That's a wrap on the high school season🎁
meet records, state bests, and 208 state champions crowned
As you know, there were A LOT of athletes who competed this last weekend at the nation’s biggest track meet. That means I don’t have enough space to cover each one, but I’m going to do everything I can to highlight the best performances from 1A-6A. If I don’t write about you or someone that you think deserved to be a part of this, take it up with Substack and their email length limit!
6A
6A. The most crowded division of the six, consisting of the state’s biggest high schools. As always, the competition lived up to the hype, leading to both dominant and close team races. The boy’s side was dominated by three brothers that all share the last name Parrish. Josh, Jacob and Jason all left Cessna with at least one state title to their name. Jacob, the oldest of the three, won the 100m (10.47) and 200m (22.47), placed 2nd in the 400m (49.73) and ran a leg of the runner-up 4x100m (42.82). The Kansas State football commit didn’t leave anything up for question as he finished better than he was seeded in both the 100m and 200m. Twins Josh and Jason are a year younger than Jacob. It seems athleticism and talent runs in the family, as Josh won the long jump and 110mH, finished runner-up in the 300mH, along with running a leg on the 4x100m. Jason won the 300mH over his brother, and finished 8th in the 110mH and anchored the third place 4x400m. If you don’t have a calculator on hand, that’s 72.5 points from the Parrish brothers. With their scores alone, the three could have won the meet if they weren’t competing for Olathe North, as they outscored every other team in 6A.
Wyatt Haughton also had a great two days in 6A, winning both the 1600m and 800m, while finishing 4th in the 3200m. The Shawnee Mission East junior was not projected to win any of the three, but showed us again how rankings don’t matter in a championship. Not to mention, his 9:17.83 in the 3200m was massive PR, and goes quite nicely with a pair of state titles.
The ladies of 6A also put on quite a show, with Olivia Bakker (Blue Valley West), Olivia Pixton (Shawnee Mission Northwest) and KaLiyah McGinnis (Olathe North) scoring the most points out of the field. Bakker had results similar to Haughton in the distance events in terms of championships. The soon-to-be Iowa State Cyclone ran a massive PR in the 3200m of 10:40.63, but was just shy of the title as Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Paige Mullen edged her out by just over half of a second. Seemingly, Bakker wasn’t too put off, as she went on to win both the 1600m and 800m in 5:02.18 and 2:16.04. If that was’t enough for her, Bakker also ran a leg of the 4th place 4x400m to end the weekend! I’ve also got to shout out Shawnee Mission East’s Grace Meyer for having a standout weekend as well, taking 2nd to Bakker in both, along with a 3rd place finish in the 3200m.
Pixton of Shawnee Mission Northwest scored 25.5 points over the two days, finishing runner-up in the triple jump, long jump and the 300mH. She also ran a leg on 3rd place 4x400m. McGinnis, the Olathe North junior capped off undefeated seasons in both the 100m and 200m, winning with an 11.60w in the 100m, and a 25.34 in the 200m. Heck of a way to end the season for each athlete!
As I mentioned, the team race was either close or dominant in 6A, meaning Olathe North won the boy’s title by doubling runner-up Shawnee Mission East in points. I don’t think anyone could have taken down the Parrish brothers, let alone the Parrish brothers and the rest of Olathe North. The Eagles beat the Lancers and the Ravens of Olathe Northwest 112-56-47. The girl’s race was decided by the 4x400m, as Olathe Northwest edged out Shawnee Mission Northwest 76-75, with Olathe West taking 3rd, scoring 59 points in the process.
5A
Andover High School finished 7th in the team standings at state. Wait, let me rephrase that. University of Kansas commit Tayton Klein finished 7th in the team standings, but Klein scored all 36 points for the Trojans, as he was the school’s lone boy athlete at the state meet. Klein won all but one event he was entered in, totaling three state titles this year and four overall. The future Jayhawk won his second long jump state title, this time by over a foot and a half, while winning his first 110mH and 300mH title, both by good measure. Klein also finished 3rd in the 100m dash, giving him four state medals on the weekend.
