All 2013 State Track Champs

State champions, that’s what 21 area athletes heard with their names on the podium in the 2013 Kansas High School State Track and Field competition as 21 state titles were captured in the area in Class 4-1A competitions this past Friday and Saturday.

Three multi-event state champions this year and multiple repeat state champs, also from the area. Class 1A lead the way with the most area state champs with 15 of the 21 from the area and all three multi-event state champions hailing from 1A schools. Class 3A had the second most state champs from the area with three state champs, while Class 4A saw two state champs and there was one state champ form the area in Class 2A.

Your area 2013 Kansas High School State Track and Field state champs are:

Lukas Koch (Centralia)

Centralia Panther senior, Lukas Koch had arguably the best area performance at the state track meet with possibly the best performance in any classification over the entire weekend. The defending state champion in the Class 1A 800m, 1600m and 3200 meter runs the senior looked to defend his state titles this year with his sights set on a state record time this year.

Koch started off his senior campaign at state with a bang setting a new Class 1A state record in the 3200 meter run on his way to the gold medal, finishing with a time of 9:27.96, nearly three seconds better than then previous record (Mike Becker from Downs 9:30.54 set in 1989). Lukas continued his top performances on Saturday winning the 1600m and 800 meter runs with times of 4:16.63 and 1:58.96. His time in the 1600m was less than a second of the state record in that competition.

The Panther senior ends his high school athletic career on top finishing his senior season undefeated on the track and in cross country action, state champ in three events in track and state cross country champ. Eight gold medals at state track were earned by Koch over his four years as a Centralia Panther. As Koch looks to the future he will look to continue his athletic career and education at Kansas State next year.

Haley Strathman (B&B)

B&B Falcon senior, Haley Strathman soared to another state title in Class 1A high jump this year registering a winning height of 5-04, making it back-to-back years as high jump champion. For the second straight year Strathman attempted to tie the state record in 1A of 5-08.50 but came up short on her three attempts, still winning the competition without even going to her season best and school record of 5-07.

First place hardware wasn’t the only medal Haley took home in her senior year performance at state as she placed fourth in the triple jump behind a leap of 34-03.25. She also competed in the long jump taking ninth place in that competition this year. Following up last year’s three medal performance with two medals this year and another state title, as the B&B Falcon soars out high in her senior year with a back-to-back state high jump titles and part of back-to-back Class 1A-DII state volleyball champs.

Laura Sudbeck (B&B)

B&B Falcon junior, Laura Sudbeck reclaimed the state title in Class 1A in the shot put this year behind a toss of 40-08.50 after taking second place last year and winning the state title as a freshman in the competition. Looking to pad a great junior year of athletic accomplishments, Laura went into the state competition looking to regain the state title in the shot put and compete in the discus throw, too. After winning the state title as a freshman in the shot put she finished second last year, but one the state title this year with a throw slightly less than her second place toss the previous year (40-10).

She added another medal in another throwing competition this year; too, placing fourth in the javelin throw with a toss of 118-10.

Laura’s state title and two medals overall caps off a stellar athletic year for her as she was a key part of the B&B Falcon Class 1A-DII state volleyball champion team the last two years and played on the basketball team that made a state tournament appearance this year. In the final year of B&B next school year Laura and her fellow classmates will look to continue the athletic tradition of the Falcons.

Lucas Adams (Frankfort)

The Twin Valley League pole vault champion, Lucas Adams, winning that competition with a vault of 12-06, bested that mark by an entire foot at state with a leap of 13-06 to capture the Class 1A state pole vault title. The 13-06 mark by Adams is a personal best for the junior as he ends a solid junior athletic campaign at Frankfort.

Adams also competed on the Wildcats 4x800m Relay team that finished sixteenth in that competition in Class 1A. But with the state championship in the pole vault Lucas adds to his trophy case for his high school career with now a pair of state titles, the other of course being with the Frankfort basketball team winning the 2012 Class 1A-DII state title.

