State Track & Field State Champions

Final “Athletes of the Week” honors for the 2016-17 school year go to the three area State Track and Field State Championship teams and all the individual State Champions in Track.

A trio of girl’s track and field teams earned State titles, while 18 individual events State titles were won.

Centralia Panther girls track repeated as the Class 1A State Track and Field Champions edging out Hanover by 1.5 points as the action went down to the final 1A State competition in the 4x400 meter relay. While, Hanover just edged Centralia in the 4x400 for first the Panthers second place finish (4:14.03) by Tamra Jones, Kennedy Becker, Morgan Kramer and Maegan Koch was good to hold Hanover off for the State 1A team title. Leading the charge for Centralia was Madison Lueger who broke the State record and won the javelin title with a toss of 142’04. Also contributing to the point standings was Breanna Schmitz and Breanna Hasenkamp who finished second and tied for third in the pole vault (10’06 and 9’00). On the track Kramer sprinted to fourth in the 200 meter dash (26.38) and sixth in the 100 meter dash (12.86), while Koch placed fifth in the 400 meter dash (1:01.37) and the quartet of Becker, Jones, Regan Hueske and Kramer earned fifth in the 4x100 meter relay. Also at State track for Centralia – Emma Holthaus and Keaton Whetzel.

Valley Heights girls track team repeated as Class 2A State Track and Field Champions and won their third straight team State track title claiming the 2017 title by 23.5 points. Four girls competed in 13 events and recorded medal performances in 11 of them for the Mustangs. Kayla Smith brought home four medals including two State titles winning the triple jump for the third straight year posting a leap of 38’00.75, while earning her second long jump title behind a leap of 17’00.50. Smith also placed fifth in the 100 meter dash (12.98) and eighth in the 200 meter dash (27.02). A State record was earned by Skyler Saunders who won the high jump with a mark of 5’08.50 breaking the State record and also placed third in the pole vault (9’06) and sixth in the triple jump (35’03.25). Shelby and Sam Vermetten added to the performances for the lady Mustangs on the way to the team State title. Shelby earned second place in the discus (130’06), while Sam placed second in the 800m (2:20.24), 1600m (5:13.83) and 3200m (11:33.58).

Nemaha Central girls behind 11 individual event medals claimed the Class 3A State Track and Field Championship winning by 17.33 points. A pair of State titles by sisters led the way for the lady Thunder as Kaley and Jacy Dalinghaus won the shot put and discus titles respectively. A throw of 43’02 earned Kaley the State title in the shot put, while she also took second in the javelin (142’00) and third in the discus (123’00). For Jacy it was a toss of 127’03 that won her the discus, while also taking fifth in the javelin (133’08) and third in the shot put (40’05.25). Allison Rottinghaus also earned three medals placing third in the triple jump (37’05.50), fifth in the long jump (16’06) and eighth in the 200 meter dash (26.72). The quartet of Laura Macke, Alleigh Kramer, Rottinghaus and Shiann Kramer earned second place (50.95), while Macke tied for eighth in the high jump (5’00) and Kramer placed fourth in the 200m (26.36) and sixth in the long jump (16’06). Also at State Track for Nemaha Central – Ashley Hammes, Dani Mueting and Michelle Olberding.

Individually several other State titles were won at the 2017 Stat Track and Field competition in Wichita. In Class 1A Dylan Boeckman of Centralia won the pole vault (13’06) and 300 meter hurdles (40.05). For the Hanover Wildcats Claire Zarybnicky took first in the 800 meter run (2:23.33), while Zarybnicky partnered up with Riley Doebele, Taylor Klipp and Macy Doebele to win the 4x400 meter relay (4:13.91). Also in 1A Linn Bulldogs Shelby Ohlde and Brooke Diederich won the State title in the high jump (5’06) and long jump (17’02.25), respectively.

Class 2A saw Jerrod Hoover of Washington County earn a State title winning two events claiming the high jump (6’06) and javelin (184’04) titles.

In Class 3A three area athletes repeated as State champs in events and a relay team also won a title. Hiawatha Red Hawk, Elizabeth Kettler defended her 3200 meter run title successfully (11:50.49), while Grace Stohs of Marysville won the pole vault (11’06) for the second straight year. For Nemaha Central boys Jacob Koelzer sprinted to the win in the 100 meter dash (10.82) for the second straight year and then teamed up with Luke Haverkamp, Alec Suther and Austin Deters to win the 4x100 meter relay (43.42).

Overall 18 individual State titles were won by area athletes and three team State titles, while 155 total medals were earned by area athletes. (full list of medalists – click here; full KNZA/KMZA athlete interviews – click here; to listen to KNZA/KMZA full State Track wrap up show – click here)