The 2023 Missouri Outdoor Season Preview

Class 4

The Boys

The Sprinters and Hurdlers

Heston Miller - West Plains

West Plains is famous for being a distance powerhouse, but Heston Miller has led them a more balanced attack at the state level.

Miller was busy last May, running 8 total races at the Class 4 state meet, and earning medals in all 4 of those events. He was 2nd in the 100, 5th in the 200, and anchored the 4x200 relay to a 2nd place finish and 4x100 relay to a 5th place finish. He returns as the top 100 meter runner in Class 4 with a 10.56 best and No. 2 in the 200 with a 21.82 best.

Miller will surely be in the mix with the best of the best in the entire state all year and should be a major contender to bring home golds in both short sprint events. 

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Griouard Weddington - Grandview

Griouard Weddington carries a long tradition of sprint/jumps success for the Grandview Bulldogs. 

Weddington had a breakout sophomore campaign in which he earned 3rd place finishes in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes and posted bests of 10.63 and 21.53 (+2.3) in the events. He also ran 51.70 in the 400 meter dash, an event he didn't try until early May last season. 

This winter, he only competed once, but it was on the biggest stage at the New Balance Indoor National meet. He won the Rising Stars 200m dash in 21.68 and finished 25th in the 60m dash in 6.93, which was MO No. 2 and MO No. 1. Weddington appears ready to take over the sprints crown in Class 4 this spring.

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Winston Moore - MICDS

Winston Moore is a 100 meter specialist, but when you do it as well as he does, that may be all you need to do. 

Moore enters this spring with a 10.73 personal best in the event, which was good enough for a 5th place medal in Class 4 last spring. He did anchor their state champion 4x200 meter relay so he could dip into the open 200 this spring, too. Keep eyes out for Moore as he looks to lead MICDS back to the podium in 2023.

Cameron Nichols - Hannibal

Hannibal's Cameron Nichols has arguably the best range in Class 4 at the moment. 

Nichols is a distance runner, but he can drop down to the 400 and hold his own with the best of them. He returns MO No. 1 in Class 4 with his 50.65 best from last year's state meet. He was 6th overall with his 50.89 mark in finals.

Nichols also owns personal bests of 2:00.86 in the 800, 4:43.13 in the 1600, and 17:01.50 in the 5K. We should expect to see him in the 400 and 800 again this year, this time with sights set on top 5 medals or better in both. 

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*Update 3/21: Prior to the writing of this section, Cardinal Ritter's Bruce Johnson was not listed on their MSHSAA roster. He has been recently added to Cardinal Ritter's roster and should be considered the top returner in the Class 4 400 meter dash with a 50.25 personal best instead of Hannibal's Nichols. 

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Luke Noland - Kearney

One of the most exciting races of the weekend last year was the Class 4 110m Hurdles between Kearney's Luke Noland and Smithville's Rhett Foster. Noland and Foster were right next to each other in lanes 4 and 5 and got the crowd on their feet for the 14.3 second race. Noland came out on top, but just barely, 14.35 to 14.37. 

Noland is a key leader for the Bulldogs with his prowess in the 110 hurdles, 200m dash, and long jump. He was 6th in the 200m dash in 22.13 (+2.3) and 3rd in the long jump with a 23-0.5 (+2.1) mark. He'll be a major player in their title defense and has the chops to get them 30 points on his own. 

Matthew Malmstrom - Helias Catholic

Helias Catholic's Matthew Malmstrom was the runner-up in last year's Class 4 300m Hurdles in 38.44, making him the top returner in Class 4 by over 2 seconds. He's the only Class 4 returner under 40.5 seconds with the departure of Michael Lane to Class 5. 

Malmstrom has also run 14.91 in the 110m Hurdles, but was the hard-luck 9th place finisher at the state meet last spring. He's run an impressive 56.94 mark in the 400m Hurdles and improved his lifetime best in the open 400 meter dash to 50.52 this winter.