Highland Park’s Tre Richardson had himself a busy yet successful weekend, earning three state medals in his second trip to Cessna. In the long and triple jump, Richardson finished 5th and runner-up respectively, both which pair nicely with his 200m state title. This is his first state title of any kind in the sport, and I strongly suspect that it will not be his last. Ashton Higgerson, a future Air Force Falcon and recent St. Thomas Aquinas alumni, collected a lot of hardware on his own, finishing 2nd in the 3200m and 1600m, and 3rd in the 800m. Higgerson and company finished as the 5A runner-up, just a single point away from a first place tie.
Like Higgerson, Spring Hill’s Vienna Lahner did not win a state title of her own, but finished either runner-up or 3rd in each of the three. She was 2nd in the 3200m and 800m, while finishing 3rd in the 1600m. She also anchored the 4x800m to a 5th place finish. As a team, Spring Hill finished in a tie for 5th with 38 points. Lillian Harris of Kapaun Mt. Carmel was near-perfect for her weekend, winning 100m and 200m and helping the 4x400m to a runner-up finish in the finals. In the 100m, Harris’ time of 11.89 is now tied for the fastest ever in the 5A state championships. One of the most impressive stories from the weekend was that of Mill Valley’s Quincy Hubert. On the Friday of the state championships, Hubert scored a goal and had an assist in Mill Valley’s semi-final game in the 5A soccer state tournament. The next day, she won the 100mH and defended her title in the 300mH from 2021. She also ran a leg of the 5th place 4x400m team. Mill Valley swept the team titles on both sides, with the girl’s beating Great Bend and Kapaun Mt. Carmel 75.5-67-66.
4A
Rawley Chard and Tanner Newkirk each one a trio of individual state titles, while Chard was also a part of the state champion 4x100m, while Newkirk ran a leg of the 5th place 4x800m. Chard took care of business in the sprints, while Newkirk stuck to the distance races. The Chanute junior set a new PR in the 100m and 400m while winning his 2nd, 3rd and 4th individual titles over the weekend.
Newkirk was a man on a mission last weekend, making up for his absence from the meet a year ago. Two state meet records and the 2nd fastest 3200m in state history, and the second ever Kansas high schoolers to break nine minutes. I’ve got to argue that Newkirk was using a little bit of Prefontaine’s tactics while racing, but maybe I’m far from it. On route to his 8:58.88 3200m, the Hayden senior opened up in a 63, and then ran between 66-68 for the next five laps. It was simply his race, and he was taking anyone who wanted to go with him for a ride. He also dropped a 4:12.25 and 1:55.00 in the 1600m-800m double. In the 4x800m, where he was the second leg, Newkirk brought the Wildcats into the top eight.
Sawyer Schmidt was the state champion in the fall at the Wamego Country Club, and won the 1600m and 800m at Cessna in 2021. This year, Schmidt had to deal with a hungry Newkirk, and hung with him better than most people would have. The Augusta senior and future teammate of Newkirk’s finished runner-up in all three distance events, the 3200m, 1600m, and 800m. He also anchored the 4x800m and brought Augusta into 4th place. Schmidt ends his high school career with three state titles to his name.
The Fairchild name dominated the girl’s 4A throws for another year, but this time it wasn’t Katelyn, it was her younger sister Mckenzie Fairchild. Last year, Katelyn won the shot put and javelin while her sister won the discus. This year it was another Fairchild sweep, but it was all Mckenzie. The junior capped off an undefeated season in the shot put and javelin, and a two-loss season in the discus. Her teammate Maddie Schrandt showed up big over the weekend as well, winning the 200m and 400m, while anchoring the 4x400m to a gold medal to close out the meet. Fairchild and Schrandt scored 52.5 points between the two, one-third of Andale’s incredible 152 points. They won over Eudora and Clearwater, 152-78-48.
Wellington standout Annalisa Cullens fought through some apparent discomfort over the state weekend to win two state titles and additional state medals. In her go-to events, the 100mH and 300mH, Cullens ran 14.29 (PR & meet record) and 44.43 giving her roughly half of a second and more than a full second ahead of the runner-up finisher. In the 100m, Cullens took 5th, and she also ran a leg on the 4x100m relay, taking 8th and earning All-State honors.
