse was third in discus with 117’9”, Kyle Heilman was third in the 400 in 57:08, and Wheeler was also second in the 300 hurdles in 44.91. Donovyn Thomas and Bryson Darlage went second and third in the high jump, respectively.

Jadrix Zumhingst was second in pole vault with a 9’3” and Collin Hankins was third with a 8’9”. Jaylan Johnson was third in the 200 in 24.82, and the Owls swept the 800 with Michael Proffer going first (2:12.25), Carter Murphy second (2:14.21) and Kylan Ellerbe third (2:19.17).

Next up for Seymour, the Owls will be back at home on Thursday for a meet against Bedford North Lawrence and Jennings County.