Making a statement

HHStrConradMueller3200.jpg
HHStrConradMueller3200.jpg

Nicholas Mueller shows intensity while running the 3,200 at the Conrad Nightingale Invitational Friday at Halstead. He took third.

Hillsboro High School boys capitalized on their speed in the dashes to take second place at the 15-school Conrad Nightin?gale Invitational at Halstead Friday. The Trojan girls placed 11th.

Wichita Independent claimed the boys? title with 76 points, followed by Hillsboro with 68. Marion was third with 55.

Ishmael Morris won the 100 (11.06 seconds) and 200 (23.27) and Nathan Vogel took first in the 400 (51.49) for a Trojan sweep of the gold. Morris placed third in the 400. Vogel teamed with Matt Klenda, Brandon McMillen and Nicholas Mueller to claim Hillsboro?s other gold medal, in the 4×800 (8 minutes, 42.98 seconds).

Other top-three finishes were: the 4×400 team of Klenda, McMillen, Morris and Vogel, second (3:36.26); Mueller, third in the 3,200 (10:58.46); and Klenda, third in the 800 (2:907.83).

?The boys? team finishing second made a statement,? coach Dennis Boldt said. ?I am proud of the way they competed and took one event at a time today.?

The Hillsboro girls, meanwhile, went without a first-place finish on their way to 251⁄2 points. Conway Springs won the team title with 751⁄2.

The Trojans? best chance came in the triple jump, where Dakota Kaufman was edged by Marion?s Julia Zeiner, 38 feet, one-fourth inch, to 37-71⁄2. With Kaufman?s 38-0 mark earlier this season, Marion County can claim two of the top distances in the entire state so far this season.

Zeiner also prevailed over Kaufman in the long jump, winning gold at 18-61⁄4 to Kaufman?s silver-medal jump of 17-1⁄2.

Kaufman was the only Trojan entry to finish among the top three places.

?This meet is always competitive, and with 15 teams there are always a number of good athletes in each event,? Boldt said. ?I am proud of all the athletes. We came away with some excellent results.?

Moundridge?Hillsboro boys claimed first and the girls second at the five-team Central Kansas Track League meet in Moundridge last Tuesday.

The Trojan boys rolled up 116 points to outpace the home team at 105. Marion scored 52, Fair?field 29 and Centre 25.

The 1,600 meters was the Trojans? biggest single event, with a sweep of the top three spots. Matt Klenda won in 5:22.4, followed by Matt Richert in 5:23.88 and David Ratzloff in 5:26.74.

Also claiming gold for HHS were: Ishmael Morris in the 100 (11.13) and 200 (23.01); Nathan Vogel in the 400 (51.55); Nicholas Mueller in the 800 (2:14.72); John Hein in the shot put (47-41⁄2); the 4×400 team of Klenda, Brandon McMillen Morris and Vogel (3:45.37); and the 4×800 team of Mueller, Brandon McMillen, Klenda and Vogel (8:51.50).

The Trojan girls finished with 105 points to trail Mound?ridge by 14 points for the title.

Claiming gold medals for HHS were: Dakota Kaufman in the triple jump (36-3) and long jump 17-53⁄4), Callie Serene in the 800 (2:49.99), Tiffany Rooker in the pole vault (8-0), Shelby Koons in the 200 (30.33); the 4×100 team of Bethany Hawkinson, Kauf?man, Koons and Rooker (54.66), and the 4×800 team of Serene, Brenna Blackketter, Clara Ens and Heidi Schroeder (11:42.70).

Coming?The Trojans had a CKTL five-team meet scheduled at Marion Tuesday. On Friday, they will host the James Thomas Invita?tional at Bethel College in North Newton starting at 3 p.m.

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