By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Jacquelyne Leffler definitely saved her best for last and salvaged her place in the Kansas track and field record books Saturday.
The Northern Heights senior trailed by nearly a foot in the shot put with one more attempt left at track immortality. After having claimed a fourth-straight discus title Friday, Leffler took one last spin, and gave a final heave to stake her claim as one of the finest throwers in the history of Kansas high school track and field.
Her final attempt landed 44-feet, 7 ¼ inches away, surpassing Hayli Bozarth’s (Norton) best bid of an upset at 44-1 ½.
“It was a lot of pressure, I’m not going to lie,” Leffler told the Topeka Capital Journal. “Pressure just gives me adrenaline and that’s just what I run on, complete adrenaline.
“I wasn’t nervous. All the reps that I’ve had in the off-season and during the season, I knew I’d be fine. It was just a matter of putting everything together, putting everything in the back of my mind and throwing big.”
Hoping to break the 46-foot barrier at state competition, Leffler led going into the finals with a throw of only 42-7. She pushed one out beyond 43 on her next-to-last throw before coming through in the clutch. She became the second girl in state competition to win four-straight shot put and discus titles.
Four-Time Champions
Terrance Thomas was unbeatable Friday and Saturday. The Shawnee Mission East senior had a hand in 40 points in leading the Lancers to a 6A runner-up team finish with 73 points – just behind the 77 ½ points Sunflower League foe Shawnee Mission South put up.
Thomas struck gold in the 100 meters (10.53), 200 meters (21.81) and ran legs on the winning 4x100 relay (42.41) and 4x400 relay (3:18.80).
Scott City’s Trace Kendrick was just as dominating. The senior outraced the 3A field in the 800 meters (1:58.35), 1,600 meters (4:25.20), 3,200 meters (9:40.38) and ran a leg on the winning 4x400 relay (3:28.06). The Beaver 4x800 meter relay team also struck gold as Scott City won the boys 3A state title with 82 points.
Freshman Sensation
Peabody-Burns freshman Lauren Pickens couldn’t have started her state track career any better. The Warrior sprinter took home gold medals in the 2A 100 meters (12.22), 200 meters (25.93) and 400 meters (58.40).
Plainville’s Aubrey Frederking took over where Pickens left off. The senior won the 2A 800 meters (2:21.74), 1,600 meters (5:21.07) and 3,200 meters (11:50.25).
Three-Time Champions
* Kansas City-Washington’s Letristan Pledger tore up the 5A track by winning the 100 meters (12.36), 200 meters (26.22) and the 100 hurdles (15.02).
* Jeremy and Jonathan Walker led Bonner Springs to a 5A runner-up finish behind Emporia by winning two individual events each and helping the Braves 4x100 relay (41.64) win a gold medal in state record time.
Jeremy struck gold in the 100 meters (10.64) and long jump (22-3). Jonathan did the same in the 200 meters (22.33) and 110 hurdles (14.36).
* Heather Garcia claimed gold in the 4A 1,600 meters (5:05.97), 3,200 meters (11:09.45) and helped the Bulldog 4x800 relay (9:41.09) to a championship.
* Andale’s Ethan Ungles had a hand in 30 points for the Indians by winning the 4A 100 meters (10.88) and 200 meters (22.64) and running the anchor leg on the winning 4x100 relay (43.54).
* Thomas More Prep’s Kim Haberman struck gold in the 3A 100 meters (12.30) and the long jump (17-2) and triple jump (37-2 1/2).
* Craig Banman went home with gold medals in the 1A 200 meters (23.06), 300 hurdles (40.34) and ran anchor on the winning 4x400 relay (3:29.09).
* West Elk’s Sonny Lee was crowned champion in the 2A 200 meters (23.04), 400 meters (49.03) and the high jump (6-4).
Team Champions
Boys: Shawnee Mission South (6A), Emporia (5A), Andale (4A), Scott City (3A), West Elk (2A) and Cunningham (1A)
Girls: Olathe East (6A), St. Thomas Aquinas (5A), Concordia (4A), Norton (3A), Rawlins County (2A) and South Barber (1A).
