Last weekend may have been the busiest of the year, but this weekend was the one with the highest rate of elite performances. Between the Class 1, 2, 3 State Championships and the Class 4 and 5 Sectional meets, it was an incredible two days with some of the fastest time and biggest field performances we have ever seen in state, and even national, history.
We discussed Class 1, 2, 3 State's Day 1 quick hits and will get to recapping Day 2 soon, but for now, let's discuss what happened at the epic Class 5 Sectional meets.
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(Photo Credit: x.com/LSWTitanRunning)
Lee's Summit West Runs US #5 All-Time, current US #2 4x200
The Lee's Summit West Titans have continued to push the boundaries of what is possible in the 4x200 meter relay in Missouri. On Saturday, they ran their fourth state record of the season, this time lowering the mark a full two seconds beyond what was previously thought possible, skipping the 1:23's and going straight to the 1:22's with an other-worldly 1:22.93 mark.
The team of Demoreay Franklin, Chris Harris, Jacob Taylor-Brown, and Harrison Perkins lit up the track at Lee's Summit North, winning the Class 5 Sectional 4 race by nearly four seconds over a Lee's Summit squad who still ran a MO #6 mark of 1:26.73. They will head to the Class 5 State Championships looking to take down the meet record of 1:25.13 set by Rock Bridge last season and could challenge the national record of 1:22.25 set by Duncanville (TX) in 2024.
Perkins showed that he is the headliner on the team after running a MO #2 all-conditions all-time mark of 20.79 and winning the open 200. Taylor-Brown and Harris will join him at state in the event after finishing third and fourth, with Franklin in fifth.
More From Sectional 4
The Boys 4x800 meter relay was once again the hottest contended race of the season so far with 7:43.14 being good enough only for fourth place. The Liberty North team of Nathaniel Haberlach, Beckett Andreasen, Isheanesu Nziramasanga, and Kevin Lewczyk nearly became the second team in state history to break 7:40 with a 7:40.02 mark. Lee's Summit West was not too far behind in 7:40.50, Park Hill South came across in 7:41.11, and Blue Springs South was the fourth place team who ran 7:43.14. That means the reigning state champions, Rockhurst, will not be in attendance for the State Championships this weekend even though they ran the eighth fastest time in the entire state: 7:52.05.
The distance races in general were hopping with five girls dipping under 4:58 in the 1600, five boys at 1:55.08 or better in the 800, five boys under 9:29 in the 3200, and six girls at 11:15 or better in the 3200.
Liberty's girls kept the good relay times rolling with wins in the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400, as well as a fourth place finish in the 4x800. They enter State weekend ranked second, third, second, and first, respectively.
A major upset occurred in the Boys Long Jump as Liberty North's Benjamin Phan took down top-ranked state jumper Jack Meyer for the win in a massive personal best and MO #2 freshman mark of 6.91m (22-8). Meyer is still considered the favorite for the Class 5 title on Saturday.
Lee's Summit West's Miller Wood continued her strong run of form with her 11th win of the season in 11 tries. She will have a tough challenge on Friday morning, but heads in with the best mark of the season so far at 3.78m (12-5).
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Moss Rolls, Helias Faces Adversity Head-On in Sectional 2
There will always be some breakage at the Sectional meet. A stumble out of the blocks, a hurdle kicked, a missed hand-off, no team makes it to the State championships with every single athlete and relay they were hoping to qualify.
Helias Catholic's girls' team, a juggernaut throughout the season, will now have to overcome some adversity heading into the Class 5 State Championships after losing not one, but two of their top 5 ranked relays to false starts on Saturday. Both the 1:39.42 AND 3:49.98 teams will not be in attendance this weekend, with the call on the latter race being very questionable.
