This past week was the one we had expected two weeks ago, but lost due to the extensive storms throughout the state. The actual fourth week of competitions brought some serious fireworks.
While there are obvious candidates for this poll such as Kyndall Spain, Athena Peterson, and Delaney Brinker, who we have already mentioned this weekend in previous articles. We think they may not be finished just yet this season. As a result, we are looking to athletes who have yet to be recognized on the national stage like they have been when picking candidates for this week's poll.
Voting for this week's poll will close on Friday April 18th at 12:00pm.
--
Shout out to last week's poll winner: St. Teresa's Academy's Polly Fendler! Fendler won the 800 meter run at the hyper-competitive Rusty Hodge Invitational on Friday in a new personal best of 2:21.46. She was also a member of the 4x800 team which ran 9:37.03 and placed a shocking fourth overall in one of the fastest 4x800 races we have seen at an early April meet. She will be a part of our end-of-season poll to crown the winner of the Outdoor Performance of the Year.
Malia Cabuyaban - Liberty - Cabuyaban crushed her season debut in the javelin on Saturday, throwing a MO No. 1 and US No. 7 mark of 44.73m (146-9) for the win at the Bill Summa Invitational. She was the top returner in the state heading into the season after throwing 48.51m (159-1.75) at Nike Outdoor Nationals last summer.
--
Naila Kerr - Cardinal Ritter - As we mentioned, Kerr turned in a MO No. 2 overall mark in the 300 meter hurdles at the Arcadia Invitational: 43.97. She also posted her third straight 100 meter hurdles mark under her 2024 season best, running 14.25 (+1.0).
--
Naomi Hunter - Smithville - Hunter is returning from a late cross country season setback that held her out of the State meet in November, but appears to have skipped no beats. She won the 1600 and 3200 at the Kearney Classic Invitational, running 5:05.53 and 11:07.55. The 3200 mark was the top time last week and is second in Class 4 by two-tenths of a second at the moment.
--
D'marihanna Newton - North Kansas City - Newton, the top returner in Class 5 heading into the season, cleared 1.76m (5-9.25) at the Jerry Crews Invitational, her season debut. Last season, she did not clear 1.7 meters until her conference meet at the end of April.
--
Alyssa Carver - Grain Valley - Carver vaulted a state-leading mark of 3.75m (12-3.75) on the famous infield runway at the Bill Summa Invitational. Carver has climbed 10 centimeters already in 2025.
--
Elyse Wilmes - Father Tolton Regional Catholic - Wilmes could probably fall into the category of athletes on the national level, but her 4:53.53 for the win in the 1600 at the All-Catholic Invitational has yet to get a mention this weekend and certainly deserves it. She won by 15 seconds and ran the eighth fastest time in the nation last week.
--