Great Bend High School’s Kaylie Doll came out of virtually nowhere to win a Class 5A regional track and field crown in the triple jump last Friday at Friends University in Wichita.
Here’s a freshman softball player, a youngster that hadn’t even hit double-digits for the number of track practices she had attended entering the postseason.
Starting today, Doll will be on the big stage at the Class 6-1A state track and field championships at Cessna Stadium in Wichita — not only competing in the triple jump but also the long jump, where she qualified with a third-place finish.
“I came expecting not to get first,” Doll said. “Get lucky in a few meets, you know, do average, but not being able to make it to state.”
Doll surprised even herself after she sailed 34 feet, 7 ½ inches to take home the gold from the regional meet. Her regional distance in the long jump was 15-7.
Not too shabby for someone who only picked up the sport a couple years ago.
“I started doing track in the seventh grade,” Doll said. “I did not do long jump until this year. So the long jump was new for me.
“But in the triple jump, I was average in seventh grade and in the eighth grade, I was just starting to step up and I just thought I would try it again this year and it worked out.”
Doll is one of many underclassmen that have stepped up this spring at GBHS:

   • Pole vault
Sophomore Hannah Middleton and freshman Salem Ball are competing at state after establishing themselves as second- and third-place finishers, respectively, at the regional meet. Both cleared 9-0.

   • Girls 4x400 relay
Senior Ali Niederee, who has also qualified individually in the 100 hurdles, is the veteran and only senior on the Lady Panthers youthful relay. It also includes sophomore Stephanie Langer and juniors Hannah Wondra and Ali Heilman. Sophomore Summer Bates is the alternate.
Wondra, a three-event state qualifier, has been there before. She is also a state qualifier in the 200 and 400 dashes.
“Hannah Wondra, I think she has a good shot to place in the 400,” Black said

    • Boys 4x100 relay
The Panthers’ experienced relay includes seniors Alex Reed and Sheldon LeShore, along with junior Matt Moyd. The wild-card is freshman Darion Yager.

    • Boys 4x400 relay
Yager joins junior Maurico Uribe, Reed and LeShore. The alternate is sophomore Chon Chavez.

GREAT BEND
GIRLS
    • Jacy Quade — 1. Discus (127 feet, 10 inches); 3. Shot put (36-10 1/2)
    • Kaylie Doll — 1. Triple jump (34-7 1/2); 3. Long jump (15-7)
    • Ali Niederee — 2. 100-meter hurdles (16.22)
    • Hannah Middleton — 2. Pole vault (9-0)
    • Salem Ball — 3. Pole vault (9-0)
    • Hannah Wondra — 3. 400 dash (1:01.32); 4. 200 dash (27.59)
    • Rubi Torres — 4. 1,600 run (5:28.74); 4. 3,200 run (11:52.59)
    • 4x440 relay — 4. (Ali Niederee, Stephanie Langer, Ali Heilman & Wondra, 4:17.67; Alternate: Summer Bates)
BOYS
   • David Simmons — 2. Shot put (53-3 1/2)
   • Simon Sullivan — 3. Pole vault (13-6)
   • Chris Burley — 2. Pole vault (13-6)
   • Sheldon LeShore —  2. 100-meter dash (10.94)
   • Matt Moyd — 1. 110 hurdles (15.03); 4. 100 dash (11.04)
   • Alex Reed — 2. 400 dash (49.21); 2. 200 dash (22.57)
   • 4x100 relay — 3. (LeShore, Reed, Darion Yager & Moyd, 44.06)
   • 4x400 relay — 2.  (Mauricio Uribe, Reed, Yager & LeShore, 3:27.9; Alternate: Chon Chavez)
     NOTE — Class 5A regional placings, plus times, distances