News editor
Hillsboro runner Josh Richert won the 1,600-meter run with no time to spare Friday at the Hesston Invitational track meet. Less than a quarter second separated his victory from third place. Richert ran the race in 4 minutes, 52.16 seconds to defeat Jordan Hett of Marion and Drew Hageman of Hesston.
“We talked before his 1,600 and he seemed really calm and focused for the day,” coach Dennis Boldt said. “He knows he has an incredible challenge before him each time he steps on the track because of the quality of runners we have in the distance races this year.”
Richert also won the 800-meter run, but by a bigger margin, crossing the finish line at 2:11.37, more than 8/10 of a second ahead of second place.
Also in the distance races, Grant Knoll placed third in the 3,200, 10:54.12, and fourth in the 1,600, 4:57.98. Avery Franz was third in the 400, 55.42.
Tyler Proffitt won the pole vault at 14 feet, 1 inch, a new personal best. Layne Heiser placed sixth, 9-1. Franz was third in long jump, 19-9, and triple jump, 41-9½.
Matthew Denholm was fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, 18.03 seconds. Jordan Bezdek was fifth in the 110 hurdles, 19.10, and sixth in the 300 hurdles, 45.74.
Richert, Franz, Proffitt, and Micah Mashburn placed second in the 4x400-meter relay, 3:42.14.
Sechrist places 1st, 1st, and 2nd in distance races
Emily Sechrist won the 3,200-meter run with a time of 12:12.40 and the 1,600, 5:34.85. She also placed second in the 800, 2:36.66.
“Emily is a pacesetter; she could not drop behind the other runners due to her quick pace in the 1,600, so she expended a lot of energy in her first race today,” Boldt said. “This shows just how quickly she can recover and how strong she is as she placed second in the 800 and led start-to-finish in the 3,200.”
Ashley Bartel was fourth in pole vault at 8-6. Heather Mayfield was fifth in high jump, 4-6. Taylor Vogt was fourth in shot put, 31-6.
Mayfield, Kennedy Klein, Tara Proffitt, and Marah Franz placed fourth in the 4x400-meter relay, 4:52.77. Bartel, Proffitt, Klein, and Rhonda Rogers placed fifth in the 4x100 relay, 57.11.
Next up for the team is the Central Kansas League meet Thursday at Sterling College. Regionals are May 17 in Marion.