Chiefs, Lady 'Cats win Santa Fe Relays

Slater junior Cody Skinner medaled in both of the hurdles, winning the 300, at the Santa Fe Relays. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

ALMA -- The Santa Fe Relays became a two-team battle Saturday.

While the Chiefs out-distanced Slater for the boys' title, 124 to 85 points, the Lady Wildcats got the best of the home team, 124-77.

Senior Logan Kirchhoff took time off from the top-ranked Santa Fe baseball team to win three events: the 100- (11.48 seconds) and 200-meter (23.76) dashes and the triple jump (40 feet), in which he narrowly missed a state medal last year.

The Chiefs also won the 400-meter relay (50.80) and got second-place performances from senior Darin Buford in the 800 (2:17.28), senior Luke Brandt in the high jump (5-6) and freshman William Laws in the discus (127-7).

Winning for Slater were junior Jeremy Wilson in the 400 (56.50) and junior Cody Skinner in the 300 intermediate hurdles (45.78), where sophomore Zach Sullivan was second (46.10).

The 'Cats were second in the 800 (1:43.92) and 1,600 (3:59.71) relays.

Sweet Springs tied for eighth place with 32 points, junior Kyle Hollrah placing second in the triple jump (39-10) and third in the high jump (5-4).

Junior Tyler Armstrong won the long jump (19-3) and was third in the 100 (11.69) as Malta Bend came in 10th with 26 points.

The Slater girls had a pair of two-time winners: sophomore all-state sprinter Ana Jackson in the 100 (13.45) and 200 (28.01) and junior Niki Kruger in the 800 (2:45.28) and 1,600 (6:20.05). Senior Rachel Gonzalez was first in the 3,200 (13:43.60) and freshman Betty Goodman took the 300 low hurdles (53.78).

The Slater 1,600 relay (4:46.86) also won and the 3,200 relay (12:09.61) was second, as was freshman Jacqueline Anderson in the 100 (13.50).

The Lady Chiefs won the 400 relay (1:01.50) and three field events. Senior Cassie Wright -- the defending state champion -- took the discus (107-9), sophomore Kate Peters was best in the shot put (32-6.5) and junior Lauren Aversman was topped the long jump (13-10).

Close behind Santa Fe with a third-place finish were the Lady Greyhounds (66 points), who got gold medals from freshmen Chelsea Hollrah in the high jump (4-8) and Brittany Higgins in the triple jump (30-11.5). Hollrah was second in the triple (30-3), as were Higgins in the long jump (13-9.25) and junior Hollie Heaper in the shot (29-2).

Santa Fe will host the I-70 Conference Championships on May 5, while Slater will head to Huntsville on Monday for the Lewis and Clark Conference Championships.