3A
Dylan Sprecker came into the state championship ranked 2nd in the 3200m, 1600m and the 800m. Sprecker left the state championship with a gold medal in all three. Sprecker took down Wichita-Trinity’s Clay Shively in the 1600m and 800m, and the Meyer brothers from Wichita Collegiate in the 3200m. At the end of the day, I think it came down to experience and a long list of high pressure meets that Sprecker has had the chance to compete in. In the 3200m, Sprecker cruised his way to a 9:39.81, but the two Saturday events were slated to be very exciting races, and they both lived up to the hype. In the 1600m, Sprecker and Shively came through 1200m at 3:17.35 and 3:17.18. Shively closed in a 59.7, which is typically enough to gap the field and roll on to the win. However, when your opponent closes in a 57.5 and sets the meet record in the process, there’s not much more you can do. The 800m was similar, with the two coming through the first 400m between 61.94 and 62.43. Sprecker absolutely turned it on though on that last lap, closing in 56.4. Later that day, the future Pittsburg State Gorilla anchored the 4x400m to a runner-up finish, splitting 50.8 on the way. Sprecker ends his legacy as a Trojan with seven individual state titles, cementing himself as one of the best to ever do it.
Ty Anderson of Burlington didn’t claim one state title, he won two. He also finished runner-up in both the long and the triple jump. His titles came in the 200m, where he won by one-fifth of a second, and the 4x100m, where he anchored his squad to a 43.05-43.12 win over Wichita Collegiate. Anderson totaled 24.5 points on his own, enough for a second place team finish ahead of Wichita Collegiate.
While his teammate was tearing it up in the distance events, Chase Poague was busy cleaning up in the hurdles and sprints. One of the best hurdlers in the state, he continued to dominate, winning the 110mH and 300mH double for the second consecutive year. Poague also ran the 100m, taking 3rd in a race where it took a state record to win. Poague and Sprecker helped lead Southeast of Saline to a back-to-back team title, 94-50 over Burlington.
Breanne Peters of Smoky Valley and Eureka’s Ashley Singhateh each scored 26 points for their team, but each had a different approach. For example, Peters was 6th in the long jump, 2nd in the pole vault and the 100m, and then state champion in the 200m. Singhateh on the other hand was the state champion in both the 100mH and 300mH, along with a 3rd place finish in the 100m. Peters and Smoky Valley comfortably won the team title, while Eureka took 2nd just ahead of Cheney.
Just a freshman, Bree Allen had a great debut at the state track meet, giving her a great freshman campaign all-around. After a runner-up finish in the fall, she topped that with a runner-up finish in the 3200m and 3rd place finishes in the 1600m and 800m. The sky is the limit for Allen, as she is now the top returner this fall with Southeast of Saline’s Jentrie Alderson graduating, and will be the fastest returner in the 1600m and 3200m. Allen’s 20 points helped Prairie View finish 5th.
2A
Kaden Elmore (Moundridge), Andrew Harder and Harrison Brunk. Four state titles, and five additional All-State finishes between the three boys. Let’s start off with Elmore, the 400m champion and runner up in 100m/200m. Not too shabby for a freshman I’d say, and like most, I’m excited to see how many more golds he adds to his list before it’s all said and done. Berean Academy junior Andrew Harder had never won a state title before, and last weekend he won two! He closed in a 66 in each race, handily winning each. Inman’s Brunk competed in four events this weekend and eight total races. He ran the 100m, 200m, and anchored both the 4x100m and 4x400m, qualifying for finals in all four. He would take 3rd in the 100m, and 1st in the 200m, along with runner-up finishes in both the 4x100m and 4x400m. Elmore and Brunk led their teams to the podium, as Moundridge won the title over Garden Plain and Inman, 58-56-53. Harder and Berean Academy were the first ones out, taking 4th in 40.5 points.
Chesney Peterson. That’s it, that’s the tweet. Last year as a sophomore, Stanton County’s Peterson completed the 3200m/1600m/800m triple crown, winning all three at state, while also running a leg of the state champion 4x400m relay. This year, Peterson must have realized she may be bored by just running three individual races, so she added the 400m to her list of races she can win. Are you surprised to hear she won four state titles this weekend, scoring 40 points on her own and tying for 6th in the team standings by herself? Personally, I was not. Heading into her senior year of competition, here’s a little summary of the absolute dominance that Peterson has thrown down. She’s won ten state titles, made up of nine individual and one relay and spanning from the 400m on the track to a 5000m on grass. She also hasn’t lost in 401 days, and her high school record is 67-5 (.930) and is currently riding a winning streak of 46, and she’s only getting faster.
