There will be three throwers representing the Great Bend High School track and field team in the Class 5A portion of the State Track and Field Championships today.
Jayce Brack and Nick Warren is set to compete in the discus, which competes at 11:30 a.m. today.
Brack also competes in the shot put on Saturday at 9:45 a.m.
Kate Warren will compete in the discus at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.
“Jayce is going to have a shot at a state title, but there are some real good throwers from back in the northern part of the state in the shot put,” GBHS head coach Todd Kaiser said. “Same thing with him and Nick in the discus. They’re both going to need their best in the discus.
“They’ll both have a shot at getting on the podium. The goal is get on the podium, whether it is first or eighth.”
Brack enters the shot put as the No. 3 seed, given his throw of 51-feet, 8.25 inches in a regional tournament last week.
He sits behind William Morrison of Leavenworth, who qualified with a throw of 56-5.5, and Malcolm Mikkelsen of Topeka Seaman, who qualified with a heave of 53-6.
Brack’s best throw this year is 59-11.75, which would be enough to get him the top seed.
That’s not the only thing on the line for Brack in the shot put. He is also approaching the school record, held for 30 years by his coach, Cliff Burt.
“He put something on Twitter about wanting to get this school record out of the way,” Kaiser said of Brack. “He’s only 3 1/2 inches away from tying it, I believe, so it would be interesting to see him do it at the state meet. If not, he has all next year to break it.
“But I think he’d like to get it done at the state meet.”
Brack is the No. 4 seed in the discus, exiting the regional tournament with a distance of 151-10.
He sits behind top-seeded Morrison (173-7), Cory Martens of Newton (163-6) and Zach Pfeifer of St. Thomas Aquinas (154-0).
Nick Warren is the No. 7 seed with a seeding distance of 144-7.
Kate Warren will be heading to the state tournament for the first time.
She is the No. 13 seed of the event. The top seed is held by Kelsey Tenbrink of Shawnee Heights at 115-11.
Kate Warren qualified with a distance of 98-4.
“This is going to be a great experience for her,” Kaiser said. “We don’t have high expectations for her, but it’s going to be a great experience for her. Hopefully, she can throw a personal best, and I’m sure she well. Coach Burt will have her ready to go.”
Brack, others set to throw at state meet
State Track & Field