Malmstrom is a clear favorite to bring home the 300m Hurdles crown and could challenge in the 110s, as well, as the third best returner there. 

The Distance Runners

Josh Allison - Hillsboro

Over the last two years, we have seen two athletes pull off the distance treble in Class 4, both of whom from Southeast Missouri. This year, we may see a third pull off the feat in Hillsboro's Josh Allison.

Allison is coming off of a dominant cross country season in which he won 8 of the 10 meets he raced, including the Class 4 State Championship. He returns for his senior track season on a mission to lead the Hawks to their first ever track and field state championship after leading them to the school's first ever state title in cross country. He boasts personal bests of 1:55.99, 4:18.64, and 9:22.81 in the 800, 1600, and 3200, respectively, which puts him first among all Class 4 returners in all 3 events. 

With their 4x800 relay squad also very strong, Allison could pull off the distance quad, like Festus's Jacob Myers last year. It will be a historic season for the SIU-Carbondale commit. 

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Isaac Rivera - Lincoln College Prep

It's hard to pinpoint exactly where the breakout happened for Lincoln Prep's Isaac Rivera, but slowly and steadily, Rivera has turned into one of the top distance runners in the entire state, not just Class 4. 

Rivera dropped a stellar 15:09.82 mark this cross country season and dipped under 16:00 in all but one of his races. He finished 4th at the state cross country meet for his first XC award of his career. This came after a strong spring track season in which he posted bests of 4:23.18 in the 1600 and 9:35.14 in the 3200, earning a 6th place medal in the latter race at the state meet and finishing 9th in the former. 

Rivera returns with the 3rd best mark in the 1600 and 2nd best in the 3200 now and has shown this winter he's ready to drop even further down. He posted three marks this indoor season in the 3200, all under 9:44, including a 9:33.46 lifetime best. 

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Tyler Anderson - Ft. Zumwalt East

Ft. Zumwalt East's Tyler Anderson was coming off a breakout freshman campaign in 2021. An 800 meter specialist, Anderson finished as the 15th fastest freshman half-miler in state history with his 1:59.57 mark for 4th place in the Class 4 race at the unseasonably frigid state meet. 

In 2022, Anderson took a step back, but unknowingly got hit by illness days before state. He still raced the 1600 and 800 there and struggled mightily to hit his season best marks in both events. His 4:29.62 and 1:57.78 were much better with what he ended up with there. He also threw in a 50.78 best in the 400 for good measure. 

Anderson is another year older and stronger and ready to turn heads once again in the middle distance races. His foot speed combined with racing experience and fearlessness have already carried him far in his first two years of high school, but should continue to into his junior year. 

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Bryson Pickard - Union 

Union's Bryson Pickard enters the 2023 track season just a tick ahead of Anderson for MO No. 2 in the Class 4 800 meter run. A 400/800 specialist, Pickard closed out his breakout junior season with personal bests of 53.03 in the 400 and 1:57.72 in the 800. 

The 800 was clearly Pickard's best event as he finished 5th in the event at the Class 4 State meet and has a shot to win it all this spring. He's coming off an impressive senior cross country season in which he ran 16:24.04 for 5000 meters and finished 17th overall at the Class 4 State XC meet. Pickard continues to get stronger as an athlete and could really surprise us all with a big senior season this spring. 

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Ian Schram - Festus

It's hard to preview the Class 4 distance races without including a Festus Tiger in the mix. This year, it's senior Ian Schram's turn. 

Schram's junior year was unlucky as it didn't end the way his teammate Jacob Myers' did, but he was able to find the top of the podium with his squad in the 4x800 meter relay. Regardless of how he finished out the season individually, Schram still does carry bests of 1:58.20 in the 800, 4:19.28 in the 1600, and 9:25.62 in the 3200 with him into his senior year. These did all come as a sophomore, but that shouldn't matter for the phenom. 

