BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend's 2-time state triple jump champions Cooper Ohnmacht headlines the Panther track and field team under coach Lyles Lashley.
Division 1 football recruit Ohnmacht owns back-to-back 5A triple jump titles (48-3 and 47-31/2). Ohnmacht placed seventh in the 5A long jump (21-31/2).
At the Western Athletic Conference meet, Ohnmacht swept the triple jump (46-43/4) and long jump (21-41/2). He'll also compete in the javelin and high jump coached by Bill Maddy. Kellen Brown also scored in the WAC triple jump.
"Cooper is the best triple jumper we've ever had at Great Bend," said Great Bend coach Lyles Lashley.
Top state returnees include pole vault runner-up Kayle Baldwin (10-6) and the third-place 3,200 relay (10:08.42), which returns Reese Bullard, Brooklynn Kelly and Bella Long.
"We'll have high quality distance events. We'll pull together a quality 3,200-meter girls relay, which is one of our top events," Lashley said. "We've got Sienna Smith returning. Our two freshman runners Decorah Schroeter and Sydney Stein will definitely help. We'll put together a 1,600-meter relay."
Other WAC champions were Bullard, 800, 2:24.49; Long, 3,200, 12:15.87; and the 3,200 girls relay, 10:23.36 with Bullard, Long and Kelly returning.
Sprinter Karys Leu (sprints/jumps) will make an impact.
Two-event state qualifier Tavon Stroup (800, 16th; 1,600, 14th), Brogan Lashley and Isaac Aldana headline the distance events. Landon Hubbard (jumps/sprints) will score points.
"We could run a decent 4-by-800 meters. Our 4-by-400 relay may be decent down the road depending on what we do," Lashley said.
Sophomore state pole vault qualifier Grant Watkins will also compete in 110-meter hurdles, high jump and discus.
"A lot of our throwers are young," Lashley said.
5A GIRLS STATE—Pole vault—2ND—Kayle Baldwin, 10-6; 3,200m relay—3RD—Great Bend, 10:08.42 (Bullard, Kelly, Long); Javelin—11TH—Hofflinger, 111-9; 800m—8TH—Reese Bullard, 2:20.91; 10TH—Bullard, 2:20.14; Shot put—10TH—Allie Gerhart, 35-11; 14TH—Gerhart, 32-61/2; 1,600m relay—5TH—Great Bend, 4:04.38 (Bullard); 1,600m relay—13TH— Great Bend, 4:12.29 (Bullard, Brooklynn Kelly); 3,200m—16TH—Bella Long, 11:47.88
5A BOYS STATE—Long jump—1ST—Cooper Ohnmacht, 22-101/2; 7TH—Ohnmacht, 21-31/2; Triple jump—1ST—Ohnmacht, 48-3; 1ST—Ohnmacht, 47-31/2; Javelin—3RD— Ohnmacht, 182-0; 1,600m—14TH— Stroup, 4:29.09; 800m—16TH—Tavon Stroup, 2:00.43; Pole vault—14TH— Grant Watkins, 11-6; 3,200m relay—8TH—Great Bend, 8:22.84 (Tavon Stroup);
SENIOR GIRLS—Reese Bullard (middle distance); Allie Gerhardt (throws); Kimberly Hofflinger (throws); MacKenzie Lindberg (throws); Sienna Smith (distance)
JUNIOR GIRLS—Kayle Baldwin (PV, sprints); Bella Long (distance); Alex Mayers (jumps); Allyson Valles (middle distance)
SOPHOMORE GIRLS—Sydney James (distance); Brooklynn Kelly (middle distance, javelin); Karys Leu (sprints, jumps); Grace Miller (throws); Aaliyah Monk (PV, LJ, hurdles); Samantha Negaard (distance)
NINTH-GRADE GIRLS—J'Lynn Bittner (sprints, jumps); Giselle Leyva Castillo (jumps); Nahomi Guzman; Makenzie Gwin (middle distance); Addison Hart; Aubree Lewis (throws); Jocelyn Lozoya (distance); Stevie Mayers (throws); Halle Rodriguez (PV); Catalina Schenek (throws); Decorah Schroeter (middle distance); Sydney Stein (middle distance); Jaya Stroup (high jump); Kinsly Stukey (PV distance)
SENIOR BOYS—Kellen Brown (jumps, sprints); Landon Hubbard (jumps, sprints); Lukas Oden (sprints, jumps); William Pardo (sprints); Tavon Price; Sergio Rodriguez; Tavon Stroup (distance); Blake Wheeler (sprints, javelin)
JUNIOR BOYS—Parker Coleman (distance); Dustin Fugitt (sprints, jumps); Gavynn Maddox (throws); Cooper Ohnmacht (jumps, sprints); Cortez Shepherd (sprints, jumps)
SOPHOMORE BOYS—Isaac Aldana (distance), Francisco Alvarez (sprints); Andy Allen (sprints); Kade Baker (javelin); Keeton Bray (throws), Alexis Garcia (distance), Noah Kaiser (pole vault), Brogan Lashley (distance); Fernando Lopez (sprints); Sullivan Luttrell (jumps); Xavier Johnson-Millirons (jumps, throws); Dace Ragan (sprints, throws); Grant Watkins (jumps, throws)
NINTH-GRADE BOYS—Christian Alcala (sprints, jumps); Luke Beck (hurdles, javelin); Wyatt Blevins (throws); Giovanni Cruz; Armando Gonzales (throws); Abbytt Hanson (sprints, throws); Julian Hernandez (distance); Branson Holinde (throws); Brogan Kurtz; Eli Leech; Evan Mason (distance); Colton Mix; Reyes Rodriguez (throws); Colby Spore (throws); Abrial Zubia
PANTHER SCHEDULE—3-31—at Larned JV; 4-3—at Junction City; 4-7—at Salina JV; 4-10—at Maize; 4-17—Great Bend Invitational; 4-22—at Great Bend JV; 4-24—at Buhler; 5-2—at Topeka; 5-6—at Newton JV; 5-9—at Salina; 5-15—at Dodge City, Western Athletic; 5-23—at 5A regional
