Panthers run, jump to team title

BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com

For the first time in a long time, the Great Bend Panther boys were primed to capture their home track invitational. The Panthers accomplished their goal with 177 points to beat Hays High (162.5) on a windswept 77-degree Friday.

Josh Tomlin led a sweep of the distance races as the Panthers dominated the 800 (Jesus Sanchez) with a 1-2-3-4 finish; 1,600 (Tomlin) and 3,200 (Sage Cauley). The Panthers captured the 3,200-meter relay (9:17:58) with Evan Hammond, Jaime Arellanes, Smith and Sanchez competing.

Tomlin was followed by Cauley in the 1,600, and Tomlin was runner-up behind Cauley's first-place in the 3,200 (10:22.81).  In both races, they ran stride-for-stride to beat Hoisington's third-place finisher Dayne Yott.

"My partner Sage (Cauley) and I worked together and pushed each other. It was a pretty easy win today," Tomlin said. "We weren't looking at going hard today, just go for the win. Against the wind, you lower your shoulders and push through it. Once you run around the bend with the wind, you stride easy."

Other Panther winners were Bryce Brown, long jump (21-61/2); Korbin Widiger, 100 (11.26); Peyton Duvall, 110 hurdles (16.36); the 400-meter relay (44.87) with Dalton Miller, Widiger, Sam Ryan and Bryce Brown competing.

The easy-going Brown soared a career-best 21-61/2 long jump keyed by a 25 mph southerly wind. He placed third in the triple jump (41-3). The 400-meter relay bettered last year's opening time by one second.

"This is always my favorite meet," Brown said. "I surprised myself a little in the long jump. I was hoping to jump 21 feet and I got 21-61/2. I'm happy about that. Coach (Erin) Beck has got me focused on making a mark on every jump. That made the difference today." 

Runner-up finishes were earned by Dalton Miller, 200 (23.77); Duvall, 300 hurdles (45.22); Evan Hammond, 800 (2:06.62); Cauley, 1,600 (4:59.47); Tomlin, 3,200 (10:23.2); Zach Seymour, discus (130-1).

Duvall credits coach Lyles Lashley after riding the comeback trail after an early-season hip injury slowed him last year.

"I ran hurdles one time last year, but fell on the last hurdle at Junction City. I've worked on my flexibility. I wanted to come back with a vengeance," Duvall said. "Coach (Lyles) Lashley is a great hurdles coach. He coached me in middle school and it's great to back with him."

Hoisington’s red-hot Xavier Robinson captured the triple jump (43-01/2) and placed runner-up in the long jump (21-61/2).

Hoisington placed runner-up in the 400 relay (45.76) with Cade Mason, Wyatt Pedigo, Xavier Robinson and Chase Robinson; and the 3,200-meter relay (9:25.26) with Dylan Richards, Daunte Chambers, Dayne Yott and Mason Haxton.

GIRLS DIVISION —Great Bend’s McKenna Esfeld swept the 800 (2:36.21) and 1,600 (6:10.16). Candice Smith won the triple jump (34-81/2). Great Bend won the 3,200-meter relay (10:50.72) with Olivia Rugan, Emma Loomis, Taylor Lindberg and Esfeld competing.

Hoisington’s school record-holder Maleigha Schmidt won the pole vault (9-6).

Runner-up finishes were earned by Great Bend’s state-placer Jaclynn Schroeder, high jump (5-0); Olivia Rugan, 800 (2:37.63); Hoisington’s Schneider, 100 (13.33); and Jessi Kindscher, pole vault (9-0).

Kiowa County (153) won the girls division. Great Bend (132) placed third and Hoisington (65) finished fifth.

BOYS RESULTS

TEAM SCORES—1—Great Bend 177; 2—Hays High 162.5; 3—Hoisington 84; 4—Pratt 67.5; 5—LaCrosse 49; 6—Kiowa Co. 46; 7—Ness City 25

100m—1—Widiger, GB, 11.26; 6—Mason, Hois, 11.6; 7—Pedigo, Hois,11.86

110m hurdles—1—Duvall, GB, 16.36

200m—1—Sanchez, P, 23.58; 2—Miller, GB, 23.77; 3—Robinson, Hois, 23.77; 5—Mason, Hois, 24.36; 7—Pedigo, Hois, 24.58

300m hurdles—1—Winsor, P, 41.12; 2—Duvall, GB, 45.22; 6—Gutierrez, GB, 47.25

400m—1—Creamer, HH, 52.91; 3—Widiger, GB, 55.33; 4—Haxton, Hois, 57.08; 5—Ryan, GB, 58.0

800m—1—Sanchez, GB, 2:06;07; 2—Evan Hammond, GB, 2:06.62; 3—Smith, GB, 2:09.79; 4—Arellanes, GB, 2:15.03

1,600m—1—Tomlin, GB, 4:59.13; 2—Cauley, GB, 4:59.47; 3—Yott, Hois, 5:05.82; 6—Chambers, Hois, 5;23.29