Schram was the Class 4 runner-up at the State Cross Country meet this fall and posted a new 5K best of 15:24.70. He's already opened up the outdoor season in 4:33.97 for 1600 at the Notre Dame Frozen Invitational and should continue to drop time as the weather warms up. 

The Jumpers and Vaulters

Grayson Smith - Webb City

Webb City's Grayson Smith enters his senior season as the far-and-away top vaulter in the entire state, regardless of class. The reigning Class 4 champion cleared 16-4.75 last spring and 15-3 en route to the state gold medal. It was obviously an improvement upon his runner-up finish from 2021. 

Smith had a quiet winter, clearing 14-6 in the only meet in which he competed, but did the same last year with a lone 15-6 clearance. He then proceeded to go undefeated except for a runner-up finish at the Great Southwest Classic, with no performance worse than 15-0. 

His next closest competitor has never cleared 15-0, while he's done it 9 times in his career. Smith is a solid choice for a repeat victory in the Class 4 pole vault. 

Zachary Proctor - Kearney

Another key member of Kearney's state title team, Zachary Proctor was 3rd in the Class 4 high jump last May. His 6-5.5 clearance there wasn't good enough to secure the victory, but his 6-7.5 personal best would've gotten the job done. 

Now Proctor sits in the driver's seat to get to the top of the podium in the event as he is a full 3 inches ahead of his next closest competitor. The high jump specialist is the favorite to grab all 10 points for his squad this spring.

Drew Beachler - Nevada

Nevada's Drew Beachler returns with the second best long jump and triple jump marks among Class 4 athletes. His 22-4.5 mark was good enough for 5th last year in the long jump and his 44-9.75 triple jump best is what earned him a Class 4 District 7 championship. A 43-2.5 mark earned him a 7th place medal at the state meet. 

Beachler has three all-state medals to his name now and cleared 6-0.5 in the high jump as a sophomore. He could be a major player in the high, triple, and long jumps at this spring.

Travis Greenfield - Marshfield

While Webb City's Grayson Smith is soaring ahead of the competition, Marshfield's Travis Greenfield slots in as the second best Class 4 returner in the pole vault not too far behind. 

Greenfield is MO No. 5 overall in the event with his 14-6 personal best. Though it's one of only two marks he's produced over 14 feet, he was consistently over 13 feet in his junior season and returns with a 5th place state medal to his name as well. 

The MSSU commit is looking to pull off the upset over his southwest Missouri counterpart and soon-to-be MIAA rival. 

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Arhmad Branch - Festus

Festus' Arhmad Branch has filled out quite a bit since this picture was taken at the 2021 Class 4 State meet. After a shortened 2022 track season, Branch looks poised to pop off in his senior campaign.

The Purdue football commit has personal bests of 21-2 in the long jump and 44-11.25 in the triple jump. He's coming off a 1st team all-state season as a wide receiver and an equally solid basketball season. As the top returner in Class 4 in the triple jump, he'll look to close out his incredible athletic career with hardware at the state track and field meet, and quite possibly hardware that matches the color of his school's jersey. 

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The Throwers

Jonathan Cox - Pleasant Hill

Pleasant Hill's Jonathan Cox is the top returner in Class 4 the javelin throw heading into the 2023 season and third best in the entire state. He earned a 5th place medal last spring with his 163-11 mark, but has thrown as far as 189-8 in his career. He was the Class 3 champion in 2021 and should be in contention to grab another gold medal this spring. 

Note: Cox has not been listed on Pleasant Hill's official roster yet, but should he appear this spring, he will be among the top javelin throwers in the entire state.

Payton Brown - Hillsboro

Hillsboro has a charged attack from many sides. They will score dozens of points in the distance events, pick up a few more from the sprints, and receive a contribution from the throws from junior Payton Brown.

Brown is a lot like Isaiah Martin before him in that he is a javelin specialist who also dips his toes into several other disciplines as he works toward becoming a multis athlete. Brown has thrown 186-0.25 in the javelin and was the Class 4 runner-up last spring. He's posted marks in the long jump, discus, 100 meter dash, 110 meter hurdles, and 300 meter hurdles, as well.

