By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The home stretch was a home run for Washburn Rural freshman distance standout Payton Fink in Thursday's Class 6A track and field regional at Hummer Sports Park.
Fink rallied from behind in both the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters to edge teammates Rylee Ismert and Madeline Carter as the Junior Blues went 1-2 in both events on the way to a second-place team finish.
Washburn Rural freshman Payton Fink (1) runs alongside teammate Rylee Ismert (3) in the girls 1,600-meter run in Thursday's Class 6A regional. Fink and Ismert finished one-two in a close finish. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Fink finished with a flourish in the 1,600 to win the race in a time of 5 minutes, 35.01 seconds, while Ismert was second in 5:35.02 in a photo finish.
Later in the evening Fink used the same formula to double up in the 3,200 in 11:45.98 while Carter was a strong second in 11:47.01.
"It was a race strategy,'' Fink said with a chuckle. "I think sometimes at the finish it's kind of easier to see your competition (from behind) and drive for that.
"I feel like you just have to go and not think about how much you have left and just let your body take you.''
Fink thought she won the 1,600, one of the closest races of the regional meet, but wasn't 100 percent sure until she found out the final results.
"Barely,'' Fink said. "I didn't know for sure and she's my teammate, she's awesome. My goal was just to qualify and then do what I can at state.''
Fink, Ismert and Carter also helped Washburn Rural quality in the 4 x 800 relay for the May 27-28 state meet in Wichita, teaming with Khloi Bird to post a second-place finish in that race in 10:01.22.
Bird also qualified in the 800 meters with a fourth-place finish in 2:31.30.
"I'm excited (for state),'' Fink said. "I just want to try and get a PR (personal record) and maybe a medal.''
Washburn Rural qualified for state in six events overall, with sophomore Raegen Petersen adding a third regional championship for the Junior Blues with a win in the discus at 120 feet, 9 inches.
Petersen also finished fourth in the javelin (101-60, while Rural teammate Ashley Fitzhugh was third at 102-10.
CLASS 6A REGIONAL TRACK AND FIELD
Girls
Team scores
Manhattan 166.5, Washburn Rural 76.5, Derby 75, Wichita Heights 62, Free State 61, Junction City 48, Wichita North 30, Wichita Southeast 3, Topeka High 1.
Individual results
High jump -- 1. Huscher, Free State, 5-4; 2. T. St. Clair, Wichita North, 5-4; 3. Kratochvil, Manhattan, 4-8; 4. R. St. Clair, Wichita North, 4-8.
Pole vault -- 1. Evans, Free State, 10-0; 2. Mai, Free State, 9-6; 3. Brozek, Wichita Heights, 9-6; 4. Vaughn, Free State, 9-0.
Long jump -- 1. Pellant, Manhattan, 17-11; 2. Johnson, Manhattan, 17-3.25; 3. Larson, Manhattan, 17-0.50; 4. Syring, Derby, 16-11.50.
Triple jump -- 1. Johnson, Manhattan, 38-6.50; 2. Harris, Junction City, 33-8.75; 3. Williams, Wichita Heights, 33-7.75; 4. Porres, Manhattan, 33-5.75.
Shot put -- 1. Ilalio, Manhattan, 38-8; 2. Gruber, Manhattan, 32-10.75; 3. Henderson, Wichita Heights, 32-7; 4. Wilburn, Wichita North, 32-2.75.
Discus -- 1. Petersen, Washburn Rural, 120-9; 2. Gruber, Manhattan, 119-5; 3. Westfahl, Manhattan, 106-8; 4. Base, Free State, 101-5.
Javelin -- 1. Duncan, Free State, 138-3; 2. Hoffman, Manhattan, 103-2; 3. Fitzhugh, Washburn Rural, 102-10; 4. Petersen, Washburn Rural, 101-6.
4 x 800 relay -- 1. Derby, 9:56.55; 2. Washburn Rural, 10:01.22; 3. Manhattan, 10:07.32; 4. Free State, 10:07.56.
100 hurdles -- 1. Bell, Derby, 16.14; 2. Spriggs, Free State, 16.45; 3. Syring, Derby, 16.89; 4. Prestonback, Manhattan, 16.95
100 -- 1. David, Wichita Heights, 12.29; 2. Pellant, Manhattan, 12.29; 3. Coney, Junction City, 12.33; 4. Mackenzie, Wichita Heights, 12.71.
1,600 -- 1. Fink, Washburn Rural, 5:35.01; 2. Ismert, Washburn Rural, 5:35.02; 3. Burns, Free State, 5:35.89; 4. York, Junction City, 5:38.92.
4 x 100 relay -- 1. Manhattan, 49.85; 2. Wichita Heights, 50.28; 3. Junction City, 50.66; 4. Derby, 50.84.
400 -- 1. Johnson, Manhattan, 59.09; 2. Hula, Derby, 59.34; 3. Coney, Junction City, 59.03; 4. David, Wichita Heights, 60.28.
300 hurdles -- 1. Igo, Derby, 47.73; 2. Spriggs, Free State, 47.89; 3.Bell, Derby, 48.12; 4. Arasmith, Manhattan, 50.71.
800 -- 1. Loub, Manhattan, 2:28.39; 2. Omelas, Wichita North, 2:30.09; 3. Barnes, Free State, 2:31.17; 4. Bird, Washburn Rural, 2:31.30.
200 -- 1. David, Wichita Heights, 25.92; 2. Pellant, Manhattan, 26.12; 3. Coney, Junction City, 26.34; 4. Johnson, Manhattan, 26.45.
3,200 -- 1. Fink, Washburn Rural, 11:45.98; 2. Carter, Washburn Rural, 11:47.41; 3. Pierce, Junction City, 11:47.63; 4. Pro, Free State, 11:50.27.
4 x 400 relay -- 1. Derby, 4:07.39; 2. Manhattan, 4:14.41; 3. Free State, 4:17.49; 4. Wichita North, 4:18.17.
