As we look back at the 2012 Kansas high school track & field season, we have to consider it one of the best in recent history for quality at the top.
All-time state bests were set by Jerel Morrow (Emporia) in the boys’ long jump (25’8 ½”) and Emily Brigham (Mill Valley) in the girls’ pole vault (13’0”).
Almost overlooked is the fact that Brigham leaped into the #9 spot on the girls’ all-time long jump list (19’4 ¾”) for a unique top 10 double. Both Morrow and Brigham were juniors and can return in 2013.
Click here for the list of the all-time best marks in Kansas state history.
Number two all-time marks were established by Alli Cash (SM West) in the girls’ 1600 meters (4:45.63) and Cassie Wait (Gardner-Edgerton) in the girls’ pole vault (12’10”). Again, both were juniors and can return! For good measure, Cash added the #4 all-time best in the 3200m (10:32.01) to her resume’.
The Kansas girls’ all-time high jump list received a major overhaul, thanks largely to the fantastic set of championship performances at last week’s State Meet. Junior Grace Pickell (SM East) jumped into the #4 spot on the all-time list (5’10 ½”) while freshman Jaylyn Agnew (Andover) and senior Shannon Parr (Rossville) finished 2012 tied for the #5 spots with season bests of 5’10”. All are currently ranked among the nation’s top 10 preps. You have
to feel for Jonny Giess (Blue Valley Northwest) who jumped 7’1” to cap his senior season, yet is only tied for #14 on the boys’ all-time state list.
Click here for the list of the best marks of 2012.
Also on the boys’ side, junior Nick Meyer (Bishop Carroll) leaped all the way up into a tie for the #5 spot on the all-time boys’ pole vault list (16’7”). We mentioned Brigham at #1 and Wait at #2 being at the top of the girls’ all-time pole vault list, but senior Taylor Swanson (Salina Central) also vaulted into the state’s all-time top 10 when she cleared 12’6” to tie for the #6 spot.
Watch out for freshman Ashanti Hutton (Bishop Miege). She will have three more years to overhaul the girls’ 400-meter list after cruising to a 55.34 and the #7 spot of the Kansas All-Time list. Elizabeth Herrs (Rock Creek) finished her prep career with the #9 all-time best in the girls’ javelin (151’10”), a mark that places her among the nation’s best for 2012.
Throw in a pair of top five marks in the boys’ 4x800 meters relay by Shawnee Mission West (9:24.38) and Blue Valley Northwest (9:25.36), #4 and #5, respectively, on the all-time state boys’ list plus a number of other top 20 marks, several of which were posted by student/athlete with eligibility remaining for the 2013 season and beyond, and how can you not call the 2012 season anything but “The best of the 102 years of Kansas high school track & field!”
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State Meet Records – The following set new state meet Class Records at the just ended KSHSAA Championships.
Boys
1600m 5A David Thor (Bishop Carroll) 4:15.43 (Old record: 4:13.60, Steven Smith, SM South, 1980)
3200m 6A Jonah Heng (SM West) 9:06.63 (Old record: 9:08.18, Brent Steiner, SM South, 1979)
4x400m 4A Buhler 3:21.21 (Old record: 3:21.44, Osawatomie, 2010)
Pole Vault 5A Nick Meyer (Bishop Carroll) 16-07 (Old record: 16-06, Casey Bowen, Gardner-Edg, 2011)
Girls
400m 5A Ashanti Hutton (Bishop Miege) 55.34 (Old record: 55.90, Viesta Suffren, Bonner Sprgs, 1981)
1600m 6A Alli Cash (SM West) 4:52.31 (Old record: 4:55.00, Lori Nelson, SM East, 1980)
High Jump 3A Shannon Parr (Rossville) 5-10 (Old record: 5-09, Rene’ Zimmerman, Sterling, 1991)
6A Grace Pickell (SM East) 5-10.5 (Old record: 5-10.25, Kym Carter, Wichita East, 1982)
Pole Vault 5A Taylor Swanson (Salina Central) 12-00 (tied) (Record: 12-00, Cassie Wait, Gardner-Edgerton, 2010; Cara Detmer, Bishop Miege, 2010 & 2011)
6A Cassie Wait (Gardner-Edgerton) 12-07.5 (Old record: 12-06, Drue Davis, Free State, 2010)
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All-Time State Meet Bests – The following were new All-Class, All-Time State Bests using fully-automatic timing (FAT) which were set at the recent KSHSAA State Championships.
