Jr. High Teams Win Two League Titles
The junior high track teams finished the season in fine fashion winning two of the four divisions in the Northwest Kansas League Junior High Track and Field Meet. The meet was held on Friday, May 12, in Tribune, Kansas. The 8th grade boys and the 6th-7th grade girls each won league championships. The 6th-7th grade boys placed 5th in their division and the 8th grade girls placed 8th.
Several new school records were set during the day. Adam Krien set a new 8th grade boys school record in the 400 meters with a time of 54.80. The time bettered the old record of 54.84 set in 2015 by Jordan Raby. Gavin Cooper increased his own school record in the 8th grade boys triple jump another 4 inches with a leap of 37' 7.5". Two new relay records were also set. The 8th grade boys 4 X 400 meter relay team consisting of Garin Cooper, Kobe Tice, Shadryon Blanka, and Adam Krien set a new standard of 4:05.46 erasing the old record of 4:10.83 set by Trent Kinen, Chris Sunstrom, Trevor Hilt, and Brennon Van Allen in 2005. The 7th grade girls set a new school record in the 4 X 400 meter relay of 4:47.68. The team members consisted of Ellee Krien, Lyden Lampe, Amy Jenkins, and McKenna Poling. Their time surpassed the old record of 4:49.70 set in 2007 by Ashlynn Lambert, Trista Orth, Kaitlin Figgins, and Lexi Hilt.
St. Francis athletes earned championships in sixteen events including: Adam Krien (8B) 100, 200, and 400; McKenna Poling (7G) 100, 200, and 400; Lyden Lampe (7G) 1600; Shannon Rethke (7B) 200 m hurdles; Jesse Baxter (8B) shot put and discus; Shadryon Blanka(8B) pole vault; Garin Cooper (8B) triple jump; 8th boys 4 X 100 meter relay; 8th boys 4 X 400 meter relay; 7th girls 4 X 100 meter relay; 7th girls 4 X 400 meter relay.
8th Grade Boys
The 8th grade boys ran away with the league championship scoring 163 team points. Rawlins County placed second with 56 points. The remainder of the 8th grade boys teams finished in the following order: 3rd (tie) - Decatur Community 57, 3rd (tie) - Greeley County 57, 5th - Quinter 48, 6th - Hoxie 47, 7th - Wallace County 41, and 8th - Dighton 30.
St. Francis athletes placing in the 8th grade boys division are listed below.
Jesse Baxter - 1st in shot put (39' 5.75'), 1st in discus (126' 5"), 6th in 200 meters (28.58)
Shadryon Blanka - 1st in pole vault (10' 6"), 4th in 200 meter hurdles (29.78)
Garin Cooper - 1st in triple jump (37' 7.5") (NEW SCHOOL RECORD!), 2nd in long jump (16' 11")
Rylan Doyle - 6th in discus (94' 10")
Seth Grice - 5th in 100 meter hurdles (19.10)
Adam Krien - 1st in 100 meters (12.50), 1st in 200 meters (24.98), 1st in 400 meters (54.80) NEW SCHOOL RECORD!
Colton Neitzel - 2nd in shot put (35' 11"), 2nd in discus (114' 5"), 4th in high jump (4' 8")
Tyson Poling - 3rd in 100 meters (13.10), 3rd in 200 meters (26.73), 3rd in high jump (4' 10")
Kobe Tice - 2nd in pole vault (9' 0")
4 X 100 meter relay - 1st (51.78) - Garin Cooper, Kobe Tice, Shadryon Blanka, and Tyson Poling
4 X 200 meter relay - 1st (1:57.08) - Kobe Tice, Seth Grice, Colton Neitzel, and Jesse Baxter
4 X 400 meter relay - 1st (4:05.46) - Garin Cooper, Kobe Tice, Shadryon Blanka, and Adam Krien (NEW SCHOOL RECORD!)
8th Grade Girls
The 8th grade Lady Indians placed 8th in the team standings. The division was won by Hoxie with 144 team points. The other 8th grade teams finished in the following order: 2nd - Wallace County 77, 3rd - Decatur Community 60, 4th - Greeley County 56, 5th - Rawlins County 52, 6th - Quinter 40, 7th - Dighton 17, and 8th - St. Francis 3.
8th grade girls placing in the NWKL Meet are listed below.
Emma Johnson - 5th in discus (72' 3")
6th-7th Grade Boys
The St. Francis 6th-7th grade boys placed 5th with 39 team points. Decatur Community narrowly won the division with 109 points. Hoxie was a close second with 104. The remainder of the 6th-7th boys teams placed in the following order: 3rd - Greeley County 77, 4th - Dighton 65, 5th - St. Francis 36, 6th - Quinter 38, 7th - Wallace County 33, and 8th - Rawlins County 23.
Boys placing in the 6th-7th division are listed below.
Ben Busse - 5th in 800 meters (2:47.84), 5th in 1600 meters (5:57.15)
Shannon Rethke - 1st in 200 meter hurdles (34.50), 2nd in 100 meter hurdles (20.48)
4 X 100 meter relay - 4th (1:02.38) - Vladimir Chinik, Preston Witzel, Shannon Rethke, Caleb Todd
4 X 200 meter relay - 3rd (2:12.65) - Ben Busse, Preston Witzel, Vladimir Chinik, and Kaden Lee
4 X 400 meter relay - 3rd (5:35.88) - Vladimir Chinik, Caleb Todd, Eli Mills, and Shannon Rethke
6th-7th Girls
The 6th-7th Lady Indians won the NWKL Championship easily out-scoring second place finisher Wallace County. The Lady Indians earned 119 points to Wallace County's 77. The remainder of the 6th-7th girls teams finished in the following order: 3rd - Decatur Community 64, 4th - Rawlins County 62, 5th Quinter -59, 6th - Greeley County 46, 7th - Hoxie 36, and 8th - Dighton 26.
Lady Indians placing in the 6th-7th grade girls division are listed below.
Hadleigh Hilt - 6th in triple jump (26' 10.5")
Amy Jenkins - 2nd in 800 meters (2:53.84); 2nd in 1600 meters (6:30.19)
Lydia Jenkins - 5th in 1600 meters (6:50.10)
Lyden Lampe - 1st in 1600 meters (6:25.61)
Mia Morrow - 3rd in 200 meter hurdles (34.34), 4th in triple jump (27' 7.25")
McKenna Poling - 1st in 100 meters (14.18), 1st in 200 meters (29.23), 1st in 400 meters (1:06.14)
Dawn Rice - 4th in discus (61' 0")
Talexa Weeter - 2nd in pole vault (6' 6"), 5th in 800 meters (3:04.76), 6th in shot put (28' 3")
Rian Zimbal - 3rd in 100 meters (14.88)
4 X 100 meter relay - 1st (57.68) - Hadleigh Hilt, Mia Morrow, Ellee Krien, and Rian Zimbal
4 X 200 meter relay - 3rd (2:11.75) - Ellee Krien, Miah Hackney, Bailey Workman, and Lyden Lampe
4 X 400 meter relay - 1st (4:47.68) - Ellee Krien, Amy Jenkins, Lyden Lampe, and McKenna Poling (NEW SCHOOL RECORD!)
The Northwest Kansas League Meet ends the junior high track season.
Click here for complete results from the meet.
Click on the photos to see more photos! Photos by Schulyer Lennox / edited by Kent Kechter
More photos from the NWKL Meet can be viewed on the "Photos" page.