Now a junior, we could see a major breakthrough from Brown this spring and, if he picks up double digit points for the Hawks, he could help solidify their chances at the Class 4 team title. 

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Zachery Grace - Kearney

Kearney's Zachery Grace is a seasoned veteran when it comes to the throws as the senior has been posting marks in the shot put, discus, and javelin since he was 12 years old with the KC Fire Track Club. 

Grace owns the second best mark among returners in the discus and shot put. His 168-6 mark earned him 5th at last year's state meet in the javelin and, though he didn't qualify for state in the shot put, he dropped a massive personal best of 53-3 at the AAU Qualifier after the season ended. He's not to be confused with his brother Theodore Grace, who is No. 3 among returners in the javelin at 174-1.5.

Watch for the Grace brothers to score several points in the Bulldogs' team title defense. 

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Jayce Ferrell - Smithville

The top Class 4 returner in both the shot put and discus is Smithville's Jayce Ferrell. 

Ferrell enters the 2023 season with best marks of 56-0.5 and 178-10 in the shot and discus, respectively, and has a real shot at putting up 20 points for the Warriors this spring. Last season, he posted three marks ahead of the second best shot put returner and seven ahead of number three. In the discus in 2022, he posted the only two marks over 170 feet among all Class 4 returners. He also earned a silver medal in the discus last spring in the discus and 7th place medal in the shot put. 

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Michael Phillips - Desmet

After finishing 8th in the 2022 Class 5 competition, Desmet's Michael Phillips finds him in a much better position to climb the state shot put ranks in 2023. Desmet has moved into Class 4 and moved Phillips into 3rd among returners in his new class.

Phillips heaved the shot 52-11.5 last spring, en route to that 8th place finish at state. His only two marks over 50 feet came when it mattered most - Sectionals and State. He was a Sectional qualifier in the discus with a 135-7 mark. 

Now a junior, this is the year throwers tend to really take off at the high school level. Watch for Phillips to make a push for state supremacy in the throws events.

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The Team Outlook

With Camdenton and Willard moving out, two teams that were surely going to compete for state hardware, the race for Top 4 in Class 4 just got that much more interesting. 

Heading into the season, it appears to be a two horse race between Kearney and Hillsboro. As we have already mentioned, the Hillsboro Hawks will earn a lot of points from their distance events. Josh Allison may help bring in 40 points along with their 4x800 team after bringing home the state cross country title. He's joined by his brother Jonah Allison, Orville Mann, and Gavin Vaughn, among others. Noah Holland contributes points in sprints and Payton Brown may give them points in the hurdles and could win the javelin himself. To Kearney's credit, they will pick up major points from Luke Noland and the Grace brothers, along with Zachery Proctor. Their relays were strong last year, but they lost a major player in Logan Arellano to graduation. 

The biggest question will be: How many points will West Plains get from their distance runners? A perennial powerhouse and historic distance running program, last year they relied heavily on their sprints squad. If their distance boys like Carson King and Hoyt Stiner can continue to improve, they could pair quite nicely with Heston Miller, William Stauffer, Blake Tinsley, and others. 

Webb City is a fourth team that could make some noise. Grayson Smith is their big point scorer, but we just saw a Ryan Riddle-like cross country breakthrough from Evan Stevens this fall and he's parlayed that into personal bests on the indoor track this winter. They also have Trey Roets in javelin and another pole vaulter in Justin Allen. It's a well-balanced team that could surprise some folks this spring. 

State Virtual Meet

The Girls

The Sprinters and Hurdlers

Alia VandenBrink - Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience

With Zaya Akins moving up to Class 5, Collegiate's Alia VandenBrink finds herself at the top of the Class 4 ranks in the 100 meter dash. Her 11.98 (+2.5) personal best is the only mark in any conditions under 12 seconds among Class 4 competitors. 

