Staff writer
Hillsboro senior Marah Franz once again became state pole-vaulting champion at Saturday’s state track meet with a height of 10 feet, 6 inches.
Last year, Franz was champion pole-vaulter in 3A. This year, she claimed the 2A title.
Coach Dennis Boldt was excited for Franz’s win.
“I can’t say enough about this young lady,” Boldt said. “She is consistent, hard working, dedicated, and a joy to be around. She will be missed greatly, but we are glad she will still be training on our facility as she attends Tabor College.”
Freshman Wesley Shaw was one of the few who were able to participate Friday before events were shut down due to threatening storms.
“(He) was literally standing in the ring when they postponed it,” Boldt said. “He had to come back the next day.”
Shaw ended up placing fourth in discus and ninth in shot put, which Boldt said was a great accomplishment for his first year at state.
“He is another example of a hard working kid,” Boldt said. “Standing on the medal stand as a freshman, looking up at the largest crowd in any state competition is pretty awe-inspiring. He is well deserving of his accomplishments, but I guarantee you he is looking for more.”
Others who placed in the top ten at state included Jon Hinerman in eighth place for the 1600 meter run, and Abby Sechrist in ninth place in the 800 meter run.
“Our kids are fantastic,” Boldt said. “We had some delays and cancelations, but relatively speaking, most of the kids had their best day of the year.”
Boldt said the kid’s accomplishments speaks well on their dedication to the sport.
“That’s a week without school that they maintain their training, keep the distractions down,” Boldt said. “That’s a big deal, and I’m very proud of their efforts.”
As for the cancelation of the afternoon activities Friday, Boldt showed support for the decision to call off Friday’s events.
“They’re getting a lot of grief about that, but the thing is, they have thousands of athletes to take care of,” Boldt said. “Instead of complaining, we need to support them the best we can.”