Spring sports in full swing for Bulldogs
Girls Soccer
Gibault Catholic 1, Highland 0
The Highland girls soccer team had plenty of defense but could not get much offense generated in its season opener.
Highland fell to Gibault Catholic 1-0 on March 12 in the first game of Pool D play in the Metro Cup Tournament at Freeburg High School.
Rochester 1, Highland 0
It was another scoreless outing on the pitch for Highland as Rochester scored a second-half goal and blanked the Lady Bulldogs 1-0 ib March 13 in the second game of Pool D play in the Metro Cup Tournament at Belleville East High School.
Sophomore Bella LaPorta made six saves in goal and took the loss for Highland.
Roxana 1, Highland 0
Highland battled Roxana in a low-scoring affair but came up short, falling 1-0 to the Shells in the third game of Pool D play in the Metro Cup Tournament on Friday at Belleville East.
Highland 3, Carbondale 0
After dropping three one-goal games, the Lady Bulldogs broke loose for three goals against Carbondale and won 3-0 in their final game of Pool D play in the Metro Cup Tournament on Saturday at Belleville East.
Jaida Duncan, Jaqlyn Ferguson, and Sam Henghold provided the scoring for Highland (1-3).
Madalyn McCall assisted on Duncan and Henghold’s goals and Hengehold assisted on Ferguson’s goal.
LaPorta had another strong day in goal as she went all 80 minutes and recorded her first solo shutout of the season.
Boys Track
Bulldogs tracksters fare well in sprints, distance events at Jersey Indoor Winter Thaw
The Highland boys track team turned in a solid showing in its final indoor appearance March 9 at the Jersey Winter Thaw at Principia College in Elsah.
In the sprints, the Bulldogs got three top 35 finishes in the sprint and distance events. In the 200 meter dash, Ethan Leftwich placed ninth with a PR time of 25.22.
James beard was solid in the 400-meter run with a 17th place finish. Vance Brindley finished 30th in the 800-meter run.
Josh Loeh had a solid outing in the 1,600 meters with a 20th place finish and Owen Kobbeman was 35th.
In the 3,200 meter run, Easton Rosen was 12th with a time of 11:21.14.
Connor Sands turned in a strong performance in the triple jump with a fourth-place finish, jumping 38-8.
Highland boys finish second in tri-meet with Granite City, Metro East Lutheran
On March 14, the Highland boys track team opened the outdoor meet season with a second place finish in a home tri-meet against Granite City and Metro East Lutheran.
In the sprints, Leftwich had a strong day with a second place (11.7) in the 100 meters and a first place (24.2) in the 200 meters.
Owen Kobbeman and Cameron Pace took third and fourth in the 400-meter dash. Rosen captured the 800-meter run with a PR time of 2:12.4. Josh Loeh and Ethan Augustin were first and second in the 1600 meter run.
Andrew Capelle placed fourth in the 110 hurdles, third in 300-meter hurdles, and took third in the high jump. Bryce Kirsch took first in the pole vault and James Beard won the long jump.
Rosen finished third in the triple jump.
Girls Track
Highland finishes 15th in Charleston Girls Invitational
It was a solid finish to the indoor season for the Highland girls track team March 19. Highland ventured to the Charleston Girls Invitational at Eastern Illinois University and finished 15th in the 32 team AA/AA division of the meet.
In the sprints, Olivia Wilke placed 26th in the 60-yard dash and Megan Griesbaum finished 21st in the 200-meter dash (30.70).
Senior Kate Marti led the way in the middle distance races, finishing 5th (2:31.76). Freshman Christa Rittenhouse placed 23rd in the 1,600-meter run, and sophomore Grace Meyer placed 10th in the 3200-meter run.
In the hurdles, Lydia Hadowksy and Chloe Marti placed 17th and 29th, respectively, in the 60-meter hurdles.
Junior Taylor Kesner fared well in the shot put, placing second with a heave of 37-1.
Olivia Wilke had a solid day in the high jump, placing 13th with a leap of 31’7.
Lady Bulldogs tracksters win season opening tri-meet at home
The Highland girls track team opened its 2019 outdoor track season at home with a great start. buoyed by strong performances across the board, the Lady Bulldogs defeated both Granite City and Metro East Lutheran on March 14 at home.
Highland was scheduled to return to action Tuesday at the Jerseyville Quad at Jerseyville High School.