JEFFERSON CITY – The Class 4 boys’ team title was still up for grabs as the final events were unfolding. With two events remaining, there were four teams within two points of first place. Hazelwood Central came out of the pack on top with 38 points after the 1,600-relay took second place to earn the final eight points needed to secure its third title in three years.
“It feels excellent,” Hazelwood Central senior Marc Franks said. “The heart of our team is our sprinters, and when the sprinters come together on the relays that’s where we shine.”
The Hawks grabbed 10 key points with their victory in the 800-meter relay (1:27.32) and placed third in the 400 relay (42.74).
The Howell girls also found themselves in a late battle for the Class 4 team title. They were sitting in a jumble of five teams eyeing the top prize with two events remaining. Lee’s Summit West had Brittany Kallenberger still pole vaulting for records, but she had already locked up 10 points to give the Titans 41 total.
That left the 1,600-meter relay as the final and deciding event. The Titans held the lead through the first two legs, but Howell was staying in contention with Taylor Knoche and Valeska Halamicek. Whitney Adams, who had won the 400 earlier in the meet, took the baton in fourth and ran down everyone to win the race and the meet for the Vikings.
“I knew I had to get out fast and get us a good spot,” Knoche said. “We knew our team was hopefully going to win the meet, and we wanted to get first so we could do that. It was definitely nerve racking, that’s for sure. I’m not used to all this stress.”
The relay victory gave Howell 48 points and a one-point victory over Lee’s Summit West (47). Kirkwood was third with 41, and Nerinx Hall took fourth (40).