Record Breakers
6A: Audacia Moore’s winning time of 11.77 in the 100 meters broke the old record of 11.80 set by Great Bend’s Tisa Johnson in 1983. Leavenworth bettered the 4x100 relay state meet mark of 47.78 it set a season ago when Karina Expose, Bayzell Davis and Lashada Sims teamed with LaQuecia Parker to win the event in 47.55.
5A: Emporia pole vaulter Samantha Kraft reestablished the Class 5A record in the event by notching an 11-2 vault, bettering the old mark of 11-1 by Emmy Lehman of Gardner-Edgerton set last year. The Bonner Springs boys 4x100 relay replaced Liberal’s 1997 state record time of 42.03 with a 41.64 clocking Saturday.
Gardner-Edgerton’s Isaac Mallory bettered the 15-9 mark Jeramy Mull of Winfield set in the 5A pole vault in 1994 by soaring over the bar at 16-feet.
4A: Concordia’s 4x400 relay won the event in a record time of 3:59.26, bettering the old mark of 3:59.65 set by Concordia a year ago. Tonganoxie’s Roxi Grizzle bettered the field with a record throw of 165-5 in the javelin, knocking out the 164-6 mark Kendra Wecker set back in 2000.
3A: Northern Heights’ Jacquelyne Leffler won the discus with a state record mark of 157-7, breaking Belleville stand out Marlea Woodman’s old mark of 151-8 set in 1995.
2A: Maranatha’s Zachary Zarda topped the 2A field, and the rest of the state field, when he bettered Sterling runner Kaleb Humphrey’s 2007 record of 9:29.63 in the 3,200 meters with a time of 9:26.72. Bennington’s Lawson Montgomery won the 2A 110 hurdles with a 14.23 clocking, bettering Brian Goodheart’s (Greenburg) 1986 mark.
ALL-CLASS TOP PERFORMERS
Below are the top seven marks in each event, regardless of class.
Boys
100 Meters
Terrance Thomas, Shawnee Mission East, 10.53
Jeremy Walker, Bonner Springs, 10.64
Dominique Banks, Kansas City-Turner, 10.80
Duone Maxwell, Kansas City-Washington, 10.82
Grant Loescher, Newton, 10.82
Ethan Ungles, Andale, 10.88
Demarcus Robinson, Wichita Northwest, 10.88
200 Meters
Terrance Thomas, Shawnee Mission East, 21.81
Richard McCoy, Blue Valley West, 22.29
Jonathan Walker, Bonner Springs, 22.33
Mike Flores, Maize, 22.41
Dominique Banks, Kansas City-Turner, 22.41
Grant Loescher, Newton, 22.46
Duone Maxwell, Kansas City-Washington, 22.47
400 Meters
Mike Flores, Maize, 48.71
Dylan Hartnett, Dodge City, 48.97
Sonny Lee, West Elk, 49.03
Miles Ukaoma, Maize, 49.09
Dominique Banks, Kansas City-Turner, 49.69
Dustin Schmitz, Concordia, 49.70
Clarence Anderson, Wichita Southeast, 49.84
800 Meters
Jacob Davies, Emporia, 1:56.57
Tyrell Everett, Wichita Heights, 1:56.92
Derrick Perry, Topeka West, 1:56.99
Ben Schmitz, Olathe East, 1:57.44
Scott Gillespie, Shawnee Mission South, 1:57.54
James Carter, Bonner Springs, 1:58.08
Dillon Cowing, Clay Center, 1:58.12
1,600 Meters
