How competitive was the boys 400-meter field at the Hess?ton Invitational on Thursday?
Consider that Hillsboro senior Nathan Vogel became the first Trojan in school history to break the 50-second barrier at that distance. And he finished third in the race.
Vogel crossed the finish line in 49.89, eclipsing the HHS record of 50.0 he established April 20. Morgan Burns of Wichita Trinity won in a meet-record time of 48.7 and Kurt Pauly of Garden Plain was second in 48.88.
Vogel earned Hillsboro?s only gold medal for the day by winning the 800 in 2:06. As a team, the Trojan boys placed fifth in the 11-school field while the girls finished sixth.
Meanwhile, Julia Zeiner won four individual gold medals to lead the Marion girls to the team title. The Warriors finished with 110 point to edge Garden Plain at 101.
Zeiner set a meet record in the triple jump (38 feet, 7 inches) and posted wins in the long jump (17-71?2), 100-meter hurdles (15.27) and 300-meter hurdles (46.35).
For her efforts, she was named the meet?s outstanding female athlete.
Also winning gold for the Warrior girls were Kristen Steinborn in the 200 (27.69), Jaclyn DeForest in the 3,200 (13:38.44) and the 4×800 team (11:10.40).
Sheldon Boone led the Warrior boys to a sixth-place team finish by winning the javelin with a throw of 165 feet.
Hesston won the team title with 109 point to outdistance second-place Garden Plain with 86.
Coming?Hillsboro and Marion will compete at the final Mid-Central Activities league meet on Friday.
Events begin 2 p.m. at Halstead.