VandenBrink was 3rd in the 100 last spring and didn't compete in the 200 in the state series, though her 25.29 best would have been good enough for 6th at the state meet. This indoor season, VandenBrink ran 7.98 in the 60m dash and 25.50 in the 200, showing she's ready to compete for golds in both events this spring.

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Sydney Ward - Carl Junction

It was a stellar freshman campaign for the Carl Junction sprint star Sydney Ward. She earned medals in both the 100 (6th) and 200 (5th) while earning several golds and silvers throughout the regular season. She's the third best returner in both the 100 and 200 this spring with marks of 12.11 and 25.08 (+3.0), respectively. 

This winter, Ward re-added the 400 to her repertoire after forgoing it in 2022. She posted her first career mark sub-60 seconds with a 59.87 at Northwest Missouri State. She also added 7.84 and 25.64 marks in the 60 and 200m dashes. Watch for Ward to challenge for the title as best sprinter in Class 4 this spring with her prowess in the 100, 200, and 400.

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Jordyn Buckley - McCluer North

Jordyn Buckley was one of the few lucky souls to emerge from the buzzsaw that was the Class 4 Sectional 2 meet as she made it to the state meet in both the 200 and 400 meter dashes. 

At the state meet, Buckley earned a fourth place medal in the 200 meter dash with her 25.02 (+3.0) personal best. She was the dreaded first-one-out in the 400, settling for 9th place there, but she ended her season with a 59.26 best overall. Buckley enters the 2023 season No. 2 in Class 4 in the 200 and fifth in the 400. She'll have quite a challenge to get out Sectional 2 in both events once again, but if she's done it once, she can certainly do it again! 

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Mychael Green - Parkway Central

We have now reached the point in the article where we talk about the Parkway Central studettes. First up, Mychael Green. 

Green was a major contributor to the Lady Colts' first ever state team title. She was an individual medalist in the 400 meter dash with her 5th place finish in 58.85, but was stuck behind two superstar seniors in her quest for hardware in the 100 and/or 200. She added legs on their state champion 4x200 and 4x400 meter relays for good measure. 

This year, it's Green sits atop the team ranks in the 200 and 400 meter dashes and should be a safe bet to be in attendance for both events at the state meet. We all know Coach Banta won't be denied in his quest bring 4x200 and 4x400 relays and repeat as state champion. Mychael Green will be a major piece to both of those tasks. 

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Skyye Lee - Parkway Central

Studette No. 2 (or, probably, at this point, No. 1) is Skyye Lee. 

Lee went 14-1 in the 100 and 300 meter hurdles combined this past season, dominating the hurdle races at some of the most prestigious meets in the state, leading to impressive victories at the Class 4 state meet in both races. Her 13.84 in the 100m Hurdles was a MO No. 8 all-time until she dropped a 13.69 for the victory in the 15-16 division at the AAU Junior Olympics. Now, she sits MO No. 4 all-time. Her 43.76 mark in the 300 meter hurdles is not as high up the all-time state ranks, but still puts her atop the Class 4 ranks her comfortably ahead of everyone else. She's a full second ahead of everyone else in the 100m Hurdles and nearly 2.5 seconds ahead of everyone else in the 300s.

This winter, Lee made history as she shattered Tyra Wilson's indoor state record in the 60m hurdles with an eye-popping 8.29 mark. This was also US No. 28 all-time and No. 3 overall in 2023. She finished as the runner-up at the New Balance Nationals Indoor meet. Lee is truly set up for an incredible season this spring. All eyes should be on that 100m hurdles race in May. 

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Mikah Edwards - Helias Catholic

Helias Catholic's Mikah Edwards also benefits from the move of Zaya Akins as she is now the top returner in Class 4 in the 200 and 400 meter dashes. 

