By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Jake Muller already had plenty of self-motivation entering Friday's Class 4A state track and field championships.
But when Muller found out early in the day that teammate Tanner Newkirk would be unable to compete due to an injury, the Hayden sophomore knew he needed to make himself, Newkirk, his school and Wildcat coach DeJuan Gardenhire proud with the best performance he could deliver.
Muller accomplished that goal with a 4A state championship in the boys 300-meter hurdles, destroying his previous personal record with a time of 39.92 seconds.
"Just seeing (Tanner) and how bad he wanted to compete, and coach, It just made me want to win for them, and do my best for them,'' Muller said.
Hayden sophomore Jake Muller (middle) accepts congratulations from a string of well-wishers after winning the Class 4A state title in the 300-meter hurdles Friday at Cessna Stadium.
Newkirk is a former multiple state placer and won the 4A state cross country championship last fall, but was unable to run Friday because of a hip injury.
"It was sad, seeing him sad because he's one of the best and I wanted to do good for him,'' Muller said.
Muller went into Friday feeling pretty confident about his title chances after a late-season surge.
"Coach has just kept pushing me each week and I've been working really hard to get my steps down and I just believe in myself,'' Muller said. "I thought I had a good chance, but I knew it was going to be tough because all of the other competitors were like the best in their conference and stuff and they're really good.
"My steps were good and I thought (the race) was pretty smooth. I jumped a little high on some (hurdles), but it was good.''
Hayden sophomore Jake Muller won the Class 4A state title in the boys 300 hurdles Friday at Cessna Stadium. [File photo/TSN]
Muller said it was over the last month when he started believing that a championship was within his reach.
"It was about midseason probably, like around the city meet,'' he said. "I got third in the city meet and then the next week at (Centennial) League I won, so that just gave me confidence to keep going.''
And winning state was everything Muller thought it could be.
"All these people, it's just amazing,'' he said.
Muller also picked up a second state medel when he teamed with freshman Fin Dunshee, junior Ryan Rochford and senior Dawson Adams to finish fifth in the meet-ending 4x400 relay in 3:31.88.
Hayden senior Jack Konrade finished third in the boys long jump (21-8.25) while freshman Natalie Hillebert placed fourth in the girls 400 (60.76) and junior Jadyn Paige Falley finished eighth in the girls shot put (33-9.75).
The Wildcats' 4x800 boys relay team of junior Nick Padilla, Rochford, senior Braden Tinoco and senior Ethan Emmons placed seventh in 8:45.69.
