TOWANDA — The Winfield High School track and field team will send athletes in 10 events to the Big Show after Thursday’s Class 4A Regional Championships.
Reigning boys and girls 4A State champion Andale dominated both meets en route to the team titles.
The top four placers in each event punched their tickets to the KSHSAA All-Classes State Championships, set for May 26-27 at Cessna Stadium on the campus of Wichita State University.
“The kids competed,” WHS coach Justin Price said. “Lots of PRs and season bests. I am very proud of this group as athletes and people. Quality individuals!”
The Lady Vikings captured the only gold medal by winning the 4x800 relay in 10 minutes, 17.86 seconds. GraceLynn Benavides, Brooke Brogan, Kayli Myers and Rhyanna Richert made up the winning team.
Benavides will also end her high school career at the Big Show after a runner-up finish in the 800-meter run. Myers finished in a season- and area-best 2:30.59, trailing only regional champ Hayley Trotter of Clearwater (2:19.45).
Winfield senior Mark Thompson also ends his high school career with a crack at State after a third-place finish in the 3,200. Thompson’s time of 10:14.08 was his season best and ranks second in the area.
Myers is another WHS senior appearing at the Show after a third-place finish in the girls 1,600. Myers ran a 5:28.58, a little more than a second off of her season best (5:27.31). Trotter took that regional title, too (5:06, nearly five seconds better than runner-up Brett Jacobson of Towanda-Circle (5:10.94).
WHS senior Tatayanna Lopez will compete in two events at State.
Lopez placed fourth in the high jump after clearing five feet even, topping her previous season best by two inches.
Lopez also was fourth in the 100 hurdles in a season-best 16.36 seconds, shaving 45 seconds off of her previous best (16.81).
Winfield senior Mason Peters finished fourth in the girls discus, throwing the saucer 101 feet even, well off of her season best of 108-2.
Sophomore Layla Harris punched her ticket in the long jump with a fourth-place 15-1 1/2.
Senior Trey Thiel qualified in the boys 300 hurdles in a fourth-place 42.93 seconds, topping his previous best (43.04). Thiel just missed qualifying in the 110 hurdles, placing fifth in 15.83 seconds, a fraction of a second from the fourth spot held by Thomas Johnson of Augusta (15.65).
The Vikings also qualified in the boys 4x800 relay with a fourth-place 8:40.06. Thompson was joined by Jaden Brown, Andru Owens and Gabriel Tapia in that race.
Senior Rozlyn Richert just missed a spot in the girls javelin, finishing fifth. Richert’s throw of 107-2 was her season best, but Rose Hill’s Kaelyn Kirchhoff Jones beat her out for fourth place (109-2).
Junior Sheena Gocela narrowly missed a spot in the girls pole vault, placing fifth at 8-6. Her season best of 9 feet even would have tied Circle’s Sophia McCune for fourth.
The Lady Vikings also just missed qualifying in the 4x400 relay, placing fifth in 4:23.97. Wellington took the fourth spot in 4:17.04.
Class 4A Regional Championships
Thursday at Towanda
(Top 4 qualify for State)
Boys
Team Scores — 1. Andale 181; 2. Rose Hill 84; 3. Augusta 78; 4. El Dorado 60; 5. Towanda-Circle 50; 6. Wellington 42; 7. Clearwater 35; 8. Winfield 18; 9. Mulvane 10.
Winfield Results
200 — Prelims: 15. Tattan Beckwith 25.09.
800 — 11. Jaden Brown 2:18.3; 16. Nikolas Smith 2:26.98.
1,600 — 10. Nikolas Smith 5:26.7.
3,200 — 3. Mark Thompson 10:14.08; 8. Andru Owens 10:46.83.
110 Hurdles — Finals: 5. Trey Thiel 15.83; Prelims: 6. Thiel 16.33.
300 Hurdles — 4. Trey Thiel 42.93.
4x100 Relay — 6. Winfield 47.05.
4x400 Relay — 7. Winfield 3:44.66.
4x800 Relay — 4. Winfield (Jaden Brown, Andru Owens, Gabriel Tapia, Mark Thompson), 8:40.06.
Long Jump — 15. Kellen Gibson 17-0.5; 16. Tattan Beckwith 16-10.
Javelin — 8. Kellen Gibson 138-2; 20. Bryant Gonzalez 108-6.
Pole Vault — 6. Logan Harmon 9-6.
Shot Put — 11. Kros Madry 38-5.5.
———
Girls
Team Scores — 1. Andale 209.5; 2. Clearwater 84; 3. Rose Hill 68; 4. Wellington 57; 5. Towanda-Circle 54; 6. Winfield 48.5; 7. El Dorado 21; 8. Augusta 13; 9. Mulvane 2.
Winfield Results
200 — Prelims: 11. Cadence Stanley 29.3.
400 — 9. Mattie Smith 1:10.06.
800 — 2. GraceLynn Benavides 2:30.59; 7. Rhyanna Richert 2:41.9; 10. Brooke Brogan 2:49.46.
1,600 — 3. Kayli Myers 5:28.58.
3,200 — 6. Kayli Myers 12:43.91; 8. Lauryn Turner 13:11.54.
100 Hurdles — Finals: 4. Tatayanna Lopez 16.36; 8. Cora Moon 17.73. Prelims: 4. Lopez 16.51; 7. Moon 17.42; 12. Addison Flaton 19.76.
300 Hurdles — 6. Sheena Gocela 51.28; 12. Addison Flaton 56.85.
4x100 Relay — 6. Winfield 53.98.
4x400 Relay — 5. Winfield 4:23.97.
4x800 Relay — 1. Winfield (GraceLynn Benavides, Brooke Brogan, Kayli Myers, Rhyanna Richert), 10:17.86.
High Jump — 4. Tatayanna Lopez 5-0; 10. Rhyanna Richert 4-8.
Long Jump — 4. Layla Harris 15-1.5; 9. Cadence Stanley 13-8.
Discus — 4. Mason Peters 101-0; 13. Addison Flaton 84-10.
Javelin — 5. Rozlyn Richert 107-2; 11. Alicyn McGinnis 89-11.
Pole Vault — 5. Sheena Gocela 8-6.
Shot Put — 13. Alicyn McGinnis 26-10.5.
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