The Great Bend High School track and field teams head to Wichita today to take part in the Shocker Pre-State Challenge at Cessna Stadium on the Wichita State University campus — the same locale as the state meet in May.
Great Bend is coming off second-place finishes in both the boys and girls divisions from the GBHS Invitational, which was held Tuesday at Memorial Stadium.
Panthers shot-putter David Simmons is coming off a first-place finish at the GBHS invite, where his heave of 51 feet, one inch topped Liberal junior standout Justin McPhail (50-0).
“We go into every track meet knowing that he’s got a chance to win it,” Great Bend head coach Bo Black said of Simmons.
The defending Western Athletic Conference champion, Simmons was a state qualifier last season as a junior, taking home fourth place from the state meet (49-8).
“He’s our best thrower in the shot and discus,” Black said of Simmons, “and (Simon) Sullivan in the javelin, those are two kids that we’re expecting a lot from in the throws.”
Sullivan won the javelin with a throw of 156-4 at the GBHS invite, where he also was a second-place finisher in the pole vault to teammate Chris Burley.
Alex Reed, the two-time 5A state champion in the 400-meter dash, ran the anchor on the Panthers’ 4x400 relay on Tuesday. It was his first meet of the season as he is making a fast recovery from suffering anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament damage in his knee during district football action last fall.

GBHS baseball, softball
Great Bend’s baseball and softball teams will be traveling to Scott City today for non-conference action. — weather permitting.
Respective doubleheaders are slated for 4 p.m.
The Panthers are unbeaten in eight games, and the Lady Panthers are 7-1.

GBHS swimming
The GBHS swim team travels to Salina South today for a meet, starting at 3:30.
The Lady Panthers are coming off a first-place finish on Tuesday at the Garden City meet, where sophomore Allison Damm won the 200-yard freestyle and 500 freestyle, and freshman Hannah Hildebrand captured first place in both 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke.