ADAMS TWP — An assortment of talent lent itself to a competitive track and field atmosphere at Mars Athletic Complex Thursday, with both sides of a section meet between Mars and North Catholic coming down to the final event.

The Planets’ boys got past North Catholic by a 79-71 score, as senior Jacob Thompson placed first in the 200-meter dash and was part of a 4x100 relay team that notched a personal record on the day.

That group also included seniors Jeremy Stevenson and Hayden Mayer and junior Ralph Zatezalo.

“Honestly, we were just looking just to get a time in, not a PR,” Thompson said of the 44.32-second effort. “Our first-leg runner, he was just coming back from an injury, so we wanted him to get back into running form. Running the PR was just a complete shocker to us.”

Ryan Sheldon (110 hurdles) and Domenico D’Angelo (400 run) won events on the oval for Mars, too.

“We have some seniors that have sort of been carrying our track (events),” Mars coach Jen Webber said. “We have a couple of other underclassmen in the field events that have been continuously scoring points for us in second or third place.

“Honestly, it’s across the board. We’ve got scorers in the field and scorers on the track.”

Despite coming up short, the Trojans showcased the same volume of talent.

“We have some nice balance, a group of kids that has balance in the sprints, as well as in the jump areas,” said Terry Fisher, the Trojans’ second-year coach. “They’re young, so I’m excited about where we’re heading in the future.

“They’ve been with me a couple years now, and we have some young talent coming. Couple that with some of the upperclassmen, and we definitely will start building a tradition here.”

North’s distance runners — Owen Schessler and Joe Harmanos, specifically — stood out.

“I think we all just kind of went out and raced hard today, trying to see what we could do,” Schessler said.

Rigel Weakland (4:57.68) and Tyler Carroll (5:01.42) helped sweep the 1,600-meter run for North. Carroll also ran a leg of the winning 3,200-meter relay.

Schessler was careful to take it easier during the section meet, with a goal of impressing at the Butler Invitational next weekend.

“I want to try to get a two-mile PR,” he said. “That’s the only event I’m going to do. The PR is 9:45, so I’m hoping to get 9:40-ish ... I’m definitely trying to go at a good pace, but keeping that race in mind.”

Fisher is looking forward to the challenge, as well.

“That event, you’re going to get a lot of great competition,” Fisher said. “I’m excited to see where we stack up. This is our first year in 3A. We were really strong in small-school over the past two years, then we moved up.

“We’ve been able to compete with these bigger schools even though we may not have the same amount of depth as they have in terms of number of kids.”

Girls

North Catholic sophomore Seava Cresta won the 200-meter dash (27.60) and was the anchor runner on her side’s 4x100 relay team as the Trojanettes earned an 87-63 victory.

Had they swept the javelin event, the Planet girls could have pulled out the win. Instead, North Catholic’s Mackenzie Butler, Michaela Butler, and Olivia Schzure all placed and sealed a Trojanettes victory.

Mars received wins from Autumn Flowers (100 hurdles), Morgan Duker (400 run), and the mile and two-mile relay teams.

Julia Zalenski ran the mile in 5:36.57 for North, while Sarah Haskins (300 hurdles), Sydney Dunn (800 run), and Madeline Meeuf (3,200 run) also placed first in their respective events.

Boys

Mars 79, North Catholic 71

3,200 relay: North Catholic (Tyler Carroll, Joe Harmanos, Giacomo Lepore, Owen Schessler) 9:29.68; 110 hurdles: Ryan Sheldon (M) 17.39; 100 dash: Jack Fennell (NC) 11.35; 1,600 run: Owen Schessler (NC) 4:52.18; 400 run: Domenico D’Angelo (M) 53.29; 400 relay: Mars (Jacob Thompson, Jeremy Stevenson, Ralph Zatezalo, Hayden Mayer) 44.32; 300 hurdles: Luke Baker (NC) 45.49; 800 run: Giacomo Lepore (NC) 2:10.57; 200 dash: Jacob Thompson (M) 22.54; 3,200 run: Owen Schessler (NC) 10:35.60; 1,600 relay: Mars (Evan Peaco, Nico D’Angelo, Hayden Mayer, Jacob Thompson) 3:33.42

Shot put: Joseph Iaquinta (NC) 40-6; Discus: Remi Black (M) 105-3; Javelin: Nick Genco (M) 123-2; High jump: Evan Kurpakus (M) 5-4; Long jump: Evan Peaco (M) 19-0; Triple jump: Austin Gaetano (NC) 39-8; Pole vault: Grant Pierce (M) 10-0

Girls

North Catholic 87, Mars 63

3,200 relay: Mars 10:34.62; 100 hurdles: Autumn Flowers (M) 16.61; 1,600 run: Julia Zalenski (NC) 5:36.57; 400 run: Morgan Duker (M) 1:03.48; 400 relay: North Catholic (Seava Cresta, Daphne Flerl, Rachel Erich, Isabella Iaquinta) 51.49; 300 hurdles: Sarah Haskins (NC) 56.67; 800 run: Sydney Dunn (NC) 2:38.91; 200 dash: Seava Cresta (NC) 27.60; 3,200 run: Madeline Meeuf (NC) 13:06.88; 1,600 relay: Mars (Morgan Duker, Riley Mayer, Laney Bowes, Gabby Gage) 4:20.66

Shot put: Mackenzie Butler (NC) 26-2; Discus: Michaela Butler (NC) 88-0; Javelin: Mackenzie Butler (NC) 88-1; High jump: Maggie Garr (M) 4-8; Long jump: Aniela Balog (NC) 16-9; Triple jump: Effie Frank (M) 31-11.25; Pole vault: Riley Carrel (M) 7-6