Staff writer
Ideal weather made for good competition, helping athletes set personal records Friday at the James Thomas Invitational meet at Joel Wiens Stadium, Hillsboro coach Dennis Boldt said.
Both the Hillsboro boys’ and girls’ teams placed fourth in the meet, out of 13 teams on the girls’ side and 14 on the boys’ side.
Emily Sechrist dominated the long-distance races, finishing nearly 20 seconds ahead of the field in both the 3,200 and 1,600-meter runs. She finished in 11 minutes, 50.99 seconds in the 3,200, breaking her own meet record.
Sechrist also placed fourth in the 800-meter run, scoring 24 of the team’s 58 points.
Marah Franz scored the other top finish for Hillsboro, winning the pole vault with a vault of 9 feet, 1 inch.
Taylor Vogt scored 12 points in throwing events, placing second in shot put, throwing 33-1, and fourth in discus, 91-2. Morganne Hamm gained the silver in discus, throwing 101-5.
Additionally, Karyn Leihy finished fifth in the 3,200, and Brittany Schale placed sixth in the 1,600.
Brown, Knoll win events for boys’ team
Senior Jesse Brown and junior Grant Knoll were first-place finishers for the boys’ team Friday, with Brown winning the high jump and Knoll in the 3,200.
Brown won with a jump of 6-2, while Knoll finished with a time of 10:48.6. Knoll also placed second in the 1,600, a time of 4:48.63.
Avery Franz tied for the most points with Knoll, placing third in long jump, 20-4; second in triple jump, 41-9.75; and fourth in the 400-meter dash, 54.35.
Cody Craney also contributed with a fifth-place finish in the shot put, rounding out the team’s 48 points.
The teams compete again Thursday at Hesston before the Central Kansas League meet May 15.