By Rick Peterson
TopSports.news
Seaman senior Zach Jowers was afforded a rare opportunity in Thursday's season-opening Topeka West Invitational track and field meet and took full advantage.
Seaman senior Zach Jowers goes almost completely under water on his final water jump in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational 2,000-meter steeplechase event but quickly recovered to post a victory by just over 17 seconds. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
A dripping wet Zach Jowers of Seaman emerges from the water jump on his final lap en route to a win in the 2,000-meter steeplechase in 7:09.20. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Very few Kansas high school athletes get the chance to compete in the steeplechase -- an event that combines distance running with clearing obstacles, including one with a pit filled with water -- but meet host Topeka West added the 2,000-meter steeplechase as an exhibition event to give athletes a chance to qualify for next month's Kansas Relays.
Jowers jumped at the chance and took control early on the way to a 17-second win in the boys race in a time of 7 minutes, 09.20 seconds at Hummer Sports Park.
"Ever since I saw it in the eighth grade at the KU Relays I was like, 'Hey coach, when I get to high school I've got to run that at least once,' '' Jowers said. "This was the once.''
Jowers and his teammates spent mimimal time getting ready for Thursday's event and he admitted it was a quick baptism in the meet.
"Jumping over the water, I was not ready,'' he said.
But it was also an experience Jowers will never forget.
"It was a ton of fun,'' he said. "I don't think I've ever smiled that much during a race and probably never will again.''
In late June, after graduating from Seaman, Jowers will get the chance to take advantage of another rare opportunity when he reports to the United States Air Force Academy after recently getting the word that he had been accepted to the Academy.
"That's been a dream for a long time, at least since middle school and probably beforehand,'' he said. "My dad was in the military (Army) and looking up to him growing up it's always been a dream of mine to join the military and I thought this would be a great way to do it.''
While he is looking forward to starting the next chapter in his life, Jowers is also looking forward to making the most of the last couple of months of his high school career, particularly with the Vikings' track team.
"The school part I'm definitely ready to be done with, I think everyone is, and track, we're just starting up, but we've got a great group of guys and it's been a lot of fun so far and I think it's going to keep going that way,'' he said.
Other meet highlights:
Topeka West senior Lenny Njoroge flashes the No. 1 sign after a dominating victory in the 1,600 meters in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
• Topeka West boys star Lenny Njoroge spent most of his junior track season rounding back into state after recovering from a broken leg he suffered midway through his sophomore season in a club soccer match.
But Njoroge opened his senior track campaign in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational in tip top shape and flashed the form that has made him one of the state's premier distance runners, dominating the 1,600 and 3,200-meter races.
Njoroge, a state medalist in cross country and track, won by nearly 14 seconds in the 1,600 and the 3,200, clocking a winning time of 4:29.84 in the 1,600 and came back later in the evening to post a winning time of 9:45.51 in the 3,200.
"I feel so much stronger,'' Njoroge said. "I've been training all winter long just to get this. Last track season I really didn't have a great state meet so I've been hungry since winter on the training.
"I'm really strong and hopefully I keep feeling strong as the season goes on. We have some better competition coming up.''
Topeka West also got wins from senior Jacob Reimer in the discus (129 feet, 10 inches) and from Alesecio Batson in the triple jump (43-11.50).
• Seaman's Bethany Druse, the reigning Class 5A 800 meters champion, opened her senior season with an 11-second win, clocking a winning time of 2:27.08.
In addition to her win in the 800, Druse anchored the Vikings' 4x400 relay team to a win in 4:24.94.
Druse teamed with Taylin Stallbaumer, Jaida Stallbaumer and Taylie Heston in the relay win.
T. Stallbaumer also finished second in the 100 hurdles (17.40) and the 300 hurdles (53.38).
• Seaman swept the girls throwing events, including a pair of wins from Anna Domann.
Domann won the shot put at 33-1.50 and the discus at 114-6 while Ally Trier won the javelin title with a top throw of 121-10.
Topeka West senior Makinsey Jones won the long jump and triple jump and finished second in the high jump in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
• Topeka West's Makinsey Jones turned in an impressive season-opener, winning a pair of events and finishing second in a third.
Jones won the long jump with a best of 16 feet, 4.75 seconds and the triple jump at 33-8.50 and finished second in the high jump at 5-2.
