When the meet wrapped up late afternoon Saturday, Kansas
high schoolers were shut out of gold medals on the track (not counting the
Sunflower 4 X 100 and 4 X 400 relays), an oddity that doesn't tell the full
story behind what still was a pretty good weekend for the Sunflower State.
Leavenworth freshman sensation Dhakiya Blake wrapped up a
solid meet when she put up the state's fastest girls time for 400 meters,
finishing second in Saturday's finals in a time of 57.37. Blake came charging down the homestretch with
Davenport (Iowa) Assumption's Carly King, who held on for the win in 57.13.
Riverton's Matti Price was also in the mix, finishing third
in 58.15. Price had previously held the No. 1 mark in Kansas at 57.82.
Another Leavenworth speedster, Guy Ramos, also put up a
fight down the stretch of the boys 400 meter run. Ramos, a senior who will run for
Emporia State next year, was running shoulder-to-shoulder with Nevada (Mo.)
senior Devin McHugh with 100 meters to go before McHugh found the extra gear to
win in 49.01. Ramos was the runner-up in 49.55, just three-tenths off his
state-leading time of 49.23.
Mill Valley's girls put up a game fight in the 4 X 800
relay. In fact, the Jaguars led the event heading into the anchor leg.
But Lydia Malacek of
Onalaska (Texas) put on a wicked finishing leg, clocking 2:15 to pull her team
to the win in 9:29.11. Mill Valley settled for second with what is the best
time in Kansas this season, 9:32.36, bettering their own mark by nearly 18
seconds.
Blue Valley Southwest's girls placed fourth in the 4 X 800
in 9:49.62.
Other highlights on
the track for Kansas on Saturday:
Leavenworth's Blake ran an anchor leg of 58.99 to rally
Leavenworth to the win in the Sunflower Girls 4 X 400 meter relay. Baldwin held
a slight lead entering the final leg, but Blake's heroics denied them the win.
Leavenworth was timed in 4:09.27 while Baldwin was second in 4:09.97.
Lawrence posted the fastest girls 4 X 400 on Saturday,
finishing fifth in the Kansas Relays finals with a time of 4:09.25.
Andover ran to the fastest 4 X 800 relay for Kansas boys
this season when the squad placed fifth in 8:07.61. Samuel McDavitt ran 1:57.78
on the anchor leg to key the finish. Shawnee Mission East placed sixth in
8:09.31, which is No. 2 in Kansas currently.
Gardner-Edgerton won the Sunflower Boys 4 X 400 relay,
beating several of the class 6A teams that it likely will match up against at
the state meet in five weeks. Gardner-Edgerton won Saturday with a time of 3:27.89,
while Olathe Northwest was second in 3:28.95 and Olathe East third in 3:29.83.
Olathe North won the Sunflower Girls 4 X 100 relay in 49.91,
edging Blue Valley (50.26). The Sunflower Boys 4 X 100 went to Blue Valley West
(43.53), which edged Piper (43.56) and Lawrence Free State (43.66).
Lawrence again posted the fastest 4 X 100 among Kansas girls
this weekend, clocking 49.46 for fourth in the Kansas Relays 4 X 100.
Leavenworth was seventh in 49.60.
Gardner Edgerton's boys placed fourth in the Kansas Relays 4
X 100 in 43.17, which puts them at No. 3 in Kansas this season.
Lawrence led all Kansas schools in the girls' Sprint Medley,
placing fourth in a time of 4:15.08. The defending class 6A state champion
Lions continue to show their depth, performing well in several relays this
weekend. Blue Valley West (3:38.34) and Blue Valley (3:39.28) placed fourth and
fifth in the boys Sprint Medley relay.
Clara Mayfield of Manhattan and Jaybe Shufelberger of
Washburn Rural each lowered their high school bests in the 1600. Mayfield
placed fourth in Saturday's finals with a time of 5:02.35, while Shufelberger
was fifth in 5:04.78.
Owen Pearce of Kingman led all Kansas boys in the 1600
meters, running a career-best 4:24.44 for tenth place.
Layne Needham of Cheney placed sixth in the girls 100 meter
hurdles in 15.07. In the boys' 110 hurdles, Jack Mull of Winfield was the only
Kansan in the finals, clocking 14.70 for sixth place.
Three Kansas girls made the finals of the 100 meters.
Destiny Ray of Shawnee Mission East placed fifth (12.22), Kendra Wait of
Gardner-Edgerton was sixth (12.28) and Faith Turner of Pittsburg was ninth
(12.53).
Jason Hubener of Cheney placed sixth in the 100 meters on
Saturday (10.79) to lead all Kansas sprinters this week.
Javelin battle highlights field events
Kansas Relays fans were treated to quite a show in the boys'
high school javelin.
They already knew they'd be watching the nation's top-ranked
thrower in Manhattan's Sam Hankins. But what transpired in that event Saturday
morning was quite a bonus.
Cheney's Trey Patterson put a little scare into Hankins,
jumping in front at 199-2 on his first throw. It took Hankins -- who has the
nation's best throw this season at 210-0 - four throws before he finally gained
the lead at 209-2.
Patterson responded with a career best 205-1 on his sixth
throw which - while not quite enough to catch Hankins - put him at No. 2 in the
United States. Patterson is just the fourth thrower in the United States to top
200 feet this season.
Maddie Righter of Olathe Northwest fought off a strong
challenge from Lee's Summit West (Mo.) senior Jessica Haney to win the girls'
high jump. Both cleared 5-7, but Righter - who has jumped 5-10 this season -
had fewer misses to claim the gold medal. Carly Hendrickson of Shawnee Mission
East was third at 5-5.
Also in Saturday's field events:
* In the girls' pole vault, Belle Peters of Smoky
Valley cleared 11-6 for fourth place. Lynsie Curtis of Centralia and Kendra
Wait of Gardner-Edgerton tied for fifth, also clearing 11-6.
* Jaleesa McWashington of Olathe Northwest led the girls' long jump
competition heading into the final round, but Lenetta Lee of Lee's Summit Christian (Mo.) soared 18-7.25 to steal the win. McWashington was a solid
second at 18-3.75. Olathe Northwest's Righter was fourth at 17-11.
* In the boys' long jump, Shawnee Mission South's
Jack Roberts out-dueled eight Kansas jumpers over 21 feet. He placed second
overall with a jump of 22-8.5, while teammate Sam Macklin (22-4.25) and Olathe
West's Elijah Anderson (22-1.75) were third and fourth, respectively.
* Wesley Shaw of Hillsboro placed third in the
boys' shot put, matching his place in the discus on Friday. Shaw tossed the
shot put 59-2.25. Cole Sample of Tonganoxie was fourth at 58-11.5.
