Hornettes Win Redbird Invitational

The Hornettes track team defeated 13 other teams to win the Lady Redbird Invitational at West Frankfort on April 12. Front Row: Jaylyn Bower, Sabrina Kollbaum, Josie Middleton,  Destyn Hausner, Jadah Heidel, and Kiley Heidel. Middle Row: Kylie Kozuszek, Kayla Ivey, Kourtney Stroud, Sydney Schnitker, Raqui Elliott, and Grace Maschhoff. Back Row: Autumn Evans, Allison Melton, and Carli Hoffman.
By Brent Huelsmann
After a slow start to the season due to weather, the Nashville Hornettes track team had two varsity track meets this past week, as well as a Fresh/Soph meet. On April 10, the Hornettes competed at the Freeburg Invitational. On April 12, the Hornettes traveled to West Frankfort for the Lady Redbird Invitational.
The Hornettes varsity track team competed in just their second meet of the season on April 10 as they traveled to Freeburg for the Freeburg Invitational. The Hornettes were one of the smallest schools at the meet, as only two of the 16 teams were IHSA Class 1A teams. Teams competing were: Nashville, Columbia, Central, Chester, Benton, Belleville East, Freeburg, Belleville West, Althoff, Centralia, Highland, Granite City, Mascoutah, Carterville, Waterloo, and Carbondale.
Belleville East took the title with 89 points. Belleville West finished second with 83 points. Freeburg finished third, followed by Althoff in fourth, and Centralia in fifth. Nashville finished sixth with 44.5 points.
To medal at the event, athletes needed to finish in the top three in an event. The Hornettes had one first place finish as Destyn Hausner won the high jump.
Sydney Schnitker finished second in the triple jump, and third in the long jump. Jadah Heidel finished third in the 300M Hurdles, and the 4X800M Relay team of Kylie Kozuszek, Grace Maschhoff, Kiley Heidel and Sabrina Kollbaum finished in third place.
Nashville was back on the track April 12 as they traveled to West Frankfort for the Lady Redbird Invitational. This time the Hornettes brought home the title as they finished with 72 points. DuQuoin was second with 47 points, followed by Carterville with 41 points.
Sydney Schnitker set a new school record in the triple jump, breaking the record she set just a week before. Schnitker finished with a jump of 35’4” an inch better than the previous school record.
The 4X800M Relay team of Kozuszek, Maschhoff, Kiley Heidel, and Kollbaum also finished in first place. Jadah Heidel finished first in the 300M Hurdles, and the 4X400M Relay team of Kozuszek, Kylie Heidel, Kollbaum, and Jadah Heidel won the final race of the meet.