WICHITA — Hoisington High School’s Savannah Rose finally grasped something that had eluded her the last two years — gold at the Class 3A state track and field meet in Wichita.
Rose flew to a distance of 17 feet and one-half inch in the girls long jump at Cessna Stadium on Friday to overtake Mid-Central Activities Association foe Carrie Kellie of Larned.
Rose finished in second place in the triple jump on Saturday, sailing 37-2. Kellie was awarded the silver medal with a distance of 16-11.
“Me and her this have been close this whole season,” Rose said of Kellie. “We always push each other. I end up beating her by about one inch every week. In the triple jump, too, you’ll see it.
We enedd up really close in that, so whenever I see her, I think I have to beat her by at least an inch. That’s my goal.”
Rose, a junior who has been to the state meet all three years with the Lady Cardinals, said that her finish even exceeded her expectations.
“I expected to get second,” Rose said. “That’s what I thought I would get. I just came and I knew that I had to compete to see what I could get.
“I’ve always gotten third. It is awesome to finally get first.”
Hoisington head coach Mike Richter said that Rose nearly won the triple jump as well.
“She had the top jump until the last one,” Richter said. “She was just tremendous. She’s worked hard the last two years. We’re just elated with how all of our kids did at state this year.”
Rose, who took second in the triple jump with a distance of 27-2, said that she doesn’t get nervous about jumping at state.
“I love it,” Rose said. “I love jumping. I get excited for state. Everyone always asks if I get nervous and I’m like no, I love to jump. I love state, and then to come out and win it, that just makes it that much better.”