JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Joplin area fared extremely well at the MSHSAA Track and Field Championships on Friday.
Lamar and East Newton both had individual state champions, while Joplin, Neosho, Carthage, Webb City, Carl Junction and Nevada all had athletes earn all-state recognition at Adkins Stadium on the campus of Jefferson City High School.
Below is a recap of Day 1 action for local athletes competing in classes 3-5. The state track meet concludes on Saturday.
CLASS 5
JOPLIN HIGHLIGHTS
Joplin senior Hobbs Campbell was the runner-up in the Class 5 1600-meter run on Friday, finishing in 4:13.01. Rock Bridge’s Andrew Hauser won the race in 4:12.79. Campbell also finished second to Hauser at last year’s state meet.
A future Kansas Jayhawk, Campbell also finished fifth in the 800 on Friday with a time of 1:55, giving the JHS standout a pair of medals.
Campbell will finish his prep career on Saturday by running the 3200.
Joplin’s other medalist on Friday was freshman Cordell Washington, who tied Ozark’s Peyton Ligon for sixth place in the high jump by clearing 6-5.5.
In other events, Eagles senior Drew VanGilder finished 10th in the javelin (153-11) and senior Orion Norris finished 15th in the prelims of the 200 (22.59).
Joplin’s 4×100 relay team of Quinton Renfro, Tayshawn Palmer, Norris and Davin Thomas finished 11th in the prelims in 43.11 seconds and did not advance to the finals.
The top eight in each preliminary event advance to Saturday’s finals and the top eight in field events/running finals are state medalists.
On the girls side, Joplin’s 4×100 relay team of Phia Vogel, Abigayle Lowery, Abigail Eckert and Brylee Strickland finished seventh in 48.95 seconds to advance to the finals.
A freshman, Strickland had a busy day. In Friday’s prelims, Strickland finished ninth in the 400-meter run (1:00), 10th in the 100-meter dash (12.33 seconds) and 11th in the 200 (25.78).
CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS
Tigers senior Micah Lindsey earned a spot on the awards podium after placing fifth in the shot put (57-9).
A Pittsburg State football recruit, Lindsey is a two-time medalist, as he finished seventh in the event last year.
Carthage senior Miguel Solano placed ninth in the 800 with a time of 1:56.36, just missing a spot on the awards stand. The eighth place finisher, Grayson Tapp of Liberty North, recorded a time of 1:56.14.
Tigers junior Daryl Martin finished 12th in the 300 hurdles prelims with a time of 40.99 seconds.
For the Carthage girls, freshman Chasity Straw finished 11th in the discus (118-5).
NEOSHO HIGHLIGHTS
Neosho senior Collyn Kivett earned a medal by finishing fifth in the Class 5 javelin. Kivett recorded a heave of 169-7.
Wildcats senior Tyrese Hill advanced to the finals of the 200-meter dash by finishing fourth in Friday’s prelims in 21.73 seconds. Hill was also 10th in the prelims of the 100 (10.86).
Neosho senior Jared Siler finished 10th in both of his individual events, the long jump (21-4) and the high jump (6-3.5).
Izaiah Hill finished 16th in the prelims of the 400 (51.29).
CLASS 4
WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS
Webb City had four all-state performances on Friday, three on the boys side.
Webb City senior Trey Roets closed out his prep career on the awards podium after placing third in the javelin with a toss of 179-11.
Roets, who will compete in football and track at William Jewell, was also third in the event last year.
The Cardinals had two medalists in the javelin, as junior Tucker Liberatore placed sixth with a toss of 171-4.
Webb City’s third medalist of the day was junior Evan Stevens, who placed fifth in the 1600 with a time of 4:21. Stevens will run the 3200 on Saturday.
In other events, Webb City sophomore Eric Lathan finished 13th in the shot put with a toss of 48-5.5 and Cardinals junior Ryan Reid competed in the high jump, but did not clear the opening height.
Webb City’s 4×400 relay team of Gabe Johnson, Noah Moss, Joshua White and Jordan Thornburg finished 16th in the prelims.
Of note, Webb City senior Grayson Smith will attempt to repeat as Class 4 pole vault champion on Saturday.
On the girls side, senior Abi Street finished third in the 3200 with a time of 10:59 to earn all-state honors. Street will compete in the 1600 on Saturday.
Webb City’s 4×100 relay team of Kylie Jennings, Chase Stilley, Alyssa Moreno and Essence Robinson finished ninth in 50.03 seconds, just missing a spot in the finals.
Webb City junior Aubree Lassiter finished 11th in the discus (111-0).
CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Carl Junction junior Acadia Badgley finished sixth in the pole vault by clearing 10 feet even, earning all-state recognition.
Carl Junction sophomore Sydney Ward advanced to the finals in two events.
In Friday’s prelims, Ward finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (12.08 seconds) and fifth in the 200 (25.1). Ward will compete in the finals of both events on Saturday. She was a medalist in both events last year as a freshman.
The CJ girls finished 15th in the prelims of the 4×200 relay, as Olivia Battagler, Destiny Buerge, Dezi Williams and Ward recorded a time of 1:48.7.
Freshman Bella Montez was 12th in the prelims of the 300 hurdles with a time of 49.39 seconds.
MCDONALD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS
McDonald County’s 4×100 relay team of Sam Barton, Esteban Martinez-Olvera, Dominic Cervantes and Josh Pacheco finished 15th in the prelims.
The Mustangs finished ninth in the 4×400 prelims, with Cervantes, Hunter Leach, Dalton McClain and Pacheco competing.
The Mac County girls finished 15th in the 4×400 prelims, with Clara Horton, Corina Holland, Ireona Nirka and Anna Price competing.
NEVADA HIGHLIGHTS
Nevada senior Drew Beachler was the runner-up in the Class 4 long jump after recording a leap of 23-2.
He’ll compete in the triple jump on Saturday.
CLASS 3
COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS
The College Heights girls finished ninth in the prelims of the 4×200 relay with a time of 1:48.87, with Jayli Johnson, Allie Stout, Lauren Ukena and Jesalin Bever competing.
The Cougars were nipped at the finish line for the final spot in the finals by Maryville (1:48.86).
The CHC girls were 10th in the 4×400 prelims, as Bever, Johnson, Stout and Ukena recorded a time of 4:15.
A senior, Johnson finished 11th in the prelims of the 400 with a time of 1:01.
OTHER CLASS 3 HIGHLIGHTS
Two regional athletes won state titles in Class 3.
Lamar junior Trace Wooldridge won the shot put with a toss of 55-0.25.
East Newton’s Chase Sorrell crossed the line first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53.
A junior, Sorrell also finished second in the 1600 with a time of 4:17 to earn two medals on the day.
East Newton had two other medalists, as Michael Crowe was the runner-up in the high jump (6-4) and Eden Enlow finished seventh in the javelin (149-10).
On the girls side in Class 3, Lamar’s Kiersten Potter finished third in the 3200 (11:18), Aurora’s Makena Hall placed fifth in the pole vault (10-3.5) and Cassville’s Jolie Evans was fifth in the 3200 (11:36).
Cassville’s 4×800 relay team of Marianne McCrackin, Tori Mitchell, Jadyn Williams-Reed and Jolie Evans finished fourth with a time of 10:03.
