Great Bend Post
The weather was not the best for Friday’s Bob Camien/Claudia Welch Invitational hosted by Topeka Seaman, but many of the athletes were. The large meet featured some of the best competitors from all six classifications and 24 schools. Even with Valarie Luna in action elsewhere, the Lady Panthers scored 69 points for second. Olathe North won with 94 points, and Seaman placed third in 63.5 points.
Makenzie Premer picked up the lone Lady Panther gold on the day, winning the 300m hurdles in 48.24 by 0.01 seconds in a photo finish. Sadie Spray claimed the bronze in 48.38. The pair remain ranked No. 2 and 3, respectively, in Class 5A. Premer placed fourth in the 100s in 16.98 to miss the bronze by half a second. Spray ran a 17.12 in the prelims to just miss a spot in the finals.
Great Bend’s relays also picked up big points. The 4x400 team ran second in 4:11.15, 2.2 seconds behind the winners from Seaman. The 4x800 team posted its best time of the season for the bronze in 10:18.08 to miss the silver by three seconds.
Addy Nicholson cut more than 20 seconds off her 3200m time but still placed fifth in the loaded field in 11:40.20. Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Paige Mullen ran one of the fastest times in Kansas history to win by 48 seconds in 10:30.55. Nicholson’s time ranks No. 3 in Class 5A this spring. Marissa Boone ran 16th in 12:24.64, and Morgan Beckwith placed 20th in 12:40.19.
Seaman senior Bethany Druse opened up a five-second lead atop Class 5A with a 2:16.51 in the 800m run Friday. Panther junior Eliana Beckham, ranked No. 7 in the class, placed seventh in 2:27.48. Kate Welcher ran 17th in 2:35.28.
In the field, Spray was one of three jumpers to clear the high jump bar at 5-2 for the bronze. Cassie Ellegood finished fifth at 4-10. Katie Kuhlman cleared the pole vault bar at 8-6 for fourth, six inches from the bronze.
Senior Kyndall Blessing placed third in the javelin with a throw of 119-7 to miss the silver by more than six feet. Macy Nachtigal placed seventh on a throw of 115-11.
Natalee Daniels finished sixth in the shot put on a toss of 34-11, a foot from the bronze. Allie Gerhart placed 15th at 32-1. Freshman Kimberly Hofflinger’s discus throw of 109-11 put her in seventh place, four feet from the bronze. Rylie Duvall finished two spots behind her on a throw of 104-3.