2009 Pre-Season Track Notes

CUNNINGHAM, the defending Class 1A boys track and field champion, returns all four sprinters to its state titlist 4x100-meter relay team. Seniors James Patton (pictured), the anchor, Jarrett Ziegler, Grant Kerschen and sophomore Kyle Kerschen ran the relay in 44.5 seconds last May. Patton (McPherson) and Kerschen (Hutch CC), stars in the Cunningham backfield last fall, have signed to play college football next year. Track and Field Notes: - BUHLER senior Tanya Friesen was a point machine at Class 4A state last spring - helping to account for 26 points. The state champ in the long jump (18'3"), Friesen also placed fourth in the high jump and triple jump and ran the first leg of Buhler's second-place 4x100-meter relay team. - Class 4A distance virtuoso Tom O'Connell of ANDOVER HIGH defends his 3,200-meter state title (9:39.66) after winning the cross country title this past fall. O'Connell also placed second in the 1600 last spring (4:27.79) - WELLINGTON senior J'Lynn Ledesma scored 18 points in two events at 4A state last spring, winning the high jump (5'6") and placing second in the triple jump (36'9.5"). Also a state qualifier last season in the long jump, Ledesma could score more than 20 points at state this spring. - ANDALE junior Ben Horsch surprised the field in the Class 4A state pole vault as a sophomore (14'6"), boosting the Indians to the boys team title. - CHENEY senior Tanner Hageman wraps up a stellar three-sport career this spring after placing third in the 4A state 110-hurdles (:15.03) and fifth in the 300-hurdles (:41.23) last May. - Traditional distance running power EL DORADO branched out into the pole vault at state last spring. Freshman Jamie House vaulted 11'6" to win the 4A state title. Two-time defending Class 6A 400-meter champ Mike Flores (:48.71) leads the return of the MAIZE HIGH 4x400-relay team. With all four runners back, including junior Miles Ukaoma who placed third in the individual 400 (:49.09), Maize is the favorite to win the title a year after placing second at state. Track and Field Notes: - Senior Matt Byers of EAST HIGH placed second in the javelin at junior nationals (218'2") last summer after placing second at 6A state (219'8"). Byers, signed with Iowa track for next year, awaits a state rematch against defending champ Johannes Swanepoel of Shawnee Mission South. - DERBY sophomore Meshach Kennedy placed sixth at state in the 110-hurdles (:15.10) last season as a freshman and is leading returner in the event. - Senior Jake Wike of DERBY shaved 20 seconds off his seeding time in the 3,200-meter to win the 6A state title (9:35.42) last season. - HEIGHTS HIGH three-sport star Austin Bahner edged out Maize's Flores to win the 6A triple jump state title last May (45'4.25"). Tiffany Bias, still just a junior, returns to lead the ANDOVER CENTRAL 4x400-relay team which placed second at Class 4A state last spring (4:00.29). Now in 5A, Bias, juniors Kelsey Banwart and Bailey Stallbaumer and senior Stephanie Ginther all return. Bias, the individual champ in the 400 (:57.39) and 200 (:25.79), helped account for 34 points at the 2008 state track meet. Track and Field Notes: - The VALLEY CENTER distance duo of Brooke Vining and Page Miller continues its streak through Class 5A. Perennial placers in the 3,200-meter and 1,600-meter runs and state cross country, the juniors each placed in the top 7 in both races at state track last spring. - A state qualifier in four events at the state track meet last spring, senior Sarina Proctor of WINFIELD placed second in the 100-meter dash (:12.56) and sixth in the 200 (:26.95). - CARROLL sophomore Nathan Arnold placed third in the Class 5A state pole vault (14'6") as a freshman. - Seniors Grant Loescher (:22.46, 200; :10.82, 100) and Nathaniel Martens (:23.03), both placers individually in the 200-meter dash, return to the Newton 4x100-relay team (:42.30), which placed second at 5A state last spring.