EARLHAM ä The St. Edmond boys track team scored a pair of first place relay finishes here Tuesday at the Cardinal Early Bird Relays hosted by Earlham.

The 4×800-meter relay of Carter Rial, Sam Mericle, Anthony Valles and Aaron Lursen went 8:48.69 for top honors, while the distance medley of Johnny Dickerson, Jonathan Xiao, Klay Baker and Lursen was first in 3:48.35.

Mericle, competing in the first heat of the 1,600, placed second overall in 4:53.10. He won his heat by over a minute.

In the final race of the night, the 4×400 relay of Baker, Dickerson, Lursen and Grant Galles was third in 3:42.42.

âIt was a really good night for the guys,ã SEHS head coach Donn Larson said. âThe temperature was chilly, so we didnát push some things, but it was still good to get out and compete.ã

Rial went 2:16.55 to finish seventh in the 800, Dickerson was seventh in the high jump (5-8) with Thomas Cosgrove placing eighth in the 400 hurdles in 1:02.99. Liam Shannon was ninth in the 3,200 in a time of 11:48.75 with Xiao finishing ninth in the 200 (25.64).

Tyler McDowell placed 10th in the discus (103-10), Leo Ehn was 10th in the 200 (25.73) and Baker 10th in the 400 (57.96).

The sprint medley relay of Braydon Smith, Dominic McClain, Galles and Baker finished fifth (1:42.65), with the 4×200 of John Nemmers, Xiao, Galles and Dickerson placing sixth (1:41.39).

Up next for the Gaels will be an invitational in Eagle Grove next Tuesday.