Last year, Ellinwood High School qualified two girls for the Class 2A state track and field meet, but that didn’t keep them from bringing the whole team to watch the festivities.
After that, Eagles head coach Lyles Lashley said that his team was ready to compete.
“Last year, we only had two kids make it,” Lashley said, “but we took the whole team down there to let them see what it was all about.
“After that, they told me they were ready to go back and actually compete next year.”
The Lady Eagles were as good as their word, with 12 girls, including alternates from the two relays, going to the state meet today at Cessna Stadium in Wichita.
Ellinwood also had two boys qualify for the state meet.
The two girls’ relays that qualified — the 4x100- and 4x800-meter relays — have been tearing it up all season long.
The 4x800 relay team, which is made up of Jenna Snell, Brooke Tanning, Michelle Klepper and Becca Strecker, shattered the school’s record of 10 minutes, 21 seconds that was set by them earlier in the season at the regional meet with a time of 10:03.09
“They broke the record earlier this year at Bennington (on April 4),” Lashley said. “They broke the school record last year, too. They have the fastest time in the state going into the state meet.”
While it is the best 2A time in the state, it is the 14th best time overall in the state with only 6, 5 and 4A teams ahead of them.
The 4x100 relay team broke a school record that has held strong for 18 years. Set in 1993, the former school record was 51.8.
Now it is 51.56, set by Chelsea Days, Sophie Hayes, Oma Thomas and Becky Elsen at the regional meet.
Of the two boys, Ellinwood is sending Pedro Montoya, who qualified in the 3,200 run.
“He was the regional champ this year as a freshman,” Lashley said of Montoya, who finished with a time of 10:10.43. “He’s look for a good finish at the state meet. He wants to make the top three and break 10 minutes. That’s his goals.”
Jacob Christiansen capped his senior year with a state-qualifying throw in the shot put of 45-0 1/2. “He’s a senior, and it’s nice for him to be capping a big high school career,” Lashley said. “I think he’s ranked 10th or 11th going in. He’s just going in to throw with nothing to lose.”
CLASS 2A STATE
TRACK & FIELD
Ellinwood’s qualifiers
BOYS
3,200-meter run — Pedro Montoya, 10:10.43.
Shot put — Jacob Christiansen, 45-0 1/2.
GIRLS
400-meter dash — Brooke Panning, 1:02.90.
800 run — Michelle Klepper, 2:27.65; Becca Strecker, Ellinwood, 2:29.85.
1,600 run — Jenna Snell, 5:49.21.
3,200 run — Jenna Snell, 12:21.87; Paulina Montoya, 12:44.18.
100 hurdles — Sophie Hayes, 15.88.
300 hurdles — Sophie Hayes, 50.06.
4x100 relay — Chelsea Day, Sophie Hayes, Oma Thomas, Becky Elsen, 51.56.
4x800 relay — Jenna Snell, Brooke Tanning, Michelle Klepper, Becca Strecker. 10:03.09.
Discus — Amanda Tucker, 102-1.
Shot put — Amanda Tucker, 31-9 1/2.
Pole vault — Becky Elsen, 8-0.
CLASS 1A STATE
TRACK & FIELD
Area state qualifiers
BOYS
100-meter dash —Kevin Norton, St. John, 11.19;
200 dash — Adam Oak, Macksville, 23.27;
800 run — Dustin McClure, Stafford, 2:04.68.
1,600 run — Seth Filbert, Macksville, 4:42.45.
110 hurdles — Adam Oak, Macksville, 15.03; Tanner Tranbarger, Macksville, 16.40.
300 hurdles — Adam Oak, Macksville, 41.69; Tanner Tranbarger, Macksville, 42.66
4x100 relay — St. John relay, 44.55;
4x400 relay — Macksville relay, 3:38.06.
Discus — Derek Bevan, Macksville, 135-8.
Shot put — Derek Bevan, Macksville, 41-10 1/3.
Javelin — Dakota Allison, Macksville, 158-8; Skyler Turner, Quivira Heights, 154-2.
Pole Vault — Chris Lowe, Stafford, 11-6.
GIRLS
400 dash — Daniele Wendland, St. John, 1:01.98.
3,200 run — Taylor Woodward, St. John, 12:57.37.
4x400 relay — Quivira Heights relay, 4:20.59.
4x800 relay — St. John, 10:30.83; Quivira Heights, 10:51.82.
Long jump — Haley Falk, St. John, 15-6 1/2.
Discus — Rachel Wasko, Pawnee Heights, 98-7.
Shot put — Teresa Wade, St. John, 37-6.
Javelin — Megan Wood, Macksville, 119-9.
