Avallone, Kessinger lead Tell City to 2nd in invitational

MOUNT VERNON - Zach Avallone and Kyle Kessinger each won one event to lead Tell City to second place in the nine-team Mount Vernon boys track invitational Friday.

Castle romped to victory with 164 points. Tell City scored 84.

"In nearly every event Castle had someone phenomenal and we had someone equally as good," said Tell City Coach Chris Hollinden. "But because of their numbers (Castle is the largest school in Southwestern Indiana with an enrollment more than three times that of Tell City) they had a second person in each event almost as good as their first one."

Avallone won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 41.22 seconds, breaking Jimmy Logsdon's school record.

Kessinger won the 400 dash in 50.67, moving past Dave Goffinet, Mark Hildebrandt and John Nelson into third place on Tell City's all-time honor roll in that event. He trails only Chris Evans and Stan Austin.

Kessinger placed second in the 200 in 24.17.

Patrick Swayne, Colton Thomas, Avallone and Kessinger placed second in the 1600 relay in 4:44.

"Our first three legs on that relay were great," said Hollinden. "And once Kyle gets his endurance up (he was sidelined several weeks with an ankle injury) we should be close to 3:30 or 3:32."

Spencer Sandage placed second in the 1600 run in 4:44 and third in the 3200 in 10:18.

Dalton Sweeney, Sandage, Nick Bower and Jordan Alvey placed third in the 3200 relay in 8:41.

"Spencer ran three good races tonight," said Hollinden.

Jerry Ammon, Jay Ziegelgruber, Colton Thomas and Nathan Ramsey took third in the 400 relay in 47.36.

Ziegelgruber was also third in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 10 inches.

The Marksmen scored twice in the discus. Tyler Henning was third with a 123-foot-10 throw and Daniel Scott was fourth at 120-1.

Henning placed sixth in the shot put with a 44-foot-3 toss.

Sweeney placed fifth in the 800 in 2:08 despite being sick.

Three sixth places completed the Marksmen's scoring: Nathan Ramsey in the 200 in 25.5, Patrick Swayne in the 400 in 54.00, and David McDaniel in the 300 intermediate hurdles in 46.19.

Tell City, 13-7, will finish its regular season with a dual meet at Boonville Thursday at 5 p.m.

Team scores: Castle 164, Tell City 84, Evansville Memorial 71, Boonville 61, North Posey 36, Gibson Southern 28, Mater Dei 16, Evansville Signature 6