Bidlow, Vaqueros big winners at Easter Relays

Cody Bidlow won the 100 meters and ran on two victorious relay teams on Friday to pace the SBCC track team in the 76th annual Easter Relays at La Playa Stadium.

The Vaqueros won 10 events, including seven by the men. The women added three first-place efforts in the seven-school College/University Division that included four-year schools Westmont and Bowdoin of Maine.

Bidlow won the 100 in 11.18 and teammate Cliff Lekas was third in 11.25.

“There was a slight headwind, but I didn’t care,” said Bidlow, a sophomore from Dos Pueblos High. “A couple guys were seeded ahead of me and my goal was to beat them.”

Bidlow ran anchor on the 4×100 relay that included Carl Davis, Lekas and Randall Davis. They ran 42.49, the sixth-fastest time in school history.

Bidlow led off the winning 4×200 relay and was followed by Carl Davis, Tristan Lake and Lekas. They clocked 1:29.14 to beat Westmont by nearly a full second.

The men’s 1600 sprint medley also went to the Vaqueros. James Herb, Andy Lopez, Grant Coleman and German Hernandez were clocked in 3:36.54.

Other men’s winners for the Vaqueros were John Nealon in the 1500 meters (4:18.69), Ian Roberts in the 5000 (15:16.78) and Aaron Meteski in the javelin (52.36 meters).

Lake didn’t run in his specialty, the 400 hurdles, due to illness.

Kathryn Rucker captured the women’s high jump for SBCC at 1.53 meters. Nicole Bartlett took second in the 1500 and beat all the college runners in 5:01.18. Maggie Baker, running unattached, nipped Bartlett by a second in 5:00.18.

Samantha Wikmark was second the 100 in 13.07.

The Vaqueros also won two relays, taking the 4×200 in 1:43.52 and the 4×800 in 10:11.60. Amanda Chevalier, Kaylin Koopmans, Elysia Hodges and Laurel Stormans took the 4×200 while Emily Bernath, Bartlett, Dean Roell and Judith Rodriguez prevailed in the 4×800.

The Vaqueros will compete in the WSC Coastal Meet on Friday, March 22 at Cuesta.