Not to be outshined, Emma Yungeberg completed a sweep of her own, winning the shot put, javelin and discus last weekend, defending her titles in the shot put and javelin from 2021. It was no easy feat though, as it took PR throws in both the shot put and discus to win the crown. Yungeberg helped Valley Heights finish in a tie for 4th in the team standings, just eight points shy of 3rd. If there was a hammer throw at the high school level, I’m almost positive I’d be writing about how 2A had two athletes that each won four state titles. Unfortunately, Yungeberg has to make do with three throwing events for now. Another athlete that helped her team in literally every way she possibly could was Wabaunsee freshman Payton Wurtz, who left Cessna with three runner-up finishes and a 4th place finish as well. For a freshman competing against one of the greatest athletes in state history, Wurtz held her own against Peterson, finishing behind her in the 3200m, 1600m and 400m. In the 800m, she took 4th, scoring a whopping 29 points in her first ever state track meet. Wurtz and Wabaunsee took 2nd in the team race, behind Garden Plain and ahead of Stanton County, with the final score being 58-55-50.
1A
The boys at Madison High School finished second as a team on the podium behind Meade, scoring 52 points to Meade’s 69. Coming in second alone is a fantastic feat in itself, but there’s even more. Those points came from two athletes and two athletes alone, Bryson Turner and Casey Helm. Each athlete claimed two state titles for themselves, with Turner winning the 100m and 200m, while Helm swept the shot put and discus. Turner also finished 3rd in both the triple and long jump. Osborne’s Mason Schurr kept himself pretty busy as well, qualifying for three individual events and a relay. In the 100m and 200m, Schurr finished runner-up to Madison’s Turner, but was victorious in the 400m, as well as the school’s 4x100m relay, the state champions. With the help of Schurr and his abundance of points, Osborne finished 3rd on the podium. Logan Keith, Meade’s distance stud, was the state champion in both the 3200m and 800m, along with running legs on the 3rd place 4x400m and the state champion 4x800m. Keith finished his sophomore campaign undefeated on the track, beginning what I feel will be a successful next two years.
100m✔️ 200m✔️ 400m ✔️ Kiowa County’s Addi Heinson checked off three state titles off of her to-do list last weekend, as she successfully avenged her runner-up finishes in the 100m and 200m a year ago. This time, Heinson left nothing up for grabs, running a state meet record in the 100m, and winning both the 200m and 400m by a good margin. Heinson’s trio of gold medals helped propel Kiowa County to a runner-up team finish behind Hanover.
Elle Williams’ senior cross country season may have not ended the way she initially envisioned, but I’d say her track season had a relatively good conclusion. The Doniphan West senior completed the 1600m/800m double, while adding a 3rd place finish in the 3200m on top of it. If it wasn’t Williams who was winning, it was Golden Plains sophomore and three-time state champion Emma Weiner. Throughout the weekend, Weiner and Williams battled it out, but their battle would end as each ended their year with a pair of state titles to their names. Speaking of “pairs of state titles”, Kaylee James of Hodgeman County swept the hurdle races, winning both the 110mh and 300mH with a 4th place finish in the 100m and a leg on the runner-up 4x100m. James defended her 300mH title from a year ago, and improved a spot in the 100mH as well. James and her Longhorn teammates took 3rd as a team, just edging out Doniphan West by three points.
Point Leader Honorable Mentions🎖
Ashton Barkdull — Andover Central
🥇Pole Vault — 16’ 7.25” (5A Meet Record)
🥉200m — 3rd
Hayley Trotter — Clearwater
🥇1600m — 5:10.03
🥇800m — 2:22.27
🏅4x400m — 4:15.67
Jentrie Alderson — Southeast of Saline
Makeznie Block — Goddard-Eisenhower
🥉100mH — 15.74
🥉300mH — 46.68
🥉200m — 26.63
🥇4x100m — 49.44
Katelyn Rupe — Salina Central
🥇3200m — 10:47.60
🥇1600m — 5:08.08
Riley Marx — Andale
🥇Javelin — 206’ 05”
🥇Discus — 162’ 01”
Tom Koontz — Louisburg
🥇110mH — 14.61
🥇300mH — 38.98
🏅4x100m — 44.05
🏅4x400m — 3:30.09
Hopefully this fulfills the idea of a state championships recap that you all had envisioned! Have a great week and I’ll see you Friday!