She's the only Class 4 returners under 25 seconds in the 200 and under 57 seconds in the 400. Her 24.86 (+3.0) best was good enough for 3rd in the 200 last spring, similar to the 56.63 mark she posted in the 400 meter dash. With Nnenna Okpara also making her way out of the competition, it's Edwards' world in the long sprints now. 

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The Distance Runners

Isabella Frost - Rolla

The top 5 girls in the 1600 and top 4 in the 3200 have graduated which moves Rolla's Isabella Frost to the top of the ranks among Class 4 distance runners. 

Frost is a veteran who has had an up and down career so far, but her senior year could prove to be a big one as she finally enters clear of everyone else in both the 1600 and 3200. She owns a 5:16.33 personal best in the mile from last year's Sectional 3 meet and ran 11:26.44 (one second off her career best) last season in the 3200. She was 5th at the state meet in 11:39.34.

Frost is coming off her best cross country season so far in which she dipped under 19:00 in the 5K for the first time (18:54.56) and earned a 13th place medal at the state meet. She should be atop everyone's watch list this spring in the long distance races. 

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Abigail Street - Webb City

After dropping an 18:44.60 5K best for 5th place at the 2021 Class 4 State Cross Country Championships, Webb City's Abi Street broke through in a big way on the track in the subsequent spring season. Street ended her junior season with 5:23.41 and 11:33.88 personal bests in the 1600 and 3200. Though she couldn't turn those into medals at the state meet, she was able to parlay that success into a third place finish at Gans Creek this past fall and 18:36.69 5K best. 

This winter, Street has posted a few marks in the 1 mile, 3000, and 3200. Most notably, her 3000 of 10:45.28 would convert to a personal best in the 3200 of 11:32.84. This spring, you'd better look both ways before you cross Abi Street!

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Adrienne Luna - Cor Jesu

It took until her junior year for Cor Jesu's Adrienne Luna to give track and field a try, but once the former lacrosse player hit the crimson oval for good, she obviously excelled. 

We all knew Luna was going to be competitive in the 1600 and 3200 after her successes on the cross country course. As a member of the dynamic Chargers' distance contingent, she earned three all-state medals in cross country before adding a 6th place medal in the 3200 in her first try. Her 11:34.17 ranks her third among Class 4 returners behind Frost and Street. 

After yet another strong cross country season, Luna is poised to lead her Cor Jesu team to more success this spring in the 1600, 3200, and probably the 4x800 relay again. The three Luna sisters teamed up with Eva Morie to place 4th at state in the 2 mile relay.

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Brooke Beck - Pleasant Hill

Now time to talk about the 800 with two 400/800 specialists. First up is Pleasant Hill's Brooke Beck. 

Beck's success on the track in the 200, 400, and 800 came as a bit of a surprise, even after a 19:21.30 5K on the Gans Creek course for 18th at the cross country state meet. Beck ended up running 26.21 in the 200, 57.98 in the 400, and 2:20.36 in the 800. She heads into the 2023 season as the second best returner in the 400 and 800 with those marks. 

After earning 4th and 3rd in the 400 and 800 last season, we're not counting her out to move into the top spots in both events this year. Beck could move up to the 1600 and 3200 if she really wanted to and compete in everything from the 100 (she's already run 12.97 in the event) to the 3200 and carry the Pleasant Hill Chicks all the way to the team podium. 

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Jadyn Barnes - Kearney

The next 4/8 specialist to mention should be reigning 800 meter state champion Kearney's Jadyn Barnes. 

Barnes triumph in the half mile was somewhat unexpected as the junior truly put it all together right at the right time. Heading into the Class 4 state meet, she owned a 2:21.39 best, which was her only mark under 2:24 to date. In the state race, she dropped 4 seconds and ran away from the state's best en route to a 2:17.00 victory. 

Barnes will be the favorite to win it once again this season as she's the only returner with a mark under 2:20. Her prowess in the 200 and 400 are both similar to Brooke Beck's so we could see her range on display this spring as the Kearney girls look to leapfrog Parkway Central for the team title before they lose several seniors to graduation.