Nevertheless, the Crusaders press on into the State meet having still dominated the "just for fun" team score at the Class 5 Sectional 2 meet and qualifying athletes in the 100, 200, 400, 3200, 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, 4x100, high jump, pole vault, shot put, and javelin. Isla Alfultis is the headliner as she picked up victories in the 100m hurdles (14.12), 300m hurdles (42.09), and 200 meter dash (12.11), to go along with a runner-up finish in the 100 meter dash (12.11). Her 300m hurdles mark is MO #5 all-time and the fastest non-sub-42 mark we have ever seen.
Nicki Frank and Leah Polley teamed up to help take 2 of the other 3 qualifying spots in the 100m hurdles, while Frank also qualified in the 300m hurdles and high jump. Sawyer Hoffmeyer qualified in both the shot put and javelin, with Megan Bruce and AnnaJo Hill taking state qualifying spots, as well. Deaven Duemmel will contest the 400, Daelyn Crisostomo will be pole vaulting, and Magdalena Barnes earned a spot in the 3200.
On the boys' side, Hickman's John Moss put on a show once again with impressive victories in the 200 and 400 meter dashes. He ran 21.37 and 47.26, pushing his state-leading 400 mark even further down. With no wrap on his legs this time around, we are interested to see what he has in store for the State championship rounds this weekend as he defends his titles in the 200 and tries to improve upon last year's 400 silver.
Rock Bridge added several State qualifiers, as well, with two in the 800, three in the 1600, and three in the 3200, as well as Nicholas Timbrook in both hurdle races, the 4x200, 4x400, and 4x800 meter relay teams, Alex Hiles in the pole vault and Harrison Hicklin in triple jump. Luke Sievers, Matthew Kim, Cook Hudson, Brennan Scott, Baron Carratura, and Forrest Connell lead the stellar distance squad into a showdown with the rest of the state's best.
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Jam-Packed Sectional 1 Brings Several Top-Ranked Athletes, Teams to State Showdown
Similar to Sectional 4, Sectional 1 is a difficult one through which to sift with so many important storylines from individual and team standpoints.
Cardinal Ritter and Ladue once again did battle as two of the state's top girls teams were able to share the love, so to speak, and qualify several athletes and relay teams through this most difficult round.
Ritter will send Kauryn Durrah in the 100, 200, and two of their three qualified relays. Naila Kerr will, unsurprisingly, compete in the 100m hurdles and 300m hurdles after winning both in convincing fashion on Saturday. Makayla Haney was able to take the fourth qualifying spot in the 100m hurdles. Aziza Hendricks will be high, long, and triple jumping. Sasha Redding will be throwing shot put and discus, with Cami Costello joining her in the shot put. It is a scarcer group than usual for the Lions, but their firepower at the top of the state's rankings in all three relays - including a 4x200 team that is only 0.12 seconds off the 10-year-old overall state record - plus Durrah and Kerr's prowess in their respective events will headline the group looking to return to the top of the team podium.
Ladue is looking to defend their team title even after losing some all-time great seniors who contributed a great deal of points. Laila Murray continued her breakthrough season with a win in the 100 meter dash, third place finish in the 200, and runner-up finish in the 400, while also providing a leg on the 4x400 meter relay. Marley Robinson (100), Arianna Freeman (200), and Zoe Coleman (400) all punched their own tickets in the individual sprints, as well, with Emiliah Brown earning a spot in the 300m hurdles. Aaliyah Rogers took her rightful place in the top 4 in the 800 and Sabra Fink won both the shot put and discus. All four relays advanced, as expected, setting Ladue up nicely to defend their state title this weekend.
More from Sectional 1
MICDS junior Justyce Sanders lowered her state-leading 400 meter mark to 54.66 on Saturday en route to the convincing victory. She also earned a silver medal in the 200 with a 24.14 mark. Another reigning Class 4 champion punched their ticket to state, with Henry Rohan making it out in a tough 100 meter dash field.
