By DELBERT PETERS

Staff writer

Goessel athletes Brittney Hiebert and Zach Wiens each placed in the top five Friday and Saturday at the state track meet in Wichita.

Hiebert claimed third place in an 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 27 seconds.

“I knew I had to get out early, because I was starting in lane eight,” she said.

She found herself in the front pack as the field merged into the backstretch. As the athletes finished the first lap, Hiebert was running in third place. With 300 meters to go, the freshman made a move for first place.

In the last 100 meters, two sprinters passed Hiebert. She fought off a third runner to medal with her best time of the season.

“I gave it my all,” Hiebert said.

She was all smiles.

She placed fifth in the 1,600.

As the leaders began to separate themselves from the rest of the field, Hiebert was running fourth or fifth for much of the race. She finished with time of 5:38.83 seconds to win her first state medal.

Wiens, a junior, placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles on Friday.

“Joni Smith (coach) and Brian Lightner (former hurdler, Athletic Director) both told me to look down the track at the next hurdle and not coast over each hurdle,” Wiens said. “That helped me.”

He finished with a time of 16.19 seconds.

In high jump, Olivia Duerksen cleared 4 feet 8 inches for 13th place.

Hiebert ran the 400 preliminary race in 63.40 seconds, placing 11th.

Zach Wiens ran the 300 hurdles in 44.95 seconds for 13th place.

Erin Brubaker completed her senior year by placing 16th in the 300 hurdles with at 55.55 seconds.

Aleena Cook placed 16th in the 200 at 29.18.

Jennifer Meysing ran the 3,200 in 14:31.30 placing 16th.

Rachel Manis, Julia Nightengale, Jennifer Meysing and Lauren Rymill ran the girls 4x800 in 11:28.56 to take 14th.