INDEPENDENCE – Some of the best athletes in the Kansas City metro area gathered at William Chrisman High School for the Class 5 Sectional 4 Track and Field Meet with a state berth on the line on May 18.
In addition to three relays, Platte County, Park Hill and Park Hill South combined for 19 state qualifiers. Although Platte County is typically in a smaller class than Park Hill and Park Hill South in other sports, the Pirates had the most top-4 finishers with five school records to send two relays and six individuals in nine total events to state.
Senior long-distance gurus Andrew Johnson, Sisely Mitchell and Carmen Gentilia each earned all-sectional honors in individual events. In addition to that, Mitchell was the first leg and Gentilia was the anchor of the second place 4x800 that took second place in a program-best time of 9:38.95 alongside Addison Ayers and Alexia Myer.
The other Platte County relay that made it to state was the boys’ 4x400, which set the school record with a time of 3:18.92 and took third place. That team consists of Brayden Eschliman, Josh Fraker, Jackson Goodale and Connor Currence.
Park Hill senior Desire Tonye-Nyemeck clinched a spot at state after winning the high jump in both district and sectionals.
That wasn’t the only record-breaking relay on the day as Ty Christopher, Adam Gisler, Braiden Stevens and Akande Adeboye crossed the finish line in 42.56 seconds in the 4x100. Unfortunately, the fastest time in Platte County history was only the sixth fastest time on the day.
Johnson was the sectional champion in the 2-mile in 9:22.66 – which set a school record – and the runner-up in the mile in 4:23.39. Johnson took first place in both races the week before at districts as well, having a season best mile time of 4:15.5.
Mitchell added a pair of district championships before going 1-for-2 in individual events at sectionals, becoming the sectional champion in the 800 with a time of 2:17.16. She missed out of state in the 2-mile by less than three seconds as she took fifth place in 11:55.17.
Sophomore Adi Benninghoff has made strides all year long in the 100-meter hurdles, qualifying for state with a fourth place time of 15.69 seconds. The Lady Pirates had two third place throwers: junior Addyson Schlake threw the discus 131’1.25 and freshman Kelly Bullano tossed the javelin 134’7.25, resetting the Platte County record.
Gentilia was the last state qualifier in the mile, earning fourth place in 5:29.41. At state, she will be running against Park Hill South sophomore Madilynn Conklin who took second place in 5:10.79 at sectionals a week after being a district champion.
LaNicia Parker was the only Lady Panther to finish top-4 in two individual events. She took second place in the 300-meter hurdles in 44.34 seconds and second place with a 17’07.75 long jump.
Lauren Smith pole vaulted 11’5.5, earning third place. Audrey Steitz nearly made her first state appearance in the triple jump, taking fifth place in 36’6.25 and being half an inch too short.
The Park Hill South boys killed it in the field events. Coming into the day, seniors Zeshaun Ballance-Gray and Kiros Martin had already captured first place at districts.
Ballance-Gray took first in the triple jump and third in the long jump at districts, having opposite success at sectionals. He had a 20’9.25 triple jump, which was shy of state caliber, and was the sectional champion with a 46’5.5 long jump.
Martin threw the discus 152’11.5, claiming third place. T.J. McGhee took third place in the pole vault for the second straight week, this time clearing 14’5.25.
Carter Zehr missed out in the javelin, despite having a monster throw of 141’2. Thomas Garrett was the only Panther runner and was 5.1 seconds behind a top-4 finish in the 2-mile as he crossed the finish line in 9:42.84.
Park Hill senior Natalie Gerdes was a sectional champion in the 2-mile, crossing the finish line in 11:30.02.
Mackenzie Moretina was the runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.9 seconds, which was almost a second behind her time at districts where she took first. The Lady Trojans’ 4x200 moved on with a third-place, 1:43.68 outing.
Jamari Ervin made it out of districts in the 100, coming up 0.16 seconds shy of making it past sectionals in 12.72 seconds. She was on the 4x100 team that ended in 49.68 seconds and missed out on a fourth straight state appearance by 0.82 seconds.
Brooke Boehm has a shot to bring home some more hardware in the high jump after claiming third place with a 5’2.25 jump. She was 4’5 short of moving on in the long jump, ending in seventh place and Grace Hodge missed in the pole vault by one inch.
The Trojans’ success in the high jump translated on the boys’ side, claiming the first two, and three of the top-4 finishers. Desire Tonye-Nyemeck collected a district championship and a sectional championship en route to another state berth with jumps of 6’9 and 6’4.5, respectively.
A week after taking fourth place with a 6’3 jump, Landen Julson was the runner-up when he cleared 6’4.5. Legend Freelon followed up a second place, 6’5 district jump with a fourth place, 6’3.25 sectional jump.
Jordan Smith took first place in the javelin for the second straight postseason meet with a 181’1 throw. Braylon Agee was the runner-up in the 110-meter hurdles in 14.58 seconds.