Great Bend Post
Even with some tough competition, the Great Bend girls were able to dominate Friday's track invitational in Buhler. The Lady Panthers used a team effort to score 151 points. The host Crusaders finished second with 98 points.
Great Bend took the top-three spots in the high jump. Valarie Luna won the gold at 5-4, followed by Cassie Ellegood at a career-best 5-2, and Sadie Spray at 5-0 for the bronze.
The 800m runners also had a big day with the medal sweep. Eliana Beckham posted the fifth-fastest 5A time with the win in 2:23.78. Freshman Sienna Smith followed in 2:32.47 for the silver, and Ellegood held on by a third of a second in 2:34.22 for the bronze.
Junior Addy Nicholson ran her best mile time of the season last Friday at home. In Buhler, she shed several seconds from that time for the silver in 5:26.21, four seconds from the win. Nicholson moves to No. 9 in 5A. Nicholson posted the No. 7 5A time in the 3200m run for the win by 12 seconds in 12:01.23. Marissa Boone ran fifth in 12:30.54.
Hutchinson senior Annalissa Cullens posted the seventh-fastest 100m hurdle time ever in Kansas to win in 14.05. Panther junior Makenzie Premer ran fifth in 16.81, and senior Hailey Peterson finished seventh in 17.62. Cullens also ran her best 300m hurdle time of the season to lead the state in 45.15. Spray picked up the silver in 47.17, followed by Premer in third in 47.79. Peterson ran her best time of the season to place eighth in 50.97. Premer and Spray rank No. 2 and 3, respectively, in 5A this spring.
Cullens was also a factor in the 100m dash, winning in 12.45. Luna finished second in 12.79, barely missing her No. 15 time in 5A this spring. Sophomore Kara Feist finished second in the 200m dash in 27.86 to miss the gold by three-quarters of a second. Daizy Gomez ran her best 400m time of the season for the bronze in 64.59 to miss the silver by two seconds.
Freshman Kimberly Hofflinger placed third in the discus on a throw of 111-8 to miss the silver by more than four feet. Rylie Duvall finished behind her at 110-1 for fourth. Freshman Allie Gerhart led the shot put throwers in eighth with a throw of 32-3, just an inch out of seventh. Kyndall Blessing placed ninth at 30-10.
Great Bend's relay teams continue to do well. The 4x400 team ran four seconds off its 5A-best time but won by eight seconds in 4:13.22. The 4x800 squad ran well off its No. 6 time in 5A, but still won the race Friday by eight seconds in 10:23.06. The 4x100 team placed fourth in 51.93 to miss the bronze by nearly half a second.
Back in the field, Blessing won the javelin bronze on a throw of 115-4. Macy Nachtigal placed fifth at 110-0. Katie Kuhlman saw some tough competition in the pole vault where she placed seventh at 8-0. Andover Central senior Reagan Housley took the 5A lead by three inches with the win at 11-10.