Coming off a successful state run in 2021, the Platte County track and field team had a more challenging time this season after moving from Class 4 to Class 5, but senior Chandler Steinmeir led the way with a silver medal in the 300-meter hurdles.
Platte County senior Chandler Steinmeir took second place in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 39.14 seconds at the Class 5 State Meet at Jefferson City High School on May 28.
In a harder district, sectional and state track meets, Platte County traveled to the Class 5 State Meet at Jefferson City to compete in eight total events on May 27 and 28. Steinmeir was the only individual Pirate that medalled – along with the Platte County boys’ 4x100-meter relay team – after the senior took first-place in prelims in 39.58 seconds.
“The atmosphere is amazing here being a senior, so it was fun to soak it in and great to come away with a second-place medal,” Platte County senior Chandler Steinmeir said about his experience at state and the impact of his famous facial hair. “I think the mustache helped a lot, everyone can see me with it on the track.”
Steinmeir was even faster the second day, which was when the finals races took place, to finish in 39.14 seconds and earn a silver medal. The race was close, and the Pirate had to turn on the wheels at the end as Steinmeir finished 0.04 seconds behind the winner and 0.03 seconds ahead of the third-place finisher.
“I saw that I was kind of behind in the corner and the corner is where I really like to go out and beat people, but it didn’t really happen there. I realized once I got in the final stretch that I needed to kick it in, so I gave it all that I’ve got and went from fourth or fifth place to second,” Steinmeir said.
Reese Pickett and Maya Sullivan made their return to state in field events but had less success this go-round after Platte County was bumped up from Class 4 to Class 5. Pickett competed in the triple jump and Sullivan competed in the pole vault.
Sullivan was the 2021 Class 4 state champion in the pole vault with a 3.47-meter vault but was unable to stand at the middle of the field at Jefferson City High School in the aftermath of the state event this season. The senior’s prolific high school career came to a close with a 3.05-meter vault that ended her in 12th place.
As her junior year has ended, Pickett has now competed in all three jumping events at state. In her sophomore campaign last spring, the Lady Pirate finished in fifth place in the high jump and 10th place in the long jump.
Pickett qualified in the triple jump this year, leaping as far as 34-09.50 feet to earn 12th place. She was unable to finish top-8 to earn a medal, but will have another chance next season.
Sisely Mitchell made her first trip to state as an individual – after qualifying on last spring’s 4x800-meter relay team – and ran slower times than the sophomore is typically accustomed to. Mitchell took 16th place in the 1,600-meter run in 5:36.87 and ended in 13th place in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 12:02.47.
Victor Sewankambo was unable to get out of the prelim 100-meter dash, finishing in 16th place in 11.77 seconds. Sewankambo was joined by Nathan Walls, Trevor Scott and Cole Rhoden in the 4x100-meter relay that earned sixth place with a time of 42.84 seconds.
The Platte County girls’ 4x200-meter team of Hannah Mand, Riley Smith, Triton Davey and Molly McBratney finished in 14th place in the prelims with a time of 1:48.45. While Platte County ended the season with less points at state than it has in the past, the Pirates will look to use experience from this spring into next year.