Slater taking strong contingent to state

The Lady Wildcats will have 11 entries at state, including three relay teams, by finishing in the top four in those events.

Sophomore Ana Jackson and freshman Jacqueline Anderson finished second and third, respectively, in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes and held down legs while winning the 800 (1:54.5) and 1,600 (4:25.2) relays. Freshman Betty Goodman and sophomore Marissa Weiher joined them in the sprint, while Goodman and junior Niki Kruger was in the middle distance race.

Kruger was first in the 1,600 (5:55.5) and third in the 800 and senior Rachel Gonzalez placed second in the 3,200 for her fourth trip to state. Kruger, Gonzalez, Weiher and freshman Brooke Clemons came in third in the 3,200 relay. Goodman also qualified with a third in the 300 low hurdles.

The Slater boys got wins from junior Jeremy Wilson in the 200 (22.9 seconds) and 400 (52.8). He also anchored the third-place 800 relay behind freshman Adrian Clark, sophomore Travis Holt and junior Cody Skinner. The combo of Clark, Holt, Skinner and sophomore Zack Sullivan was third in the 1,600 relay -- with Skinner also coming in third in the 300 intermediate hurdles.

Senior Logan Kirchhoff advanced in three contests for the Santa Fe boys -- winning the 100 (11.3), placing fourth in the 200 and winding up third in the triple jump. Kirchhoff joined seniors Darin Buford and Lance Miller and junior Hunter Rolf to win the 400 relay (47.7).

Buford made the cut with a third-place showing in the 800, with freshman Will Laws third in the discus.

Lady Chiefs won both throwing events, senior Cassie Wright -- the defending state champion -- in the discus (107 feet, 3 inches) and senior Kate Peters in the shot put (30-9.5). Wright also made it in the shot by finishing third and junior Lauren Aversman qualified with a third in the long jump.

Junior Kyle Hollrah was the only Sweet Springs boy to reach state, third in the long jump and fourth in the triple jump. The Lady Greyhounds, though, had a pair of double-qualifiers -- freshman Brittany Higgins in the 100 and triple jump and freshman Chelsea Hollrah in the long and triple jumps -- while junior Hollie Heaper will go to state in the shot put.

Malta Bend will have a presence at state in the form of junior Tyler Armstrong, the sectional runner up in the long jump.

The state meet will take place Friday and Saturday at Lincoln University's Dwight T. Reed Stadium in Jefferson City.