Robbie Garcia, Wichita Northwest, 4:24.56
Scott Gillespie, Shawnee Mission South, 4:25.00
Trace Kendrick, Scott City, 4:25.20
James Wilson, Abilene, 4:25.40
Ben Loats, Blue Valley, 4:26.53
Zachary Zarda, Maranatha, 4:27.15
Jared Ellsworth, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 4:27.76
3,200 Meters
Zachary Zarda, Maranatha, 9:26.72
Jake Wilke, Derby, 9:35.42
Jake Taylor, Shawnee Mission South, 9:35.68
Kyle Hanson, St. Thomas Aquinas, 9:36.35
Carrington Crum, Valley Center, 9:39.19
Ben Loats, Blue Valley, 9:39.36
Tom O’Connell, Andover, 9:39.66
110 Hurdles
Aaron Sawyer, Shawnee Mission North, 14.21
Lawson Montgomery, Bennington, 14.23
Jonathan Walker, Bonner Springs, 14.36
Garrick Jordan, Shawnee Mission North, 14.54
Brian Woods, Olathe Northwest, 14.57
Keith Hayes, Wichita Southeast, 14.59
Andrew Pennington, Shawnee Mission East, 14.67
300 Hurdles
Evan Mesh, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 38.77
Andrew Pennington, Shawnee Mission East, 38.85
Lawson Montgomery, Bennington, 39.03
Zach Roberts, Newton, 39.19
Ryan Haswell, Andover, 39.23
Todd McKown, Valley Center, 39.42
Cliff Burdick, Dodge City, 39.56
4x100 Relay
Bonner Springs, 41.64
Newton, 42.30
Topeka Highland Park, 42.39
Shawnee Mission East, 42.41
Wichita Heights, 42.42
Olathe South, 42.43
Great Bend, 42.75
4x400 Relay
Shawnee Mission East, 3:18.80
Shawnee Heights, 3:21.75
Maize, 3:22.54
Shawnee Mission Northwest, 3:23.68
Olathe North, 3:24.31
Gardner-Edgerton, 3:24.43
Hutchinson, 3:24.69
4x800 Relay
Shawnee Mission West, 8:02.47
St. Thomas Aquinas, 8:02.69
Shawnee Mission South, 8:05.51
Olathe East, 8:05.89
Topeka West, 8:06.99
Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel, 8:12.50
Manhattan, 8:14.53
High Jump
Brandon Childs, Emporia, 6-8
Nick Canton, Fowler, 6-8
Curran Darling, Shawnee Mission East, 6-6
Michael Hollembeak, St. James, 6-6
Chase Keyser, Galena, 6-6
Collin Childs, Blue Valley, 6-6
James Caraway, Topeka Highland Park, 6-6
Trevor Miller, Royal Valley, 6-6
Taylor Buck, Medicine Lodge, 6-6
Pole Vault
Isaac Mallory, Gardner-Edgerton, 16-0
Nico Yoch, Shawnee Mission North, 15-6
Tim Malcolm, Lawrence Free State, 14-6
Caydrick Bloomquist, Emporia, 14-6
Ben Horsch, Andale, 14-6
Nathan Arnold, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 14-6
Scott Duesing, Garden City, 14-0
Michael Baalmann, Andale, 14-0
Bryon Bridges, Halstead, 14-0
Brent Bergman, Baileyville B&B, 14-0
Javelin
Johannes Swanepoel, Shawnee Mission South, 221-2
Matthew Byers, Wichita East, 219-8
Jesse Vaughn, Shawnee Heights, 204-2
Calvin Hughes, Scott City, 185-3
Dustin Weissbeck, Topeka Hayden, 184-7
Jordan Broxterman, Frankfort, 182-0
Mark Kolmer, Emporia, 181-8
Discus
Justin Holmes, Shawnee Mission South, 180-9
Braden Wilson, Smith Center, 171-6
