Preview: 2023 KSHSAA 1A State Track & Field Meet

Matt Goeckel



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2023 KSHSAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships

This year's 1A State Meet will be a 3-way battle on both sides. For the girls, keep an eye on scores from Little River, Washington County, and South Gray. For the boys, it's Quinter, Axtell, and Kiowa County in the mix.

1A is undoubtedly the most crowded division, with 118 member schools. 95 of those qualified at least one athlete, so points are much more widely distributed. For the girls, 50 points will likely be enough to win.

Individually, there are a handful of stars to watch. Madison's Bryson Turner may single-handedly put his team into the top 4, scoring in the 100, 200, long jump, and triple jump. He went under the 100m meet record last year, but a tailwind kept him from entering the record books. This year, he looks to make it for real. He'll have plenty of company from Kiowa County's Brock Detering, though.

1A Girls Rankings    |    1A Boys Rankings

Another sprints-jumps athlete to watch is Axtell's Brandon Schmelzle. He'll battle with Turner in all four events.

Axtell also has Grady Buessing scoring well in the distance events. He is the favorite in the 800. The other distance events are wide open, with Kaleb Arnold (Olpe), Evan Pearce (Wallace County), and Brenden Ellis (Ingalls) all having a shot in the 1600 & 3200.

Quinter's team is led by Bradley Bogart, who qualified as the #1 seed in the 400, #2 seed in the 110 hurdles, #3 seed in the 200, and #4 seed in the 4x400. His teammate Lakin Getz will also contribute in the javelin & discus.

One of the biggest storylines of the season has been Pawnee Heights' Alec Carlson. The senior is favored to score in all 3 jumps, as well as the javelin throw.

Brewster's Brock Woolf is one to watch in the throws, entering with the top marks in the shot and discus.

Keiondre Smith from Caldwell & Will Ast from Ingalls will highlight the hurdle races, while Dighton's Max Neeley is one of the best in all classes in the pole vault.


Ja'Asia Stafford from Sharon Springs is the defending champion in the 1A Girls Shot Put (Photo by Joe Godina)

For the girls, watch for Hanover's Anna Jueneman in the sprints. She has only lost one race all season, which was last week to Clifton-Clyde's Sevy Wurtz, who is also an elite jumper.

Washington County could climb to the top of the poidum more than once, with Addy Goeckel in the hurdles and Jesse Hoover in the javelin.

Hutchinson-Central Christian's Jessa Losew is quite the athlete, holding the top seed in the high jump & 400m.


In the throws, Wallace County's Ja'Asia Stafford holds a healthy lead in the shot put, while Toree Slavik of Thunder Ridge is the discus favorite.

South Gray will look to Kylie Stapleton to score in multiple events. She is the top seed in the 100 hurdles & 800m, while also competing in the long jump. Continuing the multi-event trend is Claire Cole (Doniphan West) and Mia Briggs (Quinter) in the hurdles & jumps. Briggs is also the top seed in the pole vault.

Distance-wise, Emma Weiner is the one to beat. The Golden Plains junior already has 3 state titles to her name across XC and track, so look for her to highlight the 1600 & 3200.

1A Action will begin with Weiner and the girls' 3200 at 7:45AM on Friday, May 26th.