Jordan Puvogel (Hiawatha)

She might be small but she shouldn’t be underestimated as the Hiawatha Redhawk sophomore, Jordan Puvogel had a dominate year in distance running. The Class 3A cross country champion capped off a stellar athletic year for herself capturing three medals at the 2013 state track meet with her best performance being a state championship.

Jordan started off the state track competition with a bang for herself as she competed in the 3200 meter run and registered a time of 11:22.61 to capture the state title. Finishing her season in the 3200 meter competitions just like she did in the cross country season, undefeated. She later competed in the 1600m and 800m runs on Saturday and took home second and fifth place finishes, respectively behind times of 5:17.41 and 2:25.53. Early this year Puvogel added the 1600 meter run Big Seven League record to her accomplishment list posting a time of 5:15.70.

Just a sophomore, Puvogel has already blossomed into one of the top area athletes and will be someone to watch over the next couple of years for the Redhawks and the area.

Conner Schultz (Riverside)

How do you top three medals last year in Class 3A at the Kansas High School State Track and Field competition, well Conner Schultz of Riverside did so with four medals this year and a state championship. Last year it was a second, third and fourth place, this year it’s a state title, third, fourth and seventh place.

After coming up just short last year in the triple jump with a second place finish, Conner made sure the gold medal hardware was hers this year, registering a leap of 36-07 to win the state title, the same mark that gave her second the previous year. Third place came in the long jump behind a leap of 16-09.75, while the fourth place finish was grabbed in the 400m dash with a time of 59.19 in the finals. Schultz, also qualified for state in the 800m run this year and grabbed a medal in that competition, too, finishing seventh with time of 2:27.98.

The DVL champion in long jump, triple jump and 800m run ends her senior campaign with the Cyclones with quite a bit of hardware and will continue her athletic career at Pittsburg State next year on a track scholarship.

Meagan Garrett (Sabetha)

Young Sabetha Bluejay, Meagan Garrett who already holds the school record in the high jump looked to add more accomplishments to her young athletic career at the state track meet. Lady Bluejay soared to the height of 5-04 to capture the Class 3A state title. Garrett just continued to add titles to her belt as she had already claimed the Big Seven championship with a 5-00 leap at the league meet and won the Regional title with the same mark to earn a spot at state.

The Sabetha Bluejay proved to the Big Seven and that entire state this year that she will be a contender to compete with over the course of the rest of her athletic career at Sabetha.

Connor Strader (Holton)

Looking to pounce on more medals at the state track meet Holton Wildcat senior, Connor Strader did so improving upon her finishes in the 400 meter dash and 800 meter run from last year at state to grab a fourth place and state title in the competitions.

After a sixth place and fifth place last year in the 400 and 800, respectively this year that changed as Connor posted times of 59.37 and 2:21.67 to take fourth and first place, respectively.

Strader added to the year of the championship for Holton who won a football state title, wrestling team and individual state this year, along with her state track title. As Connor moves on continuing her athletic career at Ottawa University next year to play basketball, she will have plenty of hardware to look back upon to remember a stellar high school career with a track state title and multiple state titles in basketball.

Brandi Jo Roepke (Valley Heights)

Valley Heights Mustang freshman, Brandi Jo Roepke burst out on the scene this year in athletics being a great basketball in the TVL helping the Mustangs to a TVL league title. But her performance in track will go down as one to remember in Valley Heights history. After qualifying for four events for state in Class 1A with three Regional titles in the 100, 200 and 400m dashes and a second place in the long jump, Roepke turned her attention to the state competition.

Brandi, blistered her way through the competition qualifying for the finals in the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes then capping it off with three state titles, winning all three events. The freshman posted times of 12.54, 26.46 and 57.92 to win the 100, 200 and 400 meter dashes, respectively.

One more medal was added to her total with a fourth place finish in the Class 1A long jump with a leap of 16-03.75. Her four medals helped Valley Heights finish second place as a team in the girls competition in Class 1A.

