BY JIM MISUNAS
With four runners returning, Great Bend’s 3,200-meter relay quartet missed a shot at winning a potential 5A state championship. Track was canceled by the Kansas State High School Activities Association due to the health threat of the coronavirus.
The Panthers featured four veterans from a fifth-place state 3,200-meter boys relay (Evan Hammond, Joshua Tomlin, Sage Cauley, Chiny Sanchez).
“We had six guys who would’ve run under 2:04,” said Great Bend coach Lyles Lashley. “One of our goals for the season was take a run at eight minutes and break our school record. We had a shot to win the 5A relay.
The Panthers showed record-setting potential in the middle distance and long distance races and relays. Dalton Miller, Sam Ryan and Chiny Sanchez would’ve likely joined foreign exchange student Gabriel Soares on the 1,600-meter relay.
“Our boys would’ve made a run at the WAC track title,” Lashley said. “We had good quality athletes. We had good runners and planned to do well in the jumps with Joey Soupiset (high jump) and Drew Liles (pole vault). Throwers Tate Murray and Zach Seymour had showed improvement.
Bryce Brown, who has signed to compete at Mid-America Nazarene University, was poised to contribute on relays, triple jump and the 300-meter hurdles.
“Bryce plans to compete in multi-events in college,” Lashley said. “
Other state veterans with experience were Jaclynn Schroeder (high jump), Taryn Warren (shot put), McKenna Esfeld, Olivia Rugan (800), Chiny Sanchez (800), Josh Tomlin, Jaime Arellanes (1,600), Josh Tomlin, Sage Cauley (3,200); Bryce Brown (triple jump).
The Panthers returned McKenna Esfeld, Emma Loomis, Emilia Diaz and Olivia Rugan from a sixth-place state 3200-meter girls relay.
The Panthers featured eight of nine returning Western Athletic Conference champions – McKenna Esfeld, 800, 2:28.6; Chiny Sanchez, 800, 2:01.32; Josh Tomlin, 1,600; 4:37.65; and 3,200, 10:16.59; the 3,200m girls relay, 10:48.56 (Emilia Diaz, McKenna Esfeld, Emma Loomis, Olivia Rugan); the 3,200m boys relay, 8:23.05 (Jaime Arellanes, Evan Hammond, Chiny Sanchez, Josh Tomlin); Candice Smith, high jump, 5-2; and javelin thrower Peyton Duvall, 160-3.
2019 PANTHER STATE RESULTS
800m—7—McKenna Esfeld, 2:23.0; 11—Olivia Rugan, 2:29.5
800m—14—Chiny Sanchez, 2:07.12
1,600m—13—Jaime Arellanes, 4:48.36
3,200m—13—Emilia Diaz, 12:51.42
3,200m—12—Josh Tomlin, 10:16.41; 14—Sage Cauley, 10:24.68
400m relay—14—Great Bend, 43.8 (Bryce Brown, Dalton Miller, Sam Ryan, Korbin Widiger)
1,600m boys relay—14—Great Bend, 3:38.76 (Bryce Brown, Dalton Miller, Chiny Sanchez, Korbin Widiger)
3,200m girls relay—6—Great Bend, 10:15.58 (Emilia Diaz, McKenna Esfeld, Emma Loomis, Olivia Rugan)
3,200m boys relay—5—Great Bend, 8:13.45 (Jaime Arellanes, Evan Hammond, Chiny Sanchez, Josh Tomlin)
High jump—9—Jaclynn Schroeder, 4-10
Triple jump—14—Bryce Brown, 41-0
Shot put—6—Taryn Warren, 34-101/4
2019 5A PANTHER REGIONAL
3,200m girls relay—1—Great Bend, 10:35.13 (Emilia Diaz, McKenna Esfeld, Emma Loomis, Olivia Rugan)
800m—1—McKenna Esfeld, 2:30.52; 3—Olivia Rugan, 2:31.75
800m—2—Chiny Sanchez, 2:07.12
1,600m—1—Josh Tomlin, 4:42.92; 3—Jaime Arellanes, 4:43.97
3,200m—1—Josh Tomlin, 10:24.61; 3—Sage Cauley, 10:37.68
3,200m—3—Emilia Diaz, 12:43.55
400m boys relay—3—Great Bend, 44.05 (Bryce Brown, Dalton Miller, Sam Ryan, Korbin Widiger)
3,200m boys relay—2—Great Bend, 8:40.24 (Jaime Arellanes, Evan Hammond, Chiny Sanchez, Josh Tomlin)
High jump—1—Jaclynn Schroeder, 5-2
Long jump—4—Bryce Brown, 40-111/2
Shot put—1—Taryn Warren, 36-101/4
2019 PANTHER WAC CHAMPIONS
800m—1—McKenna Esfeld, 2:28.6
800m—1—Chiny Sanchez, 2:01.32
1,600m—1—Josh Tomlin, 4:37.65
3,200m—1—Josh Tomlin, 10:16.59
3,200m girls relay—1—Great Bend, 10:48.56 (Emilia Diaz, McKenna Esfeld, Emma Loomis, Olivia Rugan)
3,200m boys relay—1—Great Bend, 8:23.05 (Jaime Arellanes, Evan Hammond, Chiny Sanchez, Josh Tomlin)
High jump—1—Candice Smith, 5-2
Discus—1—Molly Kaiser, 100-3
Javelin—1—Peyton Duvall, 160-3