Joe Bach, Liberal, 171-0
Jordan Voelker, Newton, 161-8
Tracy Ford, Cunningham, 160-10
Zack Puetz, Garden Plain, 159-8
T.J. Hawkins, Goodland, 158-9
Colten Viers, Little River, 158-9
Long Jump
Richard McCoy, Blue Valley West, 24-0
Joe Stephens, Paola, 23-1 3/4
Andre Linzy, De Soto, 23-0 3/4
Jawanza Poland, Wichita East, 22-11 1/2
Mikel Bethea, Chase, 22-5 1/2
Dillon Richardson, Sedgwick, 22-4
Jeremy Walker, Bonner Springs, 22-3 1/2
Triple Jump
Reggie Scott, Axtell, 46-4 1/2
Brandon Childs, Emporia, 46-0 3/4
Andre Linzy, De Soto, 45-10 1/2
Matt Sittenauer, Mill Valley, 45-10
Austin Bahner, Wichita Heights, 45-4 1/4
Mike Flores, Maize, 44-11
Cameron Taylor, Bishop Miege, 44-10 3/4
Shot Put
Zack Puetz, Garden Plain, 56-4
Zach Bahr, Topeka Seaman, 55-1
John Binning, Rawlins County, 54-6 1/4
Jordan Voelker, Newton, 54-4 1/4
Justin Holmes, Shawnee Mission South, 53-7
Jerimiah Wingate, Richmond-Central Heights, 53-3
Tracy Ford, Cunningham, 53-2
Girls
100 Meters
Audacia Moore, Wichita Heights, 11.77
Sylvia Alexander, Wichita Southeast, 11.94
Shamoya Pruitt, Wichita South, 11.99
Breeana Coleman, Olathe East, 11.99
Chelsey Borders, Olathe East, 12.02
Lashada Sims, Leavenworth, 12.22
Lauren Pickens, Peabody-Burns, 12.22
200 Meters
Audacia Moore, Wichita Heights, 25.45
Karina Expose, Leavenworth, 25.72
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central, 25.79
Ashley Smith, Paola, 25.88
Sylvia Alexander, Wichita Southeast, 25.89
Lashada Sims, Leavenworth, 25.92
Lauren Pickens, Peabody-Burns, 25.93
400 Meters
Tiffany Bias, Andover Central, 57.39
Kristina Taylor, Lawrence, 57.67
Kristen Gillespie, Shawnee Mission South, 57.76
Karina Expose, Leavenworth, 58.19
Lauren Pickens, Peabody-Burns, 58.40
Kay Riedl, El Dorado, 58.49
Hannah Rotolo, Liberal, 58.60
800 Meters
Laura Nightengale, El Dorado, 2:14.58
Heather Garcia, Baldwin, 2:15.29
Kristen Gillespie, Shawnee Mission South, 2:15.55
Laura Roxberg, Blue Valley Northwest, 2:15.67
Emilee Morris, Hutchinson, 2:17.90
Hannah Stradinger, Shawnee Mission East, 2:19.95
Whitney Hartman, Mill Valley, 2:20.56
1,600 Meters
Laura Roxberg, Blue Valley Northwest, 5:01.61
Emilee Morris, Hutchinson, 5:03.85
Marley Crusch, Manhattan, 5:04.06
Heather Garcia, Baldwin, 5:05.97
Cali George, Gardner-Edgerton, 5:08.12
Lisa Imgrund, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 5:11.83
Katie Mona, Olathe Northwest, 5:13.74
3,200 Meters
Marley Crusch, Manhattan, 10:59.78
Heather Garcia, Baldwin, 11:09.45
Laura Roxberg, Blue Valley Northwest, 11:11.07
Michaela Reynolds, Emporia, 11:13.80
Cali George, Gardner-Edgerton, 11:20.73
Breanna Briggs, Wamego, 11:32.11
Kaley Temaat, Dodge City, 11:34.67
100 Hurdles
Alex Muff, Concordia, 14.80
Witney Sorell, Concordia, 14.85
Kasha McDougald, Junction City, 14.88
