LAKEVILLE, IN. – Field events have been a strength for the boys track team for much of the 2023 season. LaVille used a strong showing in discus, shot put and pole vault while also displaying some depth to win the 2023 Lancer Relays championship on a cold and rainy night in Lakeville. Coach Kathe Beehler’s team combined 22 points in the field events to go with 27 running event points to finish ahead of John Glenn and defend its 2022 championship. The trio of Collin Allen, AJ Bedock and Erik Bedock combined for 374-feet, 9-inches to pick up the win in the discus. Just a short distance away, Noah Richhart and Garrett Wagoner teamed with Erik Bedock to claim six big points in the shot put to get coach Kathe Beehler’s team off to a good start. On the other side of the track, LaVille’s Lincoln Hulsey and Matthew Schaefer combined for 23-feet, 7-inches to win the pole vault. Hulsey led the way with a school-record 14-feet, 7-inch effort. Hulsey was just coming off an injury and working his way through practices to get back on track. Other than his practices, he did have an opportunity at Goshen Relays to jump before Lancer Relays. All along, the numbers 14-6 were on Hulsey’s mind. “I haven’t been jumping,” noted Hulsey. “I went to the doctor and I got cleared. So I wanted to see how high I could get so I guess I ended up breaking the record. It was cold, but I wanted to do it.” When asked about the school-record, Hulsey said, “Someone had to do it ,that’s what I’ve been saying, Someone has to do it.” So, Hulsey opened his bid to reestablish the school record at a height he could get some warm-up jumps in to pursue an elusive mark for over 40 years. “I started at 13-foot,” Hulsey recalled. “Then I went from 13-foot to 13-6. Then I went to 14 (feet) and then I went for the school record (which was 14-6), so 14-7.” On his opening attempt at 14-7, Hulsey was not quite there. “It was my second jump,” said Hulsey, who finished seventh at the 2022 Indiana High School Athletic Association state track and field meet. “I came up short on my first jump. I was like, I need to run faster so I can get over it and past it. Then I ran faster on the second attempt. “As soon as my feet were over it, I knew I cleared the bar,” explained Hulsey. “As I was flying through the air and I realized I cleared it, I was screaming “let’s go.” Hulsey’s accomplishment set off a celebration that will be remembered for a long time. “I was jumping up and down and I ran over to coach Beehler and gave her a hug, and my dad (who is also Lincoln’s pole vault coach) and my mom and my old pole vault buddy Nathan Watts. And I went up to the team and they were all saying good job. It was a good time.” The old record of 14-6 was held by John Carter from 1977. Hulsey still has at least three meets in 2023 and his senior year to work toward his current record. “I still have the rest of the season and next year,” said Hulsey, who teamed with Matthew Schaefer to win the pole championship at Lancer Relays. “I think I can get higher.” LANCER RELAYS Boys Track At Lakeville TEAM SCORES LaVille 49, John Glenn 40, Michigan City 25, Westville 18, Culver Community 17 Lancer Relays Event Champions (LaVille Results) Shuttle Hurdle Relay – Brock Gest, Avery Garrett, Alex McFadden, Ashton Artrip (1:12.54) 1600m Relay – Cody Allen, Cole Stafford, Owen Smith, Lincoln Hulsey (3:38.16) Pole Vault Relay – Lincoln Hulsey, Matthew Schaefer (23-7) Discus Relay – Collin Allen, AJ Bedock, Erik Bedock (374-9) Shot Put Relay – Noah Richhart, Erik Bedock, Garrett Wagoner (143-10.5)