The freshman established herself as a force to watch in the TVL over the next few years and someone to watch on the state level, too capping off a great freshman campaign with four medals at state track.

Elijah Smith (Valley Heights)

Valley Heights Mustangs boys took home third place as a team at the 2013 Kansas High School State Track and Field competition with sophomore, Elijah Smith pacing the way with four medals including two state titles.

Smith qualified for state in four events the triple jump, long jump, 200m dash and 110m hurdles after winning both field events at Regionals and placing second in the two track events. At state Smith continued the first place trend in the triple jump winning the Class 1A state title with a leap of 44-05.75, while in the long jump Elijah registered a leap of 21-01.25 to grab the bronze medal.

The sophomore’s second state title came in the finals of the 110 meter hurdles has he posted a time of 14.84 to top the competition, short of his TVL record time 14.63 but fast enough to win. He then added a fourth place in the 200 meter dash with a time of 23.81.

After a fourth and third place medal his freshman year, Smith came back this season looking to improve and that he did, setting himself up to be a force to be reckoned with in 1A for the next couple of years.

Heather Polson (Jefferson County North)

Charging ahead to success that’s what Jefferson County North Charger junior, Heather Polson did this year as she worked her way back to that state track meet and competed yet again in the Class 2A high jump. After a second place finish her sophomore year, Polson looked to change that this year and did so capturing the state title with a leap of 5-02, the same mark which gave her second the previous year.

Polson the DVL champion in the high jump with a leap of 4-10, finished third at Regionals to qualify for state but pushed herself at the state competition to earn the state title.

The junior has been part of winning while at Jefferson County North with the basketball state championship in 2012 and a state team this past year, now she adds state track champ to her trophy case.

Courtney Jueneman (Hanover)

Class 1A, 800 meter run girls competition has been Hanover’s, Courtney Jueneman’s event the past couple years as she made it back-to-back state titles this year with a time in the event. Jueneman ran to the time of 2:24.40 to grab the state yet again in the 800 meter run.

After winning Regionals and breaking her own TVL record in the 800m run (2:25.49), it was only fitting Courtney add the state title to her senior year and cap of great year that featured a trip to state in basketball, also for the Wildcats.

Hanover Girls 4x800m Relay Team

Courtney Juenemen  didn’t stop winning state titles with her individual one as she partnered with her fellow Wildcats, Tiffany Bruna, Claire Bruna and Jenna Jueneman to win the Class 1A 4x800m relay. Last year the Wildcats took home second in the 4x800 with a time of 10:13.62, but this year they shaved nearly eight seconds off that time to register a time of 10:05.55 to win the state title.

William Ohlde (Clifton-Clyde)

William Ohlde of Clifton-Clyde qualified for state in Class 1A in both the hurdle competitions and winning both the 110m and 300m hurdle Regional titles he looked to make it top performances at state, also. The Eagle, dash and leap his way to a state title in the 300m hurdles posting a time of 39.60, while grabbing the silver in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.91 in the finals, both improvements upon his medals at state from the previous year.

Kurt Van Der Merw (Linn)

Linn Bulldog, Kurt Van Der Merwe dashed himself into the record books of the TVL early this year and then added state champion to his name by winning the Class 1A 200m dash competition behind a time of 23.48 at state track. The medals didn’t stop there as Van Der Merwe also took home silver in the 100m dash with a time of 11.12 in that competition.

Perry Lecompton Boys 4x400m Relay Team

The Perry Lecompton quartet of Colin Coleman, Riley Davis, Seth Surface and William Hinrichsen made a great 4x400m relay team for the Kaws racing to wins all season with the biggest coming on the brightest stage at state as the Kaws captured the 4x400m relay Class 4A state title with a time of 3:26.32. Top performances by the quartet happened all season as they won their Regional and set a new Big Seven League record earlier this year, too (3:27.80).