Some of the top Class 1 athletes in Missouri descended on Tarkio for Friday's Indian Relays.
Two of the brightest stars of the day didn't have to travel far though as East Atchison senior Faith Anderson and junior Tommi Martin put on a show for their home fans.
"For me it is focus, I just have to stay focused and get what I need to get done done, and leave a good impression on East Atchison," Anderson said. "I'm really going to miss this place."
The two athletes competed in three individual events and won each, broke the meet record in each and Martin increased her Class 1 lead in the 800-meter run. East Atchison's girls won their home meet by 55.5 points over Atchison County rival Rock Port.
Martin's 800-meter lead in Class 1 is now over five seconds with Friday's 2:23.63 leading Dora senior Autumn Nold's 2:29.26. Last season's fourth-place medalist at state beat her state time from last season.
"Mindset is huge in the 800, and you just have to be smart while running it," Martin said.
In the javelin, Martin has the second-best mark in the state behind Knox County senior Jennifer Hinkle. Martin was the state runner-up last season and her 130'5 throw on Friday won her the meet by over 33 feet.
"I was really happy," Martin said. "I was kinda hoping and expecting to break the meet javelin record - I broke it last year. ... I was happy about that, but I wasn't at all expecting to beat my record, and the school record, and the meet record in the 800. I finally ran my goal."
Anderson has been dealing with an injury and that held her out of the 300-meter hurdles - an event she holds the state lead in. The future Northwest Missouri State Bearcat flew high in her other signature event - the high jump.
"I did recently just pull a couple of ligaments in my thigh and the past couple weeks have been pretty hard actually, trying to run with it and getting over that injury," Anderson said.
Anderson defended her Class 1 lead in the event at 5'5. The state runner-up last season in the event cruised to the event championship.
Martin and Anderson teamed up to end the day in the 4x400-meter relay and along with Elizabeth Schlueter and Grace Oswald won the event with 4:22.71. The team holds the Class 1 lead in the event with a 4:20.94.
Oswald and Martin were joined in the 4x800-meter relay by Dylan Drummond and Claire Martin to win the 4x800-meter relay where they currently have the second-best time in Class 1. The 4x200-meter relay team also captured first.
"Relays are so much fun," Martin said. "I love them. I think everyone loves relays. When Faith was out, I was so upset because she is our fastest 400-split runner. I'm so excited she is back and I'm so excited we have our relays back."
Natalie Hedlund and Schlueter each picked up a pair of individual golds for the Wolves as Schlueter won both hurdle races and Hedlund won the 200-meter dash and long jump.
The state leaders in attendance were not just limited to the home team as Class 1's top distance runner came to Tarkio and ran a pair of personal-bests to further cement her status as the runner to beat when late May rolls around.
Platte Valley freshman Mya Wray increased her Class 1 lead in the 3,200-meter run with a 12:04.41 - 22 seconds quicker than Calvary Lutheran senior Maddie Homfeldt.
"Setting goals for myself has helped a lot and this is definitely not where I pictured myself for my freshman year of track," Wray said.
Wray ran the 1,600-meter run for the fifth time this season and improved her time for the fourth-straight race in the event with a 5:37.31 catapulting her into the Class 1 lead in that event as well - nearly three seconds faster than Stoutland freshman Mallory Shaw.
"My goal was just to run a good mile and take it easy on the two-mile, but I don't like to take it easy," Wray laughed.
Wray isn't the only freshman in northwest Missouri performing well in the distance races as Rock Port's Norah Watkins is third in Class 1 in the 3,200 meters. She and Wray have developed a good friendship over their junior high careers and cross-country season.
"I've loved having Norah, she is great," Wray said. "She is very nice. She is really good and a really good opponent to run against."
Worth County sophomore Eva Engel was the final Class 1 leader competing on the girls side in Tarkio. The pole vaulter battled Class 1's second-best vaulter with Mound City junior Ava Barnes.
"You just have to get past that mental block," Engel said. "If it is windy out, you gotta get past that. If it is cold out, you gotta be like, 'Oh it's so warm out, we love it.' I have poles that I don't like, but I gotta get past that too, so I am like, 'I love this pole,' but I don't like it."
The pairing have gone head-to-head in nearly every meet this season and with healthy leads over Class 1's third-best vault, it's a rivalry that should continue all the way to Jefferson City. After Engel edged out the victory on Friday, the first person she walked up to was Barnes as the two competitors hugged.
"It kinda pushes me a lot harder, but still, we are like a family," Engel said. "We have to cheer each other on, but still have the need to keep going. ... Last year, she always beat me, but this year, I am all about sportsmanship. You gotta have good sportsmanship. I just think of vault as just this big old family."