SLUH's attempt at bringing four athletes to State in both the 1600 and 3200 was foiled in the 1600 by Parkway West's Wade Patten, who now holds both the 1600 and 3200 school records at a school which once housed Eric Fernandez among others, and Lafayette's Ezekiel Hagen, and in the 3200 by Patten again and Parkway South's William Leary. Jackson Miller did, however, qualify in the 800, 1600, and 3200, with Nicholas Ahlheim joining him in the 800, Warnicke Beatty joining him in the 1600, and Michael Luna joining him in the 3200. Another self-titled "B" squad 4x800 qualified through the rounds, this time running 7:49.85. What will their "A" squad run on Friday morning?
Eureka's Brooke Samuelson continued her quest for the distance quadruple as she won the 800, 1600, and 3200, and anchored the winning 4x800 team in 2:11. Her dominant season continued and she heads into the State championships ranked first, third, and second in each event, though she did split under 4:50 in the Festus TigerTown Invitational's 4x1600 meter relay, which would put her first in that event.
Jackson's Reagan brothers, Barrett and Blayne, posted strong finishes in the 100, 200, and 400, showing they may be ready to push their team to the top of the Class 5 team rankings this coming weekend. Barrett won the 100 and 200 while Blayne won the 400 and Barrett being notably absent. The duo will have help in the 300 meter hurdles from sub-40 runners Memphis Mattox and William Parker, as well as in the long jump from Ryan Larry, shot put from Gavin Shinn, and discus from Shinn and Brysen Wessell. The Indians had the top team score of the day and have quietly become a team to watch as they seek out their first team trophy since 1955.
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Nixa Looks Strong Coming Out of Sectional 3 Even Without Notably Absent Athlete
Imagine if Jackson Cantwell would have stuck around for his senior year. We probably would have little doubt who the favorite for the Class 5 State title would be.
But while there are still some questions in the air about who will come out on top, the Nixa Eagles are looking very strong coming out of Sectional 3.
Led now by Hayden Mays, Gedaliah Chepkondol, and Reyes Martinez, Nixa qualified athletes in the 200, 400, 3200, 100m hurdles, 300m hurdles, pole vault, shot put, and discus. They also won the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400, and finished fourth in the 4x800. Their 4x200 time of 1:25.77 is Class 5 #2 now. Mays won discus and was runner-up to Webb City's Louden Bolinger in the shot put, Chepkondol won both hurdle races, Martinez won the 3200, Randy Flint qualified in the 200, Morgan Thompson was the 400 runner-up, and William Sanley was their pole vault qualifier once again. The team has a shot at several top 3 finishes this weekend making them a top contender for the team championship.
More from Sectional 3
After his 4x800 team finished fifth, a fresh Gabriel Voelker will be looking to defend his 3200 meter title on Friday afternoon. He ran 9:00.33 earlier this season at Arcadia and is third ranked in Class 5 at the moment. He will also run in the 1600 on Saturday.
Ozark's Kannon Williams won both the 100 and 200 in a personal best of 10.55 and third-fastest time mark of 21.39 signaling that he may be peaking at just the right time in both events.
Webb City's girls are rolling at the right time as they picked up wins in the 800, 1600, 3200, and 4x800 meter relay. Brooke Hedger won the 800 and 1600, with Araceli Perez taking the win in the 3200. Their 4x800 time of 9:30.98 is seventh in Class 5 now.
Belton's Kadence Frisbie had a massive day in the long jump, clearing a new MO #1 overall mark of 6.01m (19-8.75). It was exactly one foot better than her previous best of 5.77m (18-8.75) and a far cry from her 4.90m (16-1) best as a freshman last year.
Last weekend may have been the busiest of the year, but this weekend was the one with the highest rate of elite performances. Between the Class 1, 2, 3 State Championships and the Class 4 and 5 Sectional meets, it was an incredible two days with some of the fastest time and biggest field performances we have ever seen in state, and even national, history.
We discussed Class 1, 2, 3 State's Day 1 quick hits and will get to recapping Day 2 soon, but for now, let's discuss what happened at the epic Class 5 Sectional meets.
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