HHS scores in 6 events at Halstead

Emily Sechrist crosses the finish line in the 1,600-meter run to claim first place at the Conrad Nightingale Invitational Friday. Don Ratzlaff / Free Press

The Hillsboro track and field team scored in six events Friday at the Conrad Nightin?gale Invitational, the team?s first invitational of the season.

The Hillsboro girls, led by Emily Sechrist?s distance running, scored 25 points to place 12th among 14 schools. Hesston won the team title with 90 points.

The Hillsboro boys also placed 12th in their division with 14 points, well behind the winning team from Berean Academy with 74.

Sechrist won the 1,600 meters with a time of 5 minutes, 26.55 seconds and placed second in the 3,200 in 12:02.50.

?Emily Sechrist continues to show why she is one of the state?s premier distance runners,? coach Dennis Boldt said. ?It was a good field of competitors in both the girls? and boys? distances races.?

Also scoring for the girls were Marah Franz and Sienna Kaufman, who placed fourth and fifth in pole vault by clearing 8 feet 6 inches, respectively, and Abby Sechrist who placed sixth in the 300-meter hurdles in 52.98.

Grant Knoll led the boys by placing second in 1,600 in 4:43.21 and fifth in the 3,200 in 11:00.21. Jonathan Hiner?man also scored in the 1,600, placing fifth in 5.06.70.

?This is the first invitational of our season and it is also the first time most of our athletes encounter competition at this high level,? Boldt said. ?Some met the challenge today, some fell short of competing at the level necessary, but all now know where they are in comparison to the state?s best.?

Hillsboro CKTL?The Trojans girls and boys won their respective division at the six-school Central Kansas Track League meet April 21.

The Hillsboro girls scored 123 points, followed by Mound?ridge (106), Sterling (89), Lyons (77), Goessel (74) and Herington (37)

Earning first-place medals were Emily Sechrist in the 1,600 (5 minutes, 28.91 seconds) and the 800 meters (2:29.63), Sienna Kauf?man in pole vault (8 feet, 6 inches) and the Hillsboro 4×800 team of Brittany Schale, Chloe Pankratz, Kennedy Klein and Karyn Leihy (11:18.05).

The Hillsboro rolled up 141 points, followed by Moundridge (106), Herington (92), Goessel (69), Lyons (61) and Sterling (60).

Grant Knoll won the team?s only gold medal by winning the 1,600 in 4:51.48.

Coming?The Trojans were scheduled for a CKTL meet at Halstead on Tuesday, then will host the James Thomas Invitational at Joel Wiens Stadium on Friday.

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