Brittany Harding, Olathe South, 15.02
Letristan Pledger, Kansas City-Washington, 15.02
Caitlyn Murray, Great Bend, 15.13
Cara Barnes, Douglass, 15.17
300 Hurdles
Emily Ballock, Eudora, 44.83
Storm Simons, Shawnee Mission North, 45.32
Clarissa Johnson, Gardner-Edgerton, 45.38
Witney Sorell, Concordia, 45.94
Tyler Sloan, Sumner Academy, 46.06
Jill Kurtz, Chapman, 46.06
Alex Muff, Concordia, 46.08
4x100 Relay
Leavenworth, 47.55
Olathe East, 47.84
Topeka High, 48.54
Wichita Heights, 49.34
Kansas City-Piper, 49.37
Buhler, 49.59
Andover Central, 49.85
4x400 Relay
Concordia, 3:59.26
Leavenworth, 3:59.37
Topeka Washburn Rural, 3:59.85
Andover Central, 4:00.29
Wichita Southeast, 4:01.62
Shawnee Mission South, 4:04.41
Lawrence, 4:05.44
4x800 Relay
Shawnee Mission East, 9:36.58
Baldwin, 9:41.09
Shawnee Mission South, 9:41.78
Wamego, 9:44.38
Manhattan, 9:45.85
St. Thomas Aquinas, 9:50.08
Gardner-Edgerton, 9:50.83
Discus
Jacquelyne Leffler, Northern Heights, 157-7
Alex Hartig, Great Bend, 142-9
Jenna Koch, Smoky Valley, 138-8
Hayli Bozarth, Norton, 137-9
Britany Riley, Shawnee Mission West, 132-3
Chey Harper, Leavenworth, 132-2
Dorothy Voth, Hesston, 130-6
High Jump
Allison Mayfield, St. Thomas Aquinas, 5-7
J’Lynn Ledesma, Wellington, 5-6
Emily Lucas, Sublette, 5-6
Ashley Reid, Olathe East, 5-6
Shanise Rice, Medicine Lodge, 5-4
Desiree Wilson, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 5-4
Paige Peltzer, Atchison, 5-4
Shelbi Doehling, Manhattan, 5-4
Long Jump
Abreanna Parker, Shawnee Heights, 18-5
Tanya Friesen, Buhler, 18-3
Ashley Smith, Paola, 18-1 1/2
Moriah Dowding, Jefferson West, 17-7 1/2
Katie Porter, Goddard, 17-5 1/4
Sarah Buschmann, Blue Valley West, 17-4 1/4
Dani Becker, Clearwater, 17-3
Pole Vault
Cassie Craig, Maize, 11-6
Jaimie House, El Dorado, 11-6
Samantha Kraft, Emporia, 11-2
Christen Botteron, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 11-0
Abby Rowland, Andale, 11-0
Linda Kuenzi, Shawnee Mission Northwest, 11-0
Lizzy Schmitz, Andale, 11-0
Haley Bowers, Concordia, 11-0
Shot Put
Kearsten Peoples, Ottawa, 45-2 1/2
Jacquelyne Leffler, Northern Heights, 44-7 1/4
Hayli Bozarth, Norton, 44-1 1/2
Micah Wesley, Topeka High, 43-0
Alex Hartig, Great Bend, 42-11
Roni Grizzle, Tonganoxie, 42-8
Chey Harper, Leavenworth, 42-3
Triple Jump
Sarah Buschmann, Blue Valley West, 38-6
Ashley Reid, Olathe East, 38-2 1/2
Courtney Reinke, Olathe East, 38-0 3/4
Witney Sorell, Concordia, 37-8 1/2
Kim Haberman, Hays-TMP, 37-2 1/2
Katie Bauer, Mill Valley, 36-11 1/4
Sarah Kolmer, Emporia, 36-11 1/4
Javelin
Roxi Grizzle, Tonganoxie, 165-5
Heather Bergmann, Concordia, 157-1
Katelynn Penner, Labette County, 152-3
Hailey Twietmeyer, Cheney, 143-4
Leah Mauer, Bishop Miege, 137-5
Allison Mayfield, St. Thomas Aquinas, 136-3
Barbra Wellner, Girard, 134-11