Park Hill South’s T.J. McGhee earned all-state honors in the pole vault to cap off his junior campaign.
PARKVILLE – Six athletes from Park Hill South return after qualifying in individual events to the 2023 Class 5 State Track and Field Meet and expect to do that again, hoping to have more teammates join them.
Park Hill South also had two relays qualify for state, missing the podium in both. The girls’ 4x800 had a better finish there, placing 12th in 9:56.85, a solid 15.23 seconds too slow for all-state honors.
The boys’ 4x200 had a shot at a gold medal – having the same lineup from the sixth-place finish in 2022 return – but was disqualified after dropping the baton in preliminaries. Shane Smith, who was 0.59 seconds shy of qualifying for the finals in the 400-meter dash, and Charles Noland have previous all-state relay hardware.
T.J. McGhee ended his junior season on a high note, finding his way to the podium in the pole vault. He matched his sectional jump of 13’9”, which was good enough for eighth place and a state medal.
“I’m really excited for next season,” McGhee said at the 2023 Class 5 State Meet. “I just want to come out and try to play as high as I can next year.”
Junior Lauren Smith also vaulted and is expecting to set the program record in the event in the aftermath of an 11th place finish with a 9’7.5” state vault. Madilynn Conklin leads the way for the talented long-distance runners.
“I’m looking forward to what Thomas Garrett will do in the 1,600 and 3,200,” Park Hill South head track and field coach Chris Leibrand said. “He had a promising cross-country season earning All-State Honors. We’re also going to have a decent distance crew led by senior Tanner Clippard.”
Garrett earned his first high school state medal in the fall and is looking to keep it rolling this spring, following a 12th place state finish in the 3,200-meter run as a freshman in 2023. Conklin was not only on the state caliber 4x800 as a freshman, but she also took 14th place in the 1,600-meter run and is a two-time all-state cross-country runner.
“I hope for a returning girls’ 4X800 relay this year to the state track and field meet. I believe they are going to be better than last year,” Leibrand said.
Senior Zeshaun Balance-Gray was the 10th best triple jumper in the state last year, but seven of the nine who were better than him have graduated. Balance-Gray has had multiple college track and field offers and will also compete in long jump for the Panthers.
Cole James, Grant Windmeyer, Drew Franklin and Zachary Hilzinger are experienced runners to keep an eye out for. Kiros Martin and Marcil Milner are looking to build off impressive football seasons and show their skills in the field events this spring.
For the Lady Panthers Addison Bjorn is a reigning district champion in the 400-meter dash and just missed out of a sectional berth in the high jump. Addison Grimm, Melanie Puszczak and Lauren Bishard had impressive district performances last year too.