SIGOURNEY

On a rainy day in Sigourney the Hillcrest boys and girls track and field teams made their mark at this year’s state qualifiers.

The Class 1A State Qualifying meet took place at Cobra Field last Thursday and it ended up being a great day to be a Raven, as they qualified for state in seven events. 

Girls results 

Competing in a field of 14, Hillcrest scored 68 points to finish 4th in the team standings. Pekin won the team title with a first place score of 103. 

In order to automatically qualify for state an individual or team must place first in their respective events and for Rya Scott, she put together a trio of first place performances. 

“We didn’t know what to expect going into the state qualifier meet since Rya was not able to train the entire week prior due to pain in her knee.” Hillcrest coach Marty Gingerich said.  

Scott, a sophomore, out ran everyone in three running events, placing 1st in the 100m (12.91), the 200m (27.27),and the 400m (1:03.25). Her time in the 100m is a new personal best.  

“Rya has had an excellent season bringing her times down in all of her sprint events and getting further in her long jumps,” coach Gingerich said. 

She had to wait the next day for official confirmation but Scott’s 4th place finish in the long jump (15-09.50) was far enough for her to earn her fourth and final state bid. 

Also competing in the long jump was Delaney Shaw, who produced a new personal best jump of 15-06.75 to place 5th. Also for the first time Shaw raced the 800m, finishing in 3:03.26 to place 12th. 

Marie Yoder, a Hillcrest freshman, also procured a first place finish to earn the right to compete at state. Yoder set a new personal best with her winning time of 11:17.75 in the 3000m. Teammate Siena Stanerson also competed in the 3000m, placing 4th in 11:47.42.  

“Marie has shown steady improvement throughout the season building from her success in cross country last fall,” coach Gingerich said. “She is confident and has a competitive spirit which really helps her when she is racing.”    

Yoder and Stanerson also raced in the 1500m, placing 2nd and 6th respectively with times of 5:21.23 and 5:42.73. Yoder missed out on a second bid to state by missing the qualifying cutoff by less than two seconds. 

In the shot put sophomore Niva Helmuth set a new PR with a throw of 28-03.50 to place 11th. Her throw was more than two feet further than her previous PR. 

Up next for Scott and Yoder is competing in the COED State Track and Field Meet at Drake Stadium in Des Moines taking place from May 16-18. 

Boys results

At the state qualifiers Hillcrest was represented by three Ravens. When it was all said and done they scored 23.5 team points to place 11th in the final standings and qualified for state in two events. 

 Winning the long jump state qualifier gold was sophomore Owen Scott. 

Scott won the long jump event by one inch, setting a new personal best with 21-06.00. This is the second straight year Scott has qualified for state in the long jump. 

“Owen is definitely a talented jumper.  This year he was also hampered by an injury but has managed that well to be ready when it counted the most,” coach Gingerich said. “The jumps can be very unpredictable yet Owen has become more consistent in his long jump as the season has progressed.”

Scott ended up being a double state qualifier, placing 2nd in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6-00.00. Kale Bailey also competed in the high jump, clearing the bar at 5-08.00 to tie for sixth. 

Bailey also raced in three running events. He ran in the 100m, the 200m, and the 400m. His best finish came in the 400m, placing sixth in 58.35 

In the longer distance running events Hillcrest was represented by Braden Hartsock. He raced in the 1600m and the 3000m. His time of 5:44.12 in the 1600m was a new personal best and gave him a 13th place finish.

Girls results, *=Hillcrest state qualifier 

100m: 1, *Rya Scott, Hillcrest, 12.91; 14, Morgyn Nafziger, Hillcrest, 14.50

200m: 1, *Rya Scott, Hillcrest, 27.27; 6, Niva Helmuth, Hillcrest, 29.49

400m: 1, *Rya Scott, Hillcrest, 1:03.25

800m: 1, Alaina Gourley, Danville, 2:28.76; 12, Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 3:03.26

1500m: 1, Chloe Glosser, Pekin, 5:08.15; 2, Marie Yoder, Hillcrest, 5:21.23; 6, Siena Stanerson, Hillcrest, 5:42.73

3000m: 1, *Marie Yoder, Hillcrest, 11:17.75; 4, Siena Stanerson, Hillcrest, 11:47.42

4x100m relay: 1, Lone Tree, 51.85; 10, Hillcrest (Morgyn Nafziger, Niva Helmuth, Natalie Meganathan, Delaney Shaw), 58.62

4x200m: 1, Lone Tree, 1:50.78; 10, Hillcrest (Morgyn Nafziger, Niva Helmuth, Natalie Meganathan, Delaney Shaw), 2:06.24

Long jump: 1, Kenna Furnald, Danville, 17-01.50; 4, *Rya Scott, Hillcrest, 15-09.50; 5, Delaney Shaw, Hillcrest, 15-06.75

Shot put: 1, Anna Hadley, Pekin, 37-04.75; 11, Niva Helmuth, Hillcrest, 28-03.50

Boys results, *=Hillcrest state qualifier 

100m: 1, Ayden Doyle, Danville, 11.18; 18, Kale Bailey, Hillcrest, 12.57 

200m: 1, Ayden Doyle, Danville, 22.66; 14, Kale Bailey, Hillcrest, 25.75

400m: 1, Andy Knockel, N Mahaska, 52.10; 6, Kale Bailey, Hillcrest, 58.35

1600m: 1, Brady McWhirter, Pekin, 4:37.54; 13, Braden Hartsock, Hillcrest, 5:44.12

3200m: 1, Brady McWhirter, Pekin, 10:14.00; 8, Braden Hartsock, Hillcrest, 12:22.65

High jump: 1, Garrett Watts, Montezuma, 6-01.00; 2, *Owen Scott, Hillcrest, 6-00.00; 6, Kale Bailey, Hillcrest, 5-08.00

Long jump: 1, *Owen Scott, Hillcrest, 21-06.00