Boys
1600m David Thor (Bishop Carroll) 4:15.43 (Old FAT best: 4:15.47, A.J. Ellison, Leavenworth, 1994)
3200m Jonah Heng (SM West) 9:06.64 (Old FAT best: 9:09.90, Stephan Pro, Olathe South, 1996)
Girls
400m Ashanti Hutton (Bishop Miege) 55.34 (Old FAT best: 55.50, Deangela McDougald, Junction City, 2007)
1600m Alli Cash (SM West) 4:52.31 (Old FAT best: 4:56.35, Erin Mortimer, Riley County, 2002)
Pole Vault Cassie Wait (Gardner-Edgerton) 12-07.5 (Old FAT best: 12-07, Christi Lehman, Hesston, 2001)
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Returning champions – The following is a list of possible returning individual state champions for the 2013 season, with their 2012 class year.
The four ladies listed below will have the opportunity to join the select group of four-time winners in their
respective events.
800m Heather Ruder (TMP-Marian) [Five previous 4-time winners. The last was Cori Christensen (Medicine Lodge) in 2008.]
1600m Heather Ruder (TMP-Marian) [Five previous 4-time winners. The last was Laura Roxberg (Blue Valley NW) in 2005-08.]
3200m Jenna Farris (Lincoln) [Five previous 4-time winners. The last was Dodie Martin (Stanton County) and Amy Mortimer (Riley County) in 1996-1999.]
Javelin Danie Plank (Gardner-Edgerton) [Only one previous 4-time winner, Lachelle Hartley (Horton) in 1990.]
Boys
Class 1A (4 individuals; 6 events)
800m Lukas Koch (Centralia, JR)
1600m Lukas Koch (Centralia) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
3200m Lukas Koch (Centralia)
Long Jump Levi Morss (LaCrosse, JR)
Discus Dallas Thompson (Madison, SO)
Javelin Kip Keeley (LaCrosse, JR)
Class 2A (5 individuals; 5 events)
400m Jack Nuss (Ellsworth, SO)
800m Grant Garst (Inman, JR)
Long Jump Dalton Werner (Plainville, JR)
Triple Jump Lakin Liebst (Medicine Lodge, JR)
Shot Put Trevor Miley (Ellsworth, JR)
Class 3A (6 individuals; 9 events)
100m Drew Diederich (Sacred Heart, JR) [2-time former champion, also won 2A in 2011]
200m Drew Diederich (Sacred Heart) [2-time former champion, also won 2A in 2011]
400m Avery McNelly (Douglass, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
1600m Cory Donley (Sacred Heart, JR)
3200m Cory Donley (Sacred Heart)
110 Hurdles Sean Newlan (Phillipsburg, JR)
300 Hurdles Sean Newlan (Phillipsburg)
High Jump Nic Camper (Caney Valley, SO)
Javelin Seth Derr (Phillipsburg, JR)
Class 4A (8 individuals; 10 events)
100m James Newton (Coffeyville-Field Kindley, SO)
800m Patrick Weaver (Hugoton, JR)
1600m Angel Vasquez (DeSoto, JR)
3200m Angel Vasquez (DeSoto)
110 Hurdles Jake May (Andale, JR)
300 Hurdles Isaac Poe (Wamego, JR)
Pole Vault Jayce Phelps (Prairie View, JR)
Triple Jump Dallas Natt (Ottawa, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
Shot Put Dayton Valentine (Baldwin, JR)
Discus Dayton Valentine (Baldwin)
Class 5A (6 individuals; 9 events)
100m Joe Reagan (Seaman, FR)
200m Joe Reagan (Seaman)
400m Matt Denning (Bishop Carroll, JR)
110 Hurdles Adam Deterding (Hays, JR)
High Jump Adam Deterding (Hays)
Pole Vault Nick Meyer (Bishop Carroll, JR)
Long Jump Jerel Morrow (Emporia, JR)
Shot Put Cade Sharp (Hays, JR)
Discus Cade Sharp (Hays)