• Seaman's boys finished second by a 14-point margin to Manhattan in the team race (133.333-119.333), with the Vikings winning two events on the day.
Seaman got wins from Brody Anderson in the 800 (2:07.83) and from Aaron Merritt in the 110-meter hurdles (15.71).
Highland Park senior Tre Richardson soars to a win in the long jump in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
• Highland Park senior Tre Richardson won the long jump with a leap of 22-11.50 and finished third in the triple jump at 43-2.50 after earning state medals in both those events as a junior.
Richardson is the defending 5A champion in the 200-meter dash but did not run that event on Thursday.
Topeka High freshman Keimara Marshall won the girls 100-meter dash in Thursday's Topeka West Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
• Topeka High freshman Keimara Marshall won the girls 100 in 13.17 seconds and also helped the Trojans post a runnerup finish in the 4x100 relay (53.43) and she placed fourth in the 200 (27.65).
Topeka High's foursome of Jaziah Mack, V'Ante Peoples, Logan Murray and Malachi Murph won the 4x100 relay in 44.20.
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
GIRLS
Team scores
Lawrence 144, Manhattan 141, Seaman 126, Bishop Miege 80, Topeka West 68.5, Topeka High 60.5, Emporia 52, Highland Park 8.
Individual results
100 -- 1. Marshall, Topeka High, 13.17; 2. McCallop, Bishop Miege, 13.28; 3. Barron, Manhattan, 13.34.
200 -- 1. Omli, Manhattan, 25.46; 2. Brooks, Topeka West, 26.43; 3. McCallop, Bishop Miege, 26.64.
400 -- 1. Omli, Mannhattan, 58.99; 2. Brooks, Topeka West, 61.48; 3. Besson, Lawrence, 65.14.
800 -- 1. Druse, Seaman, 2:27.08; 2. Savannah, Lawrence, 2:38.68; 3. Aquino, Bishop Miege, 2:40.59.
1,600 -- 1. Willhite, Emporia, 5:45.90; 2. Spurlock, Seaman, 5:46.78; 3. Sampson, Seaman, 6:03.18.
3,200 -- 1. Kennedy, Lawrence, 12:25.93; 2. Salmans, Manhattan, 12:36.80; 3. Roman Nose, Lawrence, 12:44.94.
100 hurdles -- 1. Key, Bishop Miege, 16.98; 2. T. Stallbaumer, Seaman, 17.40; 3. Epian, Lawrence, 17.76.
300 hurdles -- 1. Epian, Lawrence, 51.36; 2. T. Stallbaumer, Seaman, 53.38; 3. Torres-Hill, Topeka High, 53.82.
2,000 steeplechase -- 1. Kennedy, Lawrence, 8:12.52; 2. Roman Nose, Lawrence, 8:18.89; 3. Ruvalcaba, Emporia, 8:31.11.
4x100 relay -- 1. Manhattan (Barron, Porres, Larson, Morgan), 52.82; 2. Topeka High (Torres-Hill, Marshall, Hysten, Zuniga), 53.43; 3. Seaman (T. Stallbaumer, Steiner, J. Stallbaumer, Kobuszewski), 54.36.
4x400 relay -- 1. Seaman (T. Stallbaumer, J. Stallbaumer, Heston, Druse), 4:24.94; 2. Lawrence (Savannah, G. Reed, V. Reed, Hohman), 4:28.47; 3. Manhattan (Jackson, Miller, Harkin, Doering), 4:38.22.
4x800 relay -- 1. Manhattan (Harkin, Salmans, Omli, Fobes), 10:38.85; 2. Lawrence (Hohman, Savannah, Garrett, Hardy-Billy), 11:17.36; 3. Emporia (Van Sickle, True, Lewis, Ruvalcaba), 11:36.86.
High jump -- 1. Platt, Lawrence, 5-4; 2. Jones, Topeka West, 5-2; 3. Pickman, Lawrence, 4:10.
Pole vault -- 1. Holthaus, Manhattan, 9-0; 2. Gajewski, Bishop Miege, 7-0; 3. (tie) Fischer, Emporia; Craig, Bishop Miege, and Hamlin, Lawrence, 6-6.
Long jump -- 1. Jones, Topeka West, 16-4.75; Key, Bishop Miege, 16-1; 3. Brooks, Topeka West, 15-11.75.
Triple jump -- 1. Jones, Topeka West, 33-8.50; 2. Porres, Manhattan, 33-1.50; 3. Kobuszewski, Seaman, 32-11.
