West Platte’s Sam Baker ran season best times in the 400 and 200-meter dashes to advance past the Class 2 District 8 Meet at West Platte High School on May 6.
West Platte hosted the Class 2 District 8 Track and Field Meet and came away with multiple top-4 finishers to qualify for sectionals on May 6.
Charlie Kinslow was a 2-time district champion in individual events on the day, winning both races he competed in. The senior won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:07.2 and the 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:43.39.
August Hill became a district champion in the 100-meter dash in 11.04 seconds. The sophomore was also the runner-up in the 200-meter dash after crossing the finish line in 22.72 seconds.
Jonah McGivern earned a silver medal in the 400-meter dash with a time of 52.98 seconds. McGivern was one of the four Blue Jays on the second place 4x800-meter relay team that ended in 8:42.43.
West Platte went four-for-four on sending its relay teams to sectionals, including the district champion in the 4x100 and 4x200. The Blue Jays’ 4x400-meter relay team crossed the finish line in 3:39.66 to collect a bronze medal in the event and was the runner-up in the 4x800-meter relay.
Jonah McGivern was on three of the four relays that the West Platte boys qualified to sectionals in.
West Platte has some impressive hurdlers at districts, led by freshman Alex Kinslow taking third place in the 300-meter in 43.62 seconds. Miles McHenry claimed fourth place in the 110-meter prelims but didn’t make it to sectionals as he had a false start in the finals.
Wyatt Wallingford’s prolific season pole-vaulting continues with a third-place vault of 11-03.75 feet. McHenry claimed third place in the javelin, throwing it 142-06 feet.
As for the Lady Blue Jays, Sam Baker took third place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:01.02. She finished in fifth place in the prelims of the 200-meter dash but improved by one place to finish in fourth place in the finals with a time of 26.15 seconds.
Avery Holmes earned a bronze medal in the 800-meter run, with a sectional berth after crossing the finish line in 2:32.43. Julia Pattison was the final sectional qualifier in the 3,200-meter run, doing so with a fourth-place time of 13:20.98.
Payton Reber just missed the mark with a fifth-place finish in 14:10.29, wrapping up her freshman campaign with a solid outing. She also took eighth place in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 6:12.94.
Hailey Peters moved on in the 100 and 300-meter hurdles, crossing the finish line in 17.38 seconds and 51.18, respectively. Peters was also on the third place 4x100-meter relay team – along with Sophie Grier, Ahlanna Rutherford and Baker – that crossed the finish line in 50.97 seconds.
Julia Pattison earned fourth place in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 13:20.98.
That was one of three Lady Blue Jay relays that qualified for sectionals as the 4x400 and 4x800 both finished in second place with season best times of 4:19.26 and 10:16.07, respectively. Maddie McMillan, Blair McHenry and Holmes were on both teams as Baker filled out the 4x400 and Pattison was on the 4x800.
Rutherford also had success as an individual, claiming fourth place in the high jump. The senior cleared a 4-11-foot bar.
Addison Bailey and Laura Hill both finished in the top-4 in field events to continue their season. Bailey took fourth place in the triple jump with a leap of 32-05.75 feet and Hill cleared the 8-06.25-foot bar to end in second place.
West Platte had a promising outing at districts and select athletes will move on to sectionals. That meet will be at Plattsburg High School on May 13.