Class 6A (3 individuals; 4 events)
110 Hurdles Jonathan Duvall (Garden City, JR)
300 Hurdles Jonathan Duvall (Garden City)
Discus Bryce Sonday (Dodge City, JR)
Javelin John Blazevic (Olathe East, JR)
Girls
Class 1A (7 individuals; 9 events)
100m Mackenzie Klaver (Norwich, JR)
200m Casey Freed (Pike Valley, SO)
400m Courtney Freed (Pike Valley, SO)
800m Courtney Jueneman (Hanover, JR)
100 Hurdles Mackenzie Klaver (Norwich)
300 Hurdles Mackenzie Klaver (Norwich)
High Jump Haley Strathman (Baileyville B&B, JR)
Long Jump Raelyn Lorson (Hope, JR)
Triple Jump Leslie Speer (Dighton, SO)
Class 2A (7 individuals; 10 events)
400m Caroline Bingham (Maranatha, FR)
800m Lauren Harrell (Maranatha, FR)
1600m Jenna Farris (Lincoln, JR)
3200m Jenna Farris (Lincoln) [3-time former champion; won 1A in 2010, 2A in 2011]
100 Hurdles Heather Melton (Kiowa County, SO) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
300 Hurdles Breanna Blackwell (Herington, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
High Jump Heather Melton (Kiowa County)
Pole Vault LaShae Hedstrom (Republic County, JR)
Triple Jump Breanna Blackwell (Herington)
Shot Put Mauri Steimel (Stanton County, JR)
Class 3A (6 individuals; 7 events)
200m Kelly Wycoff (Scott Community, SO)
800m Heather Ruder (TMP-Marian, JR) [3-time defending champion, also won in 2010 and 2011]
1600m Heather Ruder (TMP-Marian) [3-time defending champion, also won in 2010 and 2011]
3200m Emily Sechrist (Hillsboro, FR)
(NOTE: Heather Ruder won in 2010 and 2011 before finishing second in 2012)
Pole Vault Bailey Ambrosier (Norton Community, SO)
Long Jump Jamie Lovett (Sedgwick, JR)
Shot Put Brandy Lowe (St. Marys, SO)
Class 4A (6 individuals; 6 events)
200m Tori Marshall (DeSoto, FR)
400m Taylor Needham (Cheney, SO) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
High Jump Jennifer Whitledge (Tonganoxie, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
Long Jump Nicole Kinser (Hugoton, JR)
Discus Katie Kehl (Baldwin, JR)
Javelin Carlea Holt (Cheney, SO)
Class 5A (9 individuals; 11 events)
100m La’tiyera Yeargin (Newton, SO)
200m Oasis Hernandez (Emporia, JR)
400m Ashanti Hutton (Bishop Miege, FR)
800m Katherine Dillard (Bishop Carroll, JR)
1600m Morgan Wedekind (Valley Center, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
3200m Maddie Hopfinger (St Thomas-Aquinas, JR)
High Jump Jaylyn Agnew (Andover, FR)
Long Jump Emily Brigham (Mill Valley, JR)
Triple Jump Oasis Hernandez (Emporia)
Shot Put Meagan Williams (Valley Center, JR)
Javelin Meagan Williams (Valley Center)
Class 6A (7 individuals; 9 events)
100m Jasmine Thomas (Olathe East, SO)
400m Alexis Bowens (Derby, JR)
800m Alli Cash (SM West, JR) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
1600m Alli Cash (SM West) [2-time defending champion, also won in 2011]
3200m Alli Cash (SM West)
300 Hurdles Alyson Youngdoff (Blue Valley Northwest, JR)
High Jump Grace Pickell (SM East, JR)
Pole Vault Cassie Wait (Gardner-Edgerton, JR) [2-time former champion, won 5A in 2010 and 6A in 2012]
Javelin Danie Plank (Gardner-Edgerton, JR) [3-time former champion, won 5A in 2010, 2011 and 6A in 2012]
