With three of the same four runners in both relay teams, the Park Hill South boys’ track and field team medaled at the Class 5 State Meet in the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams at Jefferson City High School on May 28.
Park Hill South junior Briggs Bartosh was the lead leg in the Panthers’ 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams that earned medals at the Class 5 State Meet at Jefferson City High School on May 28.
Briggs Bartosh, Troy Mosby and Shane Smith were on both relays – with the 4x100 being filled in with Charles Noland and the 4x200 having Noah Beckert – and the potential to make it back next year is already high. The 4x100-meter relay team took eighth place when it crossed the finish line in 43.57 seconds and will have all four returners in 2022.
“It’s a good feeling to know how far we have come from last year,” Park Hill South sophomore and anchor Shane Smith said. “Going from dead last in sectionals and to be the eighth best in the state this year, making it to finals and knowing we have the entire same team next year is great.”
The Panthers’ 4x200-meter relay team had a slightly better finish at state, taking sixth place with a time of 1:29.42. Bartosh, who is the lead leg in both relays, told the Platte County Citizen what his junior experience was like at state and what his expectations are for his senior season.
“It’s an honor, running in two different events at state and being top-8 in both is amazing,” Bartosh said. “In the 4x100, we have two sophomores and two juniors so next year we have all of us back and we’re taking first place at state.”
Beckert was a senior this season, so his spot in the 4x200-meter relay will have to be filled for Park Hill South next spring. Bartosh’s confidence and leadership has helped inspire Smith and the rest of the Panther relay athletes.
“It’s motivating and is definitely nice to have people like that in practice to push me. He (Briggs) sets the tone well for our races and I think we will be great again next season,” Smith said.