3,200m—1—Cauley, GB, 10:22.81; 2—Tomlin, GB, 10:23.2; 3—Yott, Hois, 11:28.63; 7—Hipp, Hois, 12:12.4

400m relay—1—GB, 44.87 (Miller, Widiger, Ryan, Brown); 2—Hoisington, 45.76 (Mason, Pedigo, Robinson, Robinson)

1,600m relay—1—Pratt, 3:39.49; 3—Great Bend, 3:43.34 (Widiger, Evan Hammond, Sanchez, Miller); 7—Hoisington, 3:54.57 (Mason, Richards, Morris, Shives)

3,200m relay—1—Great Bend, 9;17.58 (Evan Hammond, Arellanes, Smith, Sanchez); 2—Hoisington, 9:25.26 (Richards, Chambers, Yott, Haxton)

High jump—1—Moroni, HH, 5-10

Long jump—1—Brown, GB, 21-61/2; 2—Robinson, Hois, 21-61/2;5—Ryan, GB, 19-91/2

Triple jump—1—Robinson, HHS, 43-01/2; 3—Brown, GB, 41-3

Shot put—1—Adams, HH, 48-1; 3—Pedigo, Hois, 45-1; 5—Murray, GB, 42-101/2; 6—Seymour, GB, 41-6; 7—Miramontes, GB, 40-5

Discus—1—Adams, HH, 133-10; 2—Seymour, GB, 130-1; 6—Lamb, GB, 116-5; 7—Murray, GB, 114-3

Javelin—1—Blankenship, NC, 164-0; 4—Duvall, GB, 147-1; 6—Haxton, HHS, 134-7

Pole vault—1—Merhoff, KC, 13-0; 3—Ball, Hois, 11-6; 6—Haxton, Hois, 9-0

GIRLS RESULTS

TEAM SCORES—1—Kiowa Co. 153; 2—Hays High 143; 3—Great Bend 132; 4—Pratt 66; 5—Hoisington 65; 6—Ness City 46; 7—LaCrosse 4

100m—1—Gray, KC, 13.23; 2—Schneider, Hois, 13.33; 5—Lathum, GB, 13.91

100m hurdles—1—Nunnery, HH, 16.12; 4—Colson, Hois, 17.46; 5—Garrard, GB, 17.69

200m—1—Helfrich, P, 26.64; 4—Schneider, Hois, 28.13

300m hurdles—1—Helfrich, P, 48.25; 5—Colson, Hois, 53.82

400m—1—Rhodes, KC, 1:03.46; 3—Lamatsch, Hois, 1:05.66; 4—Lindberg, GB, 1:06.24; 7—Hannah Loomis, GB, 1:08.9

800m—1—Esfeld, GB, 2:36.21; 2—Rugan, GB, 2:37.63; 4—Emma Loomis, GB, 2:41.54; 5—Kaiser, GB, 2:43.3

1,600m—1—Esfeld, GB, 6:10.16; 3—Diaz, GB, 6:14.52; 4—Kaiser, GB, 6:24.97

3,200m—1—Hoeme, P, 13:02.74; 3—Diaz, GB, 13:15.3

400m relay—1—Kiowa Co. 51.75; 3—Hoisington, 53.12 (Schmidt, Sanders, Schneider, Colson)

1,600m relay—1—Kiowa Co. 4:25.36; 4—Great Bend, 4:39.03 (Loomis, Rugan, Loomis, Esfeld); 6—Hoisington, 4:49.27 (Lamatsch, Colson, Kindscher, Sanders)

3,200m relay—1— Great Bend, 10:50.72 (Rugan, Emma Loomis, Lindberg, Esfeld); 5—Hoisington, 12:26.2 (Tafalla, Kindscher, Guthrie, Schneweis)

High jump—1—Rasmussen, P, 5-0; 2—Schroeder, GB, 5-0; 3—Smith, GB, 4-10; 7—Lathum, GB, 4-8

Long jump—1—Erickson, KC, 17-21/4; 4—Smith, GB, 16-03/4; 6—Schneider, Hois, 15-7; 7—Schroeder, GB, 15-7

Triple jump—1—Smith, GB, 34-81/2; 5—Herter, GB, 31-63/4;

Shot put—1—Epperson, NC, 38-9; 4—Warren, GB, 33-2

Discus—1—Thomas, KC, 117-6; 3—Warren, GB, 91-4; 5—Kaiser, GB, 86-11; 6—Steele, GB, 86-4

Javelin—1—Epperson, NC, 139-1; 3—Schmidt, Hois, 98-7; 4—Schroeder, GB, 96-4; 7—Deines, GB, 87-0

Pole vault—1—Schmidt, Hois, 9-6; 2—Kindscher, Hois, 9-0; 4—Deines, GB, 8-6; 7—Lovett, Hois, 6-6