Tiffany Rooker (left) and Abu Humber negotiate a successful handoff during their heat of the 4x100 at the Class 3A regional meet in Cheney. The Trojans missed a state qualifying berth by finishing sixth in a time of 52.39 seconds. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press. Click image to enlarge.
Justin Heidebrecht of Marion and Spencer Brown of Hillsboro work their way through the pack during the first leg of the 4x800. Hillsboro won the race in 8:22.4 while Marion also qualified for state by placing fourth in 8:30.94. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press. Click image
Regionals is the one meet of the year when Hillsboro track coach Dennis Boldt could care less about team accomplishments.
So set aside the fact his girls’ squad won the regional title by a 15-point margin over runner-up Sacred Heart at Cheney on Friday, and that his boys’ team finished third.
Here’s what’s important: the girls qualified five different athletes in 10 individual events for this weekend’s state track in Wichita, plus a relay that includes a sixth athlete.
The Trojan boys, meanwhile, qualified five athletes, each in a different individual event, but will be sending all three of its relay teams to state—which will enable another five athletes to compete in the biggest high school sporting event in Kansas.
“Team championships, gold medals, records and personal-bests are not the goal, but rather the result of placing (at least fourth) in this meet,” Boldt said. “To say we had a good day would be an understatement. Our athletes came to compete.”
And several overcame challenges to secure a top-four finish.
For the girls, JuliAnne Chisholm won her three individual events, as she usually does—but was hampered by a sore leg on this day.
“You can say what you want about her natural ability, but I have seen her train year after year,” Boldt said of his senior standout. “Even though you may be one of the best, the burden of success is that people are always gunning for you, and you have to perform time after time—and she has done this.”
Chisholm cleared 5-feet-8 in the high jump, qualifying her for a chance to win that event at state four years in a row. She also was first in the 100-meter hurdles (15.25 seconds) and 300-meter hurdles (46.15).
Hannah Marsh also qualified in three individual events, winning the long jump (16-9) and the pole vault (10-0) and placing fourth in the 200 meters (26.42).
Tina Frick, by virtue of finishing second in the 100-meter hurdles (15.35) and third in the 300-meter hurdles (47.78) will compete in two individual events.
Likewise for Chelsea Bebermeyer, who qualified in the discus a year ago. The senior will return in that event, and has added the shot put to her resume by virtue of finishing third in both competitions (113-6 and 35-71⁄2, respectively).
Freshman Dakota Kaufman, battling the effects of illness, still managed a second-place finish in the triple jump (34-1).
In the relays, Chisholm, Marsh and Frick teamed with Tiffany Rooker to place second in the 4x400 (4:07.96), about 1.5 seconds behind Sacred Heart. Marsh’s leg of 58.3 seconds, which would have won the open 400, helped advance the Trojan foursome into qualifying range.
For the boys, sophomore Cody McMillen won the Trojans’ only individual gold medal with a come-from-behind victory in the 3,200 (10:20.4).
Tyler Kaufman, wavering in fourth place at the time, secured a spot at state by covering 41-11 in one of his final attempts to place second in the triple jump.
The next-highest finish for HHS came from Jacob Yoder, who placed third in the long jump (19-41⁄2).
Adam Dirks, who was forced to use a different javelin when his usual one just missed the weigh-in standards, made the adjustment late in the competition and finished fourth with a toss of 159-2.
Sean Leihy, who ran a 2:03 spit for the 4x800 team only minutes earlier, gutted out a 4:42.8 in the 1,600 to place fourth and make it in.
Leihy’s leg, combined with the efforts of Spencer Brown, Nathan Vogel and McMillen to give HHS the fastest 4x800 time in the four 3A regional meets (8:22.4)
The 4x100 team of Yoder, Michael Suderman, Michael Tisdale and Ishmael Morris qualified by placing second (44.23) to Garden Plain (43.68).
And the 4x400 team of Yoder, Leihy, Morris and Brown made it a qualifying trifecta for the Trojans with a runner-up performance (3:32.02) to Garden Plain (3:29.3).
“We are thrilled to qualify so many athletes, but we have a week of work ahead of us,” Boldt said.
“Some will enter (Wichita State) stadium for their first state competition, some will enter for their last. But regardless, the goal of this program remains to give as many athletes as possible the opportunity to experience track and field at its highest level.”
Marion qualifiers
Marion girls and boys will be well represented at this weekend’s state track and field championships after some strong performances at the Cheney regional on Friday.
Three Warrior girls qualified in more than one individual event.
Senior Erin Carr won the 100 meters (12.23 seconds) and was second in the 200 meters (25.95), just missing double gold by 0.03 of a second.
“Erin looked great in winning the 100 and finishing a close second in the 200,” coach Grant Thierolf said. “She is set up well for a run at a state championship and will have a great weekend in Wichita.
At the other end of the age spectrum, freshman Julia Zeiner qualified in three individual events. She placed third in the long jump (16-41⁄4) and fourth in the 400 (1:01.87) and pole vault (9 feet).
Camille Christensen qualified in two distance races, placing fourth in the 1,600 in the 1,600 (5:40.9) and 3,200 (12.21.1).
Teammate Danielle Cope ran an outstanding 3,200 and placed second (11:47.6). Her time was only 0.3 seconds off the school record.
In addition, the Warriors’ 4x100 team of Kayley Heerey, Kristen Steinborn, Zeiner and Carr finished second (50.24) to Wichita Independent (49.56). In the process. the team lowered its own school record by 0.24 of a second.
For the Warrior boys, Luke Gordon achieved the top individual finish by placing second in the high jump (6-2).
“He just missed 6-4 and if he continues to jump well he will be in the mix for a medal at state,” Thierolf said.
Fourth-place finishes qualified Warrior entries in four other events: Jake Czarnowski in the 300-meter hurdles (42.39), Kyle Hett in the long jump (19-3), Tylor Neil in the triple jump (40-6), the 4x400 team of Kyle Hett, Emmanuel Jackson, Justin Heidebrecht and Jason Hett (3:33.24) and the 4x800 team of Heidebrecht, John Barr III, Adam Regnier and Jason Hett (8:30.94).
In the team standings, the MHS girls finished fourth and the boys sixth.
State track meet events schedule
Five of the six high schools in the Free Press distribution area will take entries to the Kansas High School Track and Field Championships this Friday and Saturday in Wichita. Following is the schedule for the various qualifiers.
FIELD EVENTS
Friday
8 a.m. — 3A boys high jump: Luke Gordon (M). 1A boys pole vault: Craig Banman (G), Brett Goerzen (G). 1A boys shot put: Seth Jirak (C).
9:45 a.m. — 3A girls long jump: Hannah Marsh (H), Julia Zeiner (M).
11:30 a.m. — 3A boys triple jump: Tyler Kaufman (H). 1A girls pole vault: Tricia Fensky (G), Alisha Barney (C). 1A boys discus: Seth Jirak (C). 3A girls shot put: Chelsea Bebermeyer (H).
1:15 p.m. — 3A boys long jump: Jacob Yoder (H). 1A boys triple jump: Garrett Hiebert (G), Martin Koppitz (G). 3A girls discus: Chelsea Bebermeyer (H). 1A girls shot put: Kylee Nikkel (G).
Saturday
8 a.m. — 1A boys long jump: Brett Goerzen (G). 3A girls pole vault: Hannah Marsh (H), Julia Zeiner (M).