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Lauren Eftink - Notre Dame Cape Girardeau

Notre Dame's Lauren Eftink has had a quietly solid career with three all-state medals to her name along with several impressive personal bests.

Eftink enters the 2023 season off of the best cross country season of her career. She posted 7 meet victories, a District runner-up, and finished 11th at the state meet before running her personal best of 19:12.10 at Team Midwest Regionals. 

Eftink enters the 2023 track season ranked 9th in the 800 (2:27.12), 2nd in the 1600 (5:16.36, just 0.03 seconds behind Frost in 1st), and 4th in the 3200 (11:40.07). She was 8th in the 1600 last spring and the dreaded 9th in the 3200. 

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The Jumpers and Vaulters

Ava Lawless - Kearney

Kearney's Ava Lawless had a massive state meet last May as she picked up 24 points in three events all on her own. 

Lawless was the Class 4 state champion in the triple jump with her personal best of 37-11.5, capping off an undefeated season in the event. She finished 2nd in the long jump with a 17-9 mark, but boasts a personal best of 18-3.75 in the event. Not to be outdone, her 100m hurdles best of 14.83 earned her 3rd in the event. 

The Kearney senior now enters the 2023 season as the top returner in the triple jump, second in the long jump, and second in the 100 meter hurdles. Like we've already mentioned, her 20+ individual points (and important leg on their 4x200 relay) will be much appreciated once again this season as they look to unseat Parkway Central.

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Jordin McGee - Grandview

Grandview's Jordin McGee returns for the 2023 season hoping to come away with more state hardware after going 1-for-3 in her first high school season in 2022.

It was a stellar freshman campaign for McGee which saw her end the season as the top returner in the long jump. Her 18-4.5 best would've won her a state title, but she had to settle for 6th with a 17-3.75 (+3.1) mark. She is also 5th in the 100m hurdles (15.42) and 9th among 200 meter runners (25.85). 

McGee should continue to progress as she moves into her sophomore year and is a favorite for the long jump after reigning champ Todjai Ross graduated.

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Ella Shy - Festus

The top returner in the state in the pole vault is Festus' Ella Shy. 

Shy's primary events are the 100m hurdles and pole vault, but she truly excels in the pole vault more than the other. She was third in the event behind two seniors and in front of one more. She's 3 inches ahead of No. 2 returner Schyler Phillips with her personal best of 10-8.75.

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Quiara Walton - Fulton

It was a hard-luck, premature end to the season for Fulton's Quiara Walton last spring. An injury at the NCMC Championships kept her from competing in the state series where, with personal bests of 18-3 and 33-8.25 in the long jump and triple jump, respectively, she would have surely been in the running for state hardware. 

Walton returns Class 4 No. 3 in the long jump and among the top 20 in the triple jump. The volleyball middle hitter should compete for the state championship in the long jump with the afore-mentioned Lawless and McGee. 

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Emmarie Graham - Jefferson City

Just behind Kearney's Lawless in the triple jump is the athlete who was also the runner-up behind her at the Class 4 state meet: Jeff City's Emmarie Graham. 

Graham returns for the 2023 season with a 37-1 best and should challenge for the gold this spring. She was 1st or 2nd in 9 of the 13 meets in which she contested the event. Her 16-3.25 mark in the long jump is a good start, too, and will certainly be competitive there, too, if she can climb into the 17s. 

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Elicia Theroff - Jefferson City

In her first two seasons of track and field, Theroff has finished her seasons 14th at the Class 5 state meet and 7th at the Class 4 Sectional 3 meet in the high jump. Even with a 5-4.25 mark to her name in 2022, Theroff wasn't able to turn it into state hardware as a junior. Further, that 5-4.25 was 3/4 of an inch off her 5-5 best from 2021.

She's the top high jumper in Class 4 heading into the 2023 season and will hope for that home field advantage as she goes for not only her first career state medal, but a state championship in the event. 

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The Throwers