Photo: Maxx Bradley/MileSplit
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Over the weekend, Andale picked up their 22nd and 23rd state titles in program history as both the girls and boys took down Buhler and the rest of the classification.
With stellar performances from Rylee Meyer (Andale) and Dru Zeka (Wellington) on top of the team battles, there was a lot that went down in 4A.
ANDALE GIRLS CRUISE TO EIGHTH 4A TITLE IN NINE YEARS
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Although they gave it their best effort, the Buhler Crusaders were unable to take down 4A's perennial power, as Andale won their eighth state title in the last nine years.
For years, Andale has shown time and time again what it looks like to win a state title through a whole-team effort, and the 2026 KSHSAA State Championships were no different.
Led by Rylee Meyer's 38 points collected across the 100m (11.90), 200m (24.29), 300mH (43.79), and long jump (18-4), the defending champs had many big performers throughout the results.
- Sydney Waltner - Triple Jump (2nd) -- 36-9.5
- Hally Horsch - Pole Vault (3rd) -- 10-6
- Paige Brand - Discus (3rd) -- 126-3
- Kinley Spexarth - Javelin (2nd) -- 138-0
- Abbey Mcneal - Javelin (3rd) -- 137-1
Despite putting up 75 points, Buhler simply couldn't keep pace with the incredibly well-rounded Andale squad.
One area where Buhler outperformed the state champs was in the distance events, headlined by 3200m (10:55.81) state champion and 1600m (5:09.36) runner-up Corbin Starkweather. Isabella Rivera and Isabella Friesen added to the cause, with Rivera finishing fifth in the 1600m (5:17.80) and Friesen taking fourth in the 3200m (11:15.71).
In the three relays, the Crusaders finished runner-up in both the 4x100m and 4x800m, combining for 16 points.
Jenna Lackey contributed 10 points in the pole vault after clearing 11-6 for the win.
The Baldwin girls flexed their distance muscles to take the final spot on the podium, claiming three of the four possible distance titles.
In the 800m, Kami Moore and Shea Griffith went 1-2, running 2:16.90 and 2:18.4, with Irelyn Kennedy winning the 1600m title in 5:07.87.
Kennedy also took second in the 3200m and helped the Bulldogs break the 21-year-old 4A 4x800m meet record of 9:29.61 set by Clay Center. They clocked 9:27.47 as the lone team under 9:30.
Photo: Maxx Bradley/MileSplit Kansas
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They didn't end up on the podium, but the Wellington duo of Dru Zeka and Vivienne Wright deserve recognition for their 50-point haul.
Zeka lived up to expectations in all four events she competed in, winning the 100mH (15.27), 400m (57.83), high jump (5-8), and long jump (19-0).
Wright added a runner-up finish in the 100mH (15.60) and a seventh-place finish in the high jump (5-2).
Just ahead of Wellington was Rock Creek, who finished fourth with 51 points.
ANDALE BOYS HOLD OFF BUHLER, WIN 10TH TITLE SINCE 2013
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For the 10th time since 2013, the Andale boys were the top dogs of 4A, and you'll never guess how they did it.
Just kidding, you can probably guess how they tallied their 79.5 points. A little bit of everything, as always.
In the throws, Brayden Spexarth won the javelin (181-6) and finished seventh in the discus (155-10), joined by Hunter Grimes who finished fifth (173-3) and third (165-4) in those two events, respectively.
On the runway, Colt Lane, Hudson Tankersley, and Lincoln Rempel cleared 16-0, 14-6, and 13-0 to go 1-3-7 in the pole vault.
Along with their second and fifth-place finishes in the 4x100m and 4x800m, they proved too complete a team to match.
Granted, Buhler gave them the best challenge they've seen in a while, finishing less than 10 points back of the reigning dynasty.
Garrett Gleason won titles in both the 100m (10.63) and 200m (21.53), and was one of two individual state champions on the weekend alongside Zach Friesen, who won the 110mH (14.72).
On the distance side, Gavin Lindahl finished fourth and third in the 1600m and 3200m, running 4:26.56 and 9:32.22 to account for 11 points.
In addition to his pair of titles on the track, Gleason added a runner-up finish in the high jump, clearing 6-2.
Seniors Max Harmony and Jacob Miller each had a runner-up finish of their own, with Harmony vaulting 14-6 and Miller throwing the javelin 178-8.
Right behind Buhler in third were the Red Raiders of Wamego, who like the Crusaders, built a large chunk of their total from the distance events.
Senior Peyton Parker won the 3200m (9:26.23) and 800m (1:53.54), finished runner-up in the 1600m (4:18.55), and anchored them to a third-place finish in the 4x800m.
Josh Flanigan Jr. won the discus by nearly five feet, throwing 171-7, and Tasen Nickel was fourth in the pole vault with a mark of 14-0.
Additional Top Performers:
-- Augusta's Jase Thomas had the race of his life on Saturday, taking down Peyton Parker and Caleb Muehler in the 1600m with a time of 4:16.84, a nine-second PB and 18-second SB. He also finished runner-up in the 800m, running 1:56.74.
-- Adalyn Schooler left Wichita with three medals, one of them courtesy of a lifetime-best throw in the discus of 146-4 to clinch the win. The Tonganoxie junior also finished fourth in the high jump after clearing 5-2, and seventh in the shot put at 36-8.25.
-- Bishop Miege standout, Liam Tesmer, won the long jump (22-11.5) and high jump (6-6), and added a second-place finish in the triple jump (47-8.5), accounting for 28 of Miege's 58 points.
Photo: Maxx Bradley/MileSplit
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