Twelve Superior trackster qualify for state

There will be a sizeable contingent of Superior High School boys and girls track and field team members headed to the state championship meet being held at Omaha’s Harry A. Burke High School Friday and Saturday.

Superior hosted the District C -7 meet at the Wildcat Community Track Thursday. The girls finished in second place with 93.5 points, in the nine team field of Hastings St. Cecilia, Sutton, Sandy Creek, Doniphan-Trumbull, Thayer Central, Tri County, Fillmore Central and Wilber-Clatonia. Southern did not earn any team points. The boys team finished in third place, with 82 points in the 10 team field of Wilber-Clatonia, Hastings St. Cecilia, Thayer Central, Tri County, Sandy Creek, Doniphan-Trumbull, Southern, Sutton and Fillmore Central.

The Wildcats girls dominated the field events by taking first place in the long and triple jumps, the pole vault, the discus throw and shot put. They earned a berth in the high jump through the additional qualifier standard. The first two places in district events are automatically qualified for the state meet. Should an athlete meet a certain standard but finish in a lower position, they are also qualified for the state meet.

Ella Gardner rocketed past the former state mark in the long jump by more than four inches. The record was set in 2009. Her leap of 19’6.75” earned her a ticket to the state meet. She earned her second state spot with her first place distance of 36’7.25” in the triple jump. She turned her attention to the 100 meter dash and reeled off a first place finish with her time of 12.67 seconds. Gardner qualified for her fourth state event when she sped across the finish line in first place in the 200 meter dash with her time of 26.55 seconds.

Shayla Meyer will represent Superior in the discus and shot put. Her throw of 146’4” was good for first place in the discus. Her effort of 37’7” took second place in the shot put.

Sadie Rempel earned a berth at the state meet with her first place finish in the pole vault. Rempel cleared 10’6”.

Laci Kirchhoff goes to state as an additional qualifier in the long jump. She finished in third place with her height of 4’11. She lost out in a jump off for second place.

Atlee Kobza earned a trip to Omaha as an additional qualifier with her throw of 116’7” and a third place finish.

Madison Heusinkvelt competed in the discus with her throw of 86’4”. She had a toss of 33’9” in the shot put and took seventh place in the 300 meter hurdles with her time of 53.56 seconds.

Cayce Barry had a height of 4’5” in the high jump.

Mikynzie Hansen ran a preliminary heat of 20.25 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles.

Sadie Cornell finished in eighth place in the 100 meter dash final with her time of 14.71 seconds.

Halle Bargen finished eighth in the 400 meter dash with her time of 1:09.28. Bargen ran a preliminary heat of 30.11 in the 200 meter dash.

Hailey Blecha did not finish in the 3200 meter run.

Faith Butler earned a sixth place finish in the 1600 meter run with her time of 6:17.79.

The girls 4 x 100 meter relay team took second place. In the relays, only the first place team goes to state along with those with the seven fastest times in all districts. The team time of 53.34 seconds failed to meet that standard. Superior finished in seventh place in the 4 x 400 meter with their time of 4:39.97.

Seth Schnakenberg tied down first place in the shot put with his toss of 53’. He qualified for the state meet with his second place finish in the discus with his throw of 169’1”.

Payton Christiancy goes to state as an additional qualifier with his 144’7” throw in the discus which was good for fourth place. He had a toss of 44’5” in the shot put.

Dane Miller earned two spots at state with his first place finishes in the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. His time for the 110 meter was 15 seconds. He listed a time of 40.93 seconds for the 300 meter event.

Gavin Ekstein ran his best 400 meter dash of the season to secure first place in the 400 meter dash with his time of 51.83 seconds.

The 4 x 100 meter relay team of Matt Colgrove, Aiden Humphries, Ekstein and Miller finished in first place with their time of 45.02 seconds.

The 4 x 400 meter relay team of Colgrove, Ekstein, Miller and Jacob Meyer earned as spot at state as a result of having one of the seventh fastest times in all districts after the winners in each district. Their time was 3:36.89.

Owen Perrie recorded a distance of 13’10.25” for the long jump.

Jacob Meyer took fifth place in the triple jump with his distance of 39’2.75”.

Clayton Morris took third place in the pole vault with his height of 11’3”.

Matt Colgrove picked up the fifth place points in the 100 meter dash with his time of 12.7 seconds. Cristian Avalos had a preliminary heat of 12.68 seconds.

Tanner Theis had a time of 1:01.72 for the 400 meter dash.

Hunter Mazzulla held down fourth place in the 3200 meter run with his time of 11:40.85.

Jacob Meyer was in sixth place in the 200 meter dash with his time of 24.88 seconds. Avalos had a preliminary heat time of 26.33.

Brett Miller finished in eighth place in the 800 meter run with his time of 2:18.23. Miller posted a time of 5:23.25 for the 1600 meter run.

The state meet gets underway, Friday, with field events beginning at 9 a.m. Running events will begin at 1:30 p.m. Events continue Saturday.