jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend’s girls captured gold medals in the first two field events — the high jump and javelin — en route to defending their Western Athletic Conference track championship.
The Panthers swept 11 events and scored 154 points to outdistance Hays High (103) for the Panthers' third consecutive WAC championship and ninth in school history.
Panther standout Makenzie Premer earned WAC Athlete of the Year after winning the 100-meter hurdles (16.8) and 300-meter hurdles (47.22) while joining the first-place 1,600-meter and third-place 400-meter relays.
Great Bend track coach Lyles Lashley earned WAC Girls Coach of the Year honors.
The Panthers’ relays were dazzling as usual with gold medals in the 1,600 relay (4:07.97) with Sadie Spray, Premer, Eliana Beckham and Daizy Gomez; and the 3,200 relay (10:22.0) with Beckham, Kate Welcher, Morgan Beckwith and Sienna Smith.
Panther record-holder Valarie Luna cleared 5-6 to tie the WAC high jump record. Luna ran her fastest 100-meters (12.69) to earn her second WAC gold medal. Luna captured the 5A high jump title last year.
"We had it all today — rain, wind and sunshine. You have to compete because you never know what the weather is going to be like," Luna said. "I feel good because I've been jumping at least 5-4 and higher every meet. My goal is to get first and at least tie the WAC record at 5-6."
Addy Nicholson was a double winner in the 1,600 (5:26.98) and 3,200 (11:59.27). Beckham won the 800 (2:29.96).
Macy Nachtigal won the javelin (125-11), just a few feet off her career best 129-4 last week at Salina. Panther Kyndall Blessing (118-3) placed runner-up.
"Being WAC champion is a surprise because Kyndall and I go back-and-forth," Nachtigal. "I got a personal record last week. Coach Lashley helped me with moving my grip lower on the javelin. I increased my distance 10 feet."
Nachtigal used a javelin with a smaller tip specifically designed to use against a headwind for maximum distance.
"We like a headwind better because the javelin carries farther," Nachtigal said.
Katie Kuhlman won the pole vault (8-6).
Panther runner-up medals were earned by Spray, 300 hurdles (49.54); Jordyn Harbaugh, triple jump (33-10); Natalee Daniels, shot put (35-31/2); Kyndall Blessing, javelin (118-3); Sienna Smith, 800 (2:32.34); and Kaylea McMullen, pole vault (8-6).
PANTHER BOYS — Panther Kaiden Esfeld earned a gold medal in the 800 (2:01.77) to go with a runner-up finish in the 1,600 (4:26.71) and a fourth in the 3,200 (10:09.07). Garden City's Devin Chappel (4:22.53) edged Esfeld in the 1,600 meters.
Panther Danny Nieto was runner-up in the discus (129-2).
Great Bend competes at the 5A Maize track regional May 19. The top four qualifiers advance to the state track meet.
WESTERN ATHLETIC
GIRLS TEAM SCORES—1—Great Bend 154; 2—Hays High 103; 3—Dodge City 49; 4—Liberal 44; 5—Garden City 25
GIRLS EVENTS *personal record
100m—1—Luna, GB, *12.69
100m hurdles—1—Premer, GB, 16.8; 2—Peterson; 17.37
200m—1—Gere, DC, *26.55
300m hurdles—1—Premer, GB, 47.22; 2—Spray, 49.54; 3—Peterson, *49.59
400m—1—Gere, DC, 1:00.82; 6—Gomez, 1:06.17; 7—Ballard;, 1:06.71
800m—1—Beckham, GB, 2:29.96; 2—Smith, *2:32.34; 7—Welcher, 2:40.13
1,600m—1—Nicholson, GB, 5:26.98; 5—Boone, 5:54.13
3,200m—1—Nicholson, GB, 11:59.27; 3—Boone, 12:29.41; 5—Beckwith, 12:45.72
400m relay—1—Dodge City, 50.69; 3—Great Bend, 50.96 (Premer, Feist, Spray, Luna)
1,600m relay—1—Great Bend, 4:07.97 (Spray, Premer, Beckham, Gomez)
3,200m relay—1—Great Bend, 10:22.0 (Beckham, Welcher, Beckwith, Smith)
High jump—1—Luna, GB, 5-6 (WAC record); 4—Spray, 5-2; 7—Ellegood, 4-10
Long jump—1—McGrath, H, 17-3; 6—Gomez, 14-111/2; 7—Harbaugh, 14-9; 13—Bullard, 13-5
Triple jump—1—Geerdes, H, 34-8; 2—Harbaugh, 33-10
Shot put—1—Lohmeyer, H, 36-81/2; 2—Daniels, *35-31/2; 5—Gerhart, *34-2; 15—Hofflinger, 25-101/2
Discus—1—Lohmeyer, H, 123-7; 3—Duvall, 108-1; 4—Hofflinger, 107-3; 7—Lindberg; 89-7
Javelin—1—Macy Nachtigal, GB, 125-11; 2—Blessing, 118-3; 9—Miya Nachtigal, 82-4
Pole vault—1—Kuhlman, GB, 8-6; 2—McMullen, *8-6
WESTERN ATHLETIC
BOYS TEAM SCORES—1—Hays High 128; 2—Garden City 98.5; 3—Dodge City 72.5; 4—Liberal 45; 5—Great Bend 29
BOYS EVENTS *personal record
100m—1—Arteaga, GC, 10.77
110m hurdles—1—Rohr, DC, 15.62; 6—Hall, 17.94
200m—1—Arteaga, GC, 22.35
300m hurdles—1—Williams, DC, 41.07; 11—Hall, 47.11
400m—1—Amparan, L, 51.08; 13—Moore, 57.05
800m—1—Esfeld, GB, 2:01.77; 11—Galindo, 2:14.26; 12—Enriquez, 2:15.96
1,600m—1—Chappel, GC, 4:22.53; 2—Esfeld, 4:26.71; 11—Ramirez, 5:03.94; 12—Stroup, 5:07.03
3,200m—1—Chappel, GC, 9:38.6 (WAC record); 4—Esfeld, 10:09.07; 10—Stroup, 11:14.53; 11—Ramirez, 11:17.66
400m relay—1—Garden City, 42.53
1,600m relay—1—Dodge City, 3:25.73
3,200m relay—1—Dodge City, 8:22.94; 4—Great Bend, 8:50.75 (Rocho, Galindo, Enriquez, Moore)
High jump—1—VanDerWege, H, 6-2
Long jump—1—Archie, H, 23-11/2
Triple jump—1—Groen, H, 45-2; 5—Nicholson, 39-5
Shot put—1—Salmans, H, 47-2; 5—Moeder, 43-6; 11—Hall, *40-2; 12—Nieto, 38-101/2
Discus—1—Walburn, H, 166-0; 2—Nieto, *129-2; 7—Johnson; 106-9; 8—Pena, 106-9
Javelin—1—Waddel, H, 175-1; 4—Moeder, 156-1; 5—Johnson; *145-8; 10—Nieto, *118-1
Pole vault—1—Zimmerman, H, 12-6
