Conner Diaz added more hardware to an impressive career.
The Steelville senior and Columbia College signee won the Class 2 800- and 1,600-meter runs on Friday giving the Cardinals 20 points and a lead by two points after the opening day of the MSHSAA Class 2 meet.
Earlier this year, he won the MSHSAA Class 2 XC Championship in Columbia.
He still has the 400- and 3,200-meter runs left to run on Saturday and could have a chance to give the Cardinals a few more points but he's the only qualifier for his school in the boys meet.
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School of the Ozarks had a champion and a runner-up.
John Carswell jumped 4.39 meters (14 feet, 4 3/4 inches) to claim the pole vault championship. It was only his fourth competition this year in the event -- all wins.
Shadrach Thompson was second in the javelin for the Patriots.
East Buchanan's Trey Johnson won the javelin throw with a toss of 52.28 -- which came in prelims.
Schuyler County and Milan also had a champion on day one. Hayden Dixon from Schuyler County won all 13 of his shot put events this year. A runner-up in the shot put last year, the Missouri signee earned medals in all three trips to state in the shot put.
Milan's title came from Jeremy Bennett, who won the long jump with a 6.58 mark -- on his final jump. He was behind Tipton's Jonathan Matchett before that final jump.
Class 2 Boys
Contenders
Steelville 20
School of the Ozarks 18
Stover, West Platte 14
Still in the hunt
East Buchanan, Stockton 11
Schuyler County, Milan 10
Westran 9
Dark Horse
Summit Christian Academy 5 -- In a tie for 19th place, the Lee's Summit school was favored to win the state championship by the virtual meet. Marcus Jones has the fastest times this year in the 200- and 400-meter dashes.