Area athletes wrap up strong first day at State track and field meet
State track and field championships in Wichita
By Michael Ashford
Originally published 07:47 a.m., May 26, 2007
Updated 05:25 p.m., May 25, 2007
WICHITA -- Four area athletes have won State titles on the first day of action at the State track and field championships.
Olpe's Sharon Zeller began the day by winning the Class 1A girls 3,200-meter run in a time of 12 minutes, 6.11 seconds over Tipton's Megan Hake (12:20.46).
Northern Heights' Jacquelyne Leffler won the Class 3A girls shot put title with a State record throw of 46 feet, 6 3/4 inches. Leffler broke the previous State record on five of her six attempts, with her second throw in the finals setting the new mark.
Leffler followed her shot put title with a first-place finish in the Class 3A discus with a throw of 148-11.
Leffler now has won State titles in both the shot put and the discus three years in a row.
In the Class 3A boys long jump, Burlington's Tyrel Reed came through with a winning leap of 22-5 1/4.
In the Class 2A girls discus, Lyndon's Andrea Hoke took home the title with a throw of 125-11.
Emporia High saw four athletes take home second places.
Brandon Childs finished second in the Class 5A boys triple jump with a leap of 45-8 1/4, while pole vaulter Caydrick Bloomquist finished as the runner-up in Class 5A with a school-record clearance of 15 feet.
Eric Dorsey was the runner-up in the discus with a throw of 159-06, and Samantha Kraft finished second in the girls pole vault with a final clearance of 10 feet.
Michaela Reynolds came in third in the 3,200-meter run to wrap up first-day action.
For a full recap of the day's events, check out Saturday's Gazette.
The State track and field championships conclude Saturday with the final field events and the running of the finals in the running events.