Shot put -- 1. Domann, Seaman, 33-1.50; 2. Gruber, Manhattan, 32-9.75; 3. Olson, Bishop Miege, 32-4.25.
Discus -- 1. Domann, Seaman, 114-6; 2. Gruber, Manhattan, 110-8; 3. Cahalan, Bishop Miege, 100-2.
Javelin -- 1. Trier, Seaman, 121-10; 2. Platt, Lawrence, 117-0; 3. Lesmeister, Seaman, 107.1.
BOYS
Team scores
Manhattan 133.333, Seaman 119.333, Emporia 100.666, Lawrence 96.3333, Bishop Miege 86, Topeka West 71.5; Topeka High 62.8333, Highland Park 21.
Individual results
100 -- 1. Reed, Lawrence, 10.90; 2. Howell, Lawrence, 11.16; 3. Murph, Topeka High, 11.28.
200 -- 1. Lynch Jr., Seaman, 22.70; 2. Cochran, Seaman, 22.70; 3. Dowling-Burnett, Manhattan, 22.80.
400 -- 1. Jackson, Emporia, 51.91; 2. McCallop, Bishop Miege, 52.58; 3. Anderson, Lawrence, 53.16.
800 --1. Anderson, Seaman, 2:07.83; 2. True, Emporia, 2:08.70; 3. Sturm, Manhattan, 2:10.93.
1,600 -- 1. Njoroge, Topeka West, 4:29.84; 2. True, Emporia, 4:43.43; 3. Mills, Manhattan, 4:54.30.
3,200 -- 1. Njoroge, Topeka West, 9:45.51; 2. Holdren, Manhattan, 9:59.18; 3. Del Zio, Seaman, 11:17.52.
110 hurdles -- 1. Merritt, Seaman, 15.71; 2. Obermeyer, Emporia, 15.94; 3. Huff, Manhattan, 16:51.
300 hurdles -- 1. Obermeyer, Emporia, 44.43; 2. Hurla, Seaman, 44.49; 3. Cowdin, Topeka High, 45.28.
2,000 steeplechase -- 1. Jowers, Seaman, 7:09.20; 2. Stuke, Seaman, 7:26.68; 3. Christopher, Topeka High, 7:37.89.
4x100 relay -- 1. Topeka High (Mack, Peoples, Murray, Murph), 44.20; 2. Seaman (Merritt, Thomas, Anderson, Vanleeuwen), 44.27; 3. Lawrence (Sandefur, Howell, Sedo, Bachman), 44.30.
4x400 relay -- 1. Manhattan (Brickei, Dowling-Burnett, Rauch, O'Haver), 3:33.99; 2. Topeka High (Roeder, Murph, Mack, Blankenship), 3:34.87; 3. Emporia (Spellman, Obermeyer, True, Jackson), 3:36.90.
4x800 relay -- 1. Manhattan (Sturm, Vest, Hilton, Moreno Torres), 9:10.76; 2. Seaman (Anderson, Geiger, Murrow, Budge), 9:46.86; 3. Bishop Miege (Hernandez, Haggerty, Moore, Harris), 9:46.86.
High jump -- 1. Malone, Manhattan, 6-4; 2. Newcomer, Manhattan, 6-2; 3. Johnson, Lawrence, 6-0.
Pole vault -- 1. Wille, Manhattan, 10-6; 2. Oberzan, Lawrence, 10-6; 3. Huber, Emporia, 10-0.
Long jump -- 1. Richardson, Highland Park, 22-11.50; 2. Lynch Jr., Bishop Miege, 22-2.50; 3. Thompson, Topeka West, 20-8.
Triple jump -- 1. Batson, Topeka West, 43-11.50; 2. Elumogo, Manhattan, 43-8; 3. Richardson, Highland Park, 43-2.50.
Shot put -- 1. Jensen, Bishop Miege, 48-3.50; 2. Miller, Seaman, 45-1; 3. Johnson, Manhattan, 44-4.
Discus -- 1. Reimer, Topeka West, 129-10; 2. Kirkwood, Lawrence, 129-9; 3. Saleshi, Bishop Miege, 128-0.
Javelin -- 1. Sheild, Lawrence, 162-6; 2. Harris, Lawrence, 155-1; 3. Molt, Manhattan, 146-0.
