The Emporia High track and field team will be sending a rather sizable delegation of athletes to the State track and field meet this weekend, and when State championships are the topic of discussion, it usually begins on the girls side.
The Lady Spartans have a State qualifier in every event except for one — the 100-meter dash — and several athletes are expected to challenge for State titles once they arrive in Wichita.
Senior Layne Moore will look to defend her titles in both the 400-meter dash and the 800-meter run, as will junior Michaela Reynolds in the 3,200 and Samantha Kraft in the pole vault.
Other Lady Spartans who could break through to win titles are Angela Finch in the 100-meter hurdles, the 4x400 relay team of Heather Coe, Finch, Lindy Arndt and Moore, and the 4x800 relay team of Coe, Makenzie Harder, Kelsey Camien and Moore.
On the boys side, senior Eric Dorsey enters the State meet expecting to challenge for the discus title with a strong performance, and junior Jacob Davies has the top time in Class 5A this season in the 800-meter run (1:56.50), which he ran at last week’s Regional in Emporia.
Brandon Childs also could fare well in both the high jump and the triple jump after setting school records in both events at the Regional meet.
The surrounding area also will be sending a massive amount of athletes to the State meet.
While the list numbers more than 60 athletes from the area, several expected to contend for State titles include the Burlingame boys 4x800 relay squad, Waverly’s Matt Coursen (110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles), Burlington’s Katie Guevel (100, 200, 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles), Madison’s Jordan Stout (long jump), Waverly’s Heath Redding (javelin), the Waverly boys 4x400-meter relay squad and Olpe’s Sharon Zeller (1,600, 3,200).