The Oak Harbor High School boys track team zipped to a strong start in the opening day of the Western Conference North Division track meet Wednesday, May 11, in Arlington.

Finals were held in five events and preliminary heats in several others Wednesday. The meet concludes Friday, May 13, in Arlington with the first events beginning at 5:30 p.m.

The host Eagles finished Wednesday with 54 points, just a half point ahead of the Oak Harbor in the boys standings in the six-team meet.

Arlington also leads the girls meet with 68 points. Oak Harbor sits in fifth with 15.

The Wildcat boys picked up three top-eight finishes in two events. Kyle Nickols (5-10), Jordan Washington (5-08) and Ozell Jackson finished 2-3-6 in the high jump, while Garren Guerrero (21-00.5), Washington (20-09.75) and Andrew Miller (19-07.75) went 2-4-8 in the long jump.

Joseph Noland (44-10.5) and Austin White (43-03) placed third and fourth in the shot put; Ben Gasper (4:37.01) and Jake Hucko (4:38.5) took fifth and seventh in the 1,600 meters; and Cullen Wood (10-06) was third in the pole vault.

The preliminaries were highlighted by Oak Harbor’s efforts in the 400 meters where five Wildcats earned spots in the finals (1, Mac Nuanez, 53; 3, Jose Cote, 54.13; 5, Daniel Guerrero, 54.5; 7, Chris Brown, 55.21; 8, Josiah Welch, 55.29).

The Oak Harbor girls placed in only two of the final events, but the 4×200 team of Jenna Cooley, Matti Miesle, Janae Payne and Alana Austin brought home the title (1:47.17).

Julie Jansen finished fourth in the discus (97-06).

The strongest showing in the preliminaries came in the 200 meters where Payne, Austin and Miesle all qualified for the finals.

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Michael Lym, top, qualifies for the 800 meters final by placing sixth. Below, Matti Miesle hands to Alana Austin in Oak Harbor’s victory in the 4×200 relay. Photos by John Fisken.