Class 2 Girls Sprints/ Hurdles
100 Meter Dash
(Spice Brown of Barat Academy)
Returning All State Runners
Spice Brown, Barat, SR, 1st
A’yonna Cartwright, University Academy, JR, 4th
Carly Spalding, Monroe City, SO, 5th
Gretchen Mayes, Lathrop, SO, 6th
Valerie Schmidt, Macon, SO, 7th
This Year
With five returning All-State performers, this race is up in the air. Spice Brown, defending state champ, currently has the 4th fastest time this year, dipping just under 12.50. Ayon Cartwright, the junior from University Academy Charter ran a 12.24 hand timed to put her in front. The top four fastest times this year have come from all-state returners, setting the stage for a rematch for last year’s finals.
200 Meter Dash
(Taylor Alumbaugh of El Dorado Springs)
Returning All State Runners
Spice Brown, Barat, SR, 3rd
A’yonna Cartwright, JR, University Academy, 5th
Jessica Fennewald, Blair Oaks, SR, 6th
Gretchen Mayes, Lathrop, SO, 7th
Taylor Alumbaugh, El Dorado, JR, 8th
This Year
A new face should be added to the returning six runners. Melanie Bower recorded a time of 25.50 at the South Callaway Invitational, putting her among only one other girl to dip under the 26-second barrier. Spice Brown, the returning state champ in the 100, ran just under 26 this past weekend putting her second in Class 2 rankings. A girl to watch for is Sydney Deeken of California High School. The very talented freshman ranks in the top 15 in the nation in three field events for freshman and is competing in four events at state including the 200. Her time of 26.04 ties her for 4th fastest time in Class 2 this year.
400 Meter Dash
(Amber White of Cuba)
Returning All State Runners
Randi Blaser, Lathrop, SR, 2nd
Amelia Wallace, Louisiana, SR, 3rd
Kinna Gooch, Cole Camp, JR, 5th
Nikki Scheulen, Linn, SR, 6th
Chandler Wilson, Trenton, SO, 7th
This Year
Defending Triple Jump champ, Amber White, has made a smooth transition into running the 400 in the State series. She and Blaser are the only two girls to run under one minute. She has recorded a mark under a minute three weeks in a row proving that she will be a force to be reckond with. Krishna Merriman of Pierce City ran just over 60 seconds putting her in third in Class 2. Freshman Taylor Howard’s 1:00.72 could be in the mix as well.
100 Meter Hurdles
(Lindsay Vollmer of Penney)
Returning All State Runners
Lindsay Vollmer, Penney, SR, 1st
Molly O’Brien, Spokane, SR, 3rd
Emilyn Dearman, Stockton, SO, 4th
Elsie Greenwood, Penny, SO, 5th
Taylor Dinyer, Hallsville, SR, 6th
Kelsey Lauberth, Fatima, SR, 7th
Evie Miles, Palmyra, SO, 8th
This Year
Last year Vollmer won by almost a second, and this year she has run a second and a half faster than anyone in her class. She won four events last year, including setting a record in the 300 hurdles, and looks to repeat that rare feet. Other names to be mentioned are Mary Jane Kapp, only a freshman, who has the second fastest time this year. With everyone except one returning from the final, the race looks to be very close after Vollmer.
300 Meter Hurdles
(Emilyn Dearman of Stockton)
Returning All State Runners
Lindsay Vollmer, Penney, SR, 1st (Class 2 Record)
Emilyn Dearman, Stockton, SO, 3rd
Taylor Dinyer, Hallsville, SR, 4th
Elsie Greenwood, Penney, SO, 5th
Taylor Stuart, Mark Twain, SR, 6th
Melanie Bower, Linn, SR, 8th
This Year
Could Vollmer reset her Class record? It’ll be fun to watch but Dearman has closed the gap, recording the second fastest time this year. Mary Jane Kapp, also competing in the 300 hurdles, could be place high as a freshman, as her 48.74h puts her in 5th in the rankings.
4x100 Meter Relay
Trenton, who returns everyone from their team that finished seventh place last year, leads Class 2 coming into the state meet. Their time from districts put them almost a half second in front of Monroe City, who only lost one from their team that finished second last year. Also, teams like Pierce City, Ash Grove, and Blair Oaks could be in the mix as they have all run within a quarter second of Monroe City.
4x200 Meter Relay
A team that didn’t make the finals last year is looking to win this years relay. Pierce City, after a 15th place finish last year, has half a second on second ranked Linn. Teams returning that could find themselves on top are Fatima, and El Dorado Springs.
4x400 Meter Relay
When you return all four runners from a team that won by two and a half second, things are bound to be good. Louisiana currently sits atop the rankings for Class 2 but Blair Oaks and Stockton are only a second behind them.