Both boys and girls track teams showed strength and promise Thursday in the Falcons meet with Lakewood.

Running

Jason Fitz ran the 110-meter hurdles in 15.5 seconds and the 300 hurdles in 41.45, both personal bests.

“I was ready to go, I could feel the adrenaline,” Fitz said. “I’m right where I need to be for state level. I need to work more on bending my hip but, yeah, I’m ready to go.”

Andy Bennett took third in the 110 and second in the 300.

The boys 4X100 meter relay team of Chandler Thompson, Jon Poolman, Eric Stallman and Fitz blistered the track at 45.57.

Scott Stallman replaced Poolman in the 4X400 and the boys won in 3:38.30.

Thompson was a little scared about the hand-off to Poolman. “He has to get his arm up and I have to pass it just right on the run past the first curve,” he recalled.

Poolman, a freshman, likes the relay. “It’s more fun running with teammates because they’re all so fast,” he said. “Chandler did a great job getting the baton to me.”

Poolman took second in both the 100 and 200-meter dash while Scott Stallman was second in the 400 and Marco Plastino third.

In the distance events, Nick Rovang came in third in the 1600-meter run and Jordan Thornley finished third in the 3200.

Lauren Sandri (13.04 and 27.21), McKenzie Walker and Gwen Bakke were an unstoppable trio in the girls 100 and 200-meter dash. Erica Johnson (1:05.23) and Caroline Habel were first and second in the 400-meter dash. Johnson (2:35.89) finished the 800 in first place a few minutes later and Habel took third.

Katy Gordon (5:35.90) and Courtney Bosman finished first and third in the 1600-meter run but were edged out of the 3200 by four seconds.

Laura Barrow took second place for the Falcons in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles. Taking first in the 4X100 and 4X200 relay were Hope Richards, Walker, Bakke, Cayla Calderwood and Sandri in 51.3 and 1:58.27 respectively.

“It’s OK for the beginning of the season,” Sandri said after the relay. “There’s more adrenaline pumping when more girls are on the track. As to state, we’re on our way but it’s still up in the air.”

Bakke, Habel, Johnson and Barrow won the 4X400 relay with a time of 4:32.37.

Jumping

Matt Long placed second in his first pole vault event of the season. Thompson (18-07), Bennett and Scott Stallman took the top three slots in the long jump; Stallman (37-0) and Bennett placed one-two in the triple.

Calderwood took a second in the girls high jump while Julie Antetomaso placed third in the long jump and first in the triple (28-07).

Throwing

David Monell found the sweet spot, taking first in shot put (41-11) and discus 104-08).

Nate Higman and Robert Boenish placed second and third in the discus.

Robert Boenish knew he didn’t have his best day.

“No PR but I plan to keep working on my stance and technique,” Boenish said. “It’s great to see everyone’s hard work pay off.”

Long threw his javelin 126 feet for third.

Emma Ruggiero, who just heard she’s been accepted at Princeton, took first in shot put (34-10) and discus (111-10), third in javelin. Martha Gil-Osorio placed second in javelin.

“It isn’t my specialty, but I like the javelin because it requires more pure power and less technique,” Ruggiero said. “My score today was a personal best and I can live with that.”

Falcon Coach Doug Fulton was happy with the team’s overall performance.

“Jason looked good in his first meet, winning both hurdles and anchoring both relays,” he said. “The boys relay team and 1600 runners placed high in district rankings. Emma’s shotput throw was a big personal best as well and Erica won a tough double in the 400 and 800.”

The track and field team won’t be back at Waterman Field until April 23 for the Westling Invite.