By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- The Niles track and field teams defended their home track well Thursday night against local rival Buchanan.
Both the Niles boys and girls beat the Bucks handily, registering victories of 128-28 and 116-35, respectively.
The Viking boys remain unbeaten this season thanks to several multiple-event winners. Logan Todd won three individual events to pace the Vikings. he won the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:54.25, the 800-meter run with a time of 2:12.24 and the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:10.70. Dane Ford won the 110-meter high hurdles with a time of 18.73 and the 400-meter dash with a time of 54.03. James Edwards won the shot put with a toss of 42-2 and the discus with a throw of 116-2.75. Isaiah Glaze also won two events, taking the 100-meters with a time of 11.36 and the 200-meters in a time of 24.11.
Other individual event winners for the Vikings included Otis West in the long jump with a leap of 19 feet and Ricky Phillips in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 44.46.
Niles swept the relay races as well as sweeping the top four places in the 400-meter dash, discus and shot put.
Gordon Bryant was the only event winner for Buchanan, clearing 5-6 to finish first in the high jump.
In the girls' competition, the Vikings did not have any individual multiple-event winners but won three of four relay races and finished first in eight individual events. Ashley Austin won the shot put with a toss of 32-11. Chelsea Bennett won the discus with a throw of 87 feet. Alex Ranft finished first in the high jump by clearing 4-8. Amanda Britton won the long jump with a leap of 13-8. Tasha Webster won the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.7. Kristin Lamarre won the 400-meter dash with her time of 1:07.86. Angel Brown took first in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 1:05.31 and Mariette Strauss won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:47.07.
Ellen Sieman won two events for Buchanan, taking first in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:24.36 and the 3,200-meter run with a time of 14:23. Adriane Spenner won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 20.19 and Jessica Dickinson won the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.8.
The Niles teams return to action Tuesday at home against Dowagiac in a Big 16 Conference West Division meet. Buchanan's squads will take part in the Lancer Relays at Lakeshore on Monday.