Park Hill senior high jumper Desire Tonye-Nyemeck was the Class 5 State Track Runner-Up in 2023.
KANSAS CITY – Park Hill is known for having top-notch athletes and has the largest track and field roster since Jason Agee came on staff in 2021, which makes for a promising spring.
Park Hill has talent across the board, but the field events might have the highest ceiling – especially for the boys. Seniors Desire Tonye-Nyemeck and Legend Freelon earned medals in high jump at the 2023 Class 5 State Track and Field Meet.
“We have the second place and eighth place high jumpers in state returning so that will be our strongest event,” Agee said.
Tonye-Nyemeck cleared the 6-8.25” bar at Jefferson City High School, which had never been done before, yet he was the runner-up behind record-setting Poplar Bluff junior Darius Graham who jumped 6’10.25”. Freelon jumped 6’5.5” to be the Trojans’ third all-state high jumper, along with Park Hill alum Kendrick Bell who took third place.
“Our field events are solid, we should be good in the horizontal jumps. Jordan Smith has the best mark for returning javelin throwers,” Agee said.
Smith was the runner-up in districts in the javelin, while he took fourth place in the 100-meter hurdles and sixth place in the long jump on the same day. Smith took fifth place in javelin and eighth place in the hurdles at sectionals.
Landen Julson was an all-district hurdler and will be important for Park Hill, being one of three returners from the 4x400 that made it to sectionals. Miles McFarland and Owen Koski are the other two experienced legs.
“We should be solid in hurdles and sprint relays. Coach (Joseph) Cusack has returned and there will be more of an emphasis on the 4x400 than previous seasons,” Agee said.
Junior James Christopher made it out of districts in the 100-meter dash and was 0.29 seconds behind the fourth-place runner at sectionals. Park Hill’s 4x800 was the only relay team that didn’t get out of districts.
Juniors Jakob Johnston, Hudson Huff, Tristan Jennings and John Mattivi are the Trojans’ most experienced long-distance runners. Manasse Ordeus, Fedrick Marshall, Kaceson Tisdel, Jayden Werst and Jacob Conway all lettered on varsity in 2023.
“Performing well at districts, sectionals and state are keys for this season. Last year we were great at districts but left some points on the track at sectionals. We need to perform our best in the championship season,” Agee said.
The Lady Trojans have medaled in the 4x100 each of the last three years, led by senior Mackenzie Moretina who has been on each one. Jamari Ervin – who announced her track and field commitment to Missouri Western State University ahead of the season – is the only other returner from the reigning conference champion and all-state relay team.
Moretina had a PR in her last 100-meter hurdles of her junior campaign, which was good enough for an eighth-place medal on the biggest stage. Grace Hodge took 15th place at state in the pole vault as a sophomore.
Brooke Boehm earned her first state medal with a fourth-place finish in the long jump as a junior. She qualified in the long jump and the high jump the year before, taking 10th place in both.