By Staff

            On Friday, the 2023 Kansas State Track/Field Meet begins for all six classifications at Cessna Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University in Wichita and the six-area small high schools will be well represented with 41 athletes competing in 67 events plus 15 relays.

            Among those events and relays, the six area schools hold 46 top six rankings that include 11 number one rankings for an event entering the meet.

            Not listed in many meet reports this season but also competing at the state meet will be Jay Smith, a sophomore at Little River, competing in the wheelchair events where he is ranked fourth in the 100 meters and sixth in the 400 meters.

            In the Class 1A division, Little River leads the way with 12 athletes competing in 19 events plus three relays. Among those competing will be 12 ranked in the top six of their events with two, Havana Olander in the triple jump and the Lady Redskins 4×400 meter relay team holding top spot of the event. Havana Olander will be competing in four individual events while Andrew Smith is competing in three for the Redskin boys. Both Kami Grasser and Arika Feldman will compete in a pair of individual events as well.

            Both Ashley Stephenson in the 800 meters and the Lady Redskin 4×100 meter relay are ranked second in Class 1A.

            The Lady Redskins have seven competing in 12 events plus a pair of relays while the Redskin boys have five competing in seven events plus one relay.

            Canton/Galva, whose boys team is coming off a regional championship, will have five athletes competing in 10 events plus the top ranked Eagle boys 4×100 meter relay team. Both Lane McMannis and Jett Vincent will be competing in three individual events.

            Elyria Christian will have four athletes competing in seven individual events plus the third best girls 4×800 meter relay team. Doing much of the work for the Lady Eagles will be Laney Reiff running in three distance events and Grace Prescott competing in two sprints.  Of the seven events and one relay they will be competing in, the Eagles have a top-six ranking in five.

            When you talk about Class 2A you can help but notice county rivals Moundridge and Inman who both will have seven athletes competing with the Wildcats doing so in 10 events plus three relays while the Teutons will do so in 12 and four relays.

            The Teutons will head into the meet holding a top-six ranking in eight events or relays including the top ranking in both the girls 100- and 300-meter hurdles by Marilyn Heflin as well as Tanner Heckel in the boys long jump. Eli Brunk is ranked third in the boys 110-meter hurdles and fifth in the 300-meter hurdles.

            Moundridge has top six rankings in nine events or relays including a pair of top rankings in the boys 4×100 meter relay and Logan Churchill in the 400 meters. Kaden Elmore will be running in all three of the sprints with top-six rankings entering the meet.

            In Class 3A the Smoky Valley Lady Vikings will be looking to bring home a third straight state title led by Breanne Peters who is ranked number one in the triple jump, second in the pole vault and fifth in the 100 meters while also hoping to defend her 200-meter state championship from a year ago.

            Overall Smoky Valley has six athletes competing in nine events plus three relay teams.

            For the Viking boys, both the 4×400 and 4×800 meter relay teams enter the state meet holding the top time while Wyatt Johnson is ranked third in the 400 meters.

            Here is a breakdown of each of the six area high schools as to who is competing, what event they are competing in and what rank they have in the event entering the state meet.

AREA ATHLETES AT STATE TRACK/FIELD MEETS:

CLASS 3A >

SMOKY VALLEY (6 athletes in 9 events plus 3 relay teams) >

  • Breanne Peters in pole vault (2), triple jump (1), 100 meters (5), 200 meters (12)
  • Hope Duncan in triple jump (3)
  • Noelle Peters in pole vault (4)
  • Girls 4×400 meter relay (10)
  •  Trystan Stambaugh in javelin (14)
  • Justin Holt in shot put (11)
  • Wyatt Johnson in 400 meters (3)
  • Boys 4×400 meter relay (1)
  • Boys 4×800 meter relay (1)

CLASS 2A >

INMAN (7 athletes in 12 events plus 4 relay teams) >

  • Marilyn Heflin in 100-meter hurdles (1), 300-meter hurdles (1)
  • Chloe Schmidt in discus (10)
  • Katie Nichols in high jump (10)
  • Suttyn Harris in long jump (12)
  • Brylee Mannebach in triple jump (11)
  • Girls 4×100 meter relay (12)
  • Girls 4×400 meter relay (3)
  • Eli Brunk in 110-meter hurdles (2), 300-meter hurdles (5)
  • Tanner Heckel in 100 meters (7), long jump (1), triple jump (2), javelin (3)
  • Boys 4×100 meter relay (11)
  • Boys 4×400 meter relay (7)

MOUNDRIDGE (7 athletes in 10 events plus 3 relay teams) >

  • Cammi Unruh in 100 meters (11), 200 meters (7)
  • Maider Fernandez in 100 meters (13)
  • Haylee Jantz in 1,600 meters (6)
  • Avery Schrag in 400 meters (9)
  • Kaden Elmore in 100 meters (5), 200 meters (2), 400 meters (5)
  • Logan Churchill in 400 meters (1)
  • Henry Hecox in javelin (5)
  • Boys 4×100 meter relay (1)
  • Boys 4×400 meter relay (3)
  • Boys 4×800 meter relay (4)

CLASS 1A >

LITTLE RIVER (12 athletes in 19 events plus 3 relay teams) >

  • Havana Olander in 100-meter hurdles (10), 300-meter hurdles (15), high jump (10), triple jump (1)
  • Aubrey Olander in 100-meter hurdles (7)
  • Kami Grasser in 100 meters (8), 200 meters (4)
  • Arika Feldman in 400 meters (6), high jump (9)
  • Ashley Stephenson in 800 meters (2)
  • Addie Strecker in long jump (12)
  • Alaina Eck in triple jump (10)
  • Girls 4×100 meter relay (2)
  • Girls 4×400 meter relay (1)
  • Andrew Smith in 100 meters (6), 400 meters (6), high jump (8)
  • Treyton Olander in high jump (6)
  • Rylan Konen in long jump (5)
  • Christopher Norez in javelin (8)
  • Braxton Lafferty in triple jump (3)
  • Boys 4×100 meter relay (3)

CANTON/GALVA (5 athletes in 10 events plus 1 relay team) >

  • Mimi Craig in shot put (7)
  • Lane McMannis in 110-meter hurdles (11), 300-meter hurdles (4), 200 meters (15)
  • Jett Vincent in 100 meters (13), 200 meters (7), high jump (3)
  • Wyatt Collins in shot put (6), discus (10)
  • Isaiah Patton in high jump (11)
  • Boys 4×100 meter relay (1)

ELYRIA CHRISTIAN (4 athletes in 7 events plus 1 relay team) >

  • Laney Reiff in 3,200 meters (6), in 1,600 meters (3), 800 meters (9)
  • Grace Prescott in 400 meters (3), 200 meters (10)
  • Kenna Cass in discus (9)
  • Girls 4×800 meter relay (3)
  • Blake Robertson in discus (4)

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)