By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Very little has been routine for Washburn Rural's track and field team for the past season and a half.
First, like everybody else, the Junior Blues had the 2020 season wiped out by COVID-19 and then Rural began the current campaign without a home track to train or compete on while work wrapped up on a resurfacing project.
But for the past two weeks Rural has had a brand spanking new track to prepare on, and Friday night at Hummer Sports Park Keith Wetzel's Junior Blues had something else to celebrate, sweeping the team championships in the Joe Schrag City Invitational.
Rural's girls won by a 177.5-131-point margin over Topeka West while the Junior Blues won the boys division by a 164-116 margin over Hayden.
"These kids needed some good vibes and they've been resilient, not only last year in losing a season, but with not having a facility the first part of the season,'' Wetzel said. "They've handled it very, very well, extremely maturely, and just continued to get better each day.''
Washburn Rural senior Keely Wagner (right) and sophomore teammate Madeline Carter placed 1-2 in the 3,200 meters, helping the Junior Blues win the girls team title in Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Rural girls got a big early boost with a 1-2-3 finish in the 1,600 meters, led by senior Keely Wagner, who destroyed her previous personal best with a win in 5 minutes, 18:26 seconds while Rural sophomore Madeline Carter was second in 5:24.06 and junior Sydney Laster third in 5:43.95.
"I've run in windy and hot conditions the last three weeks, so it was nice to get a really good day," Wagner said. "No wind, no sun really. It was a good day. It was a pretty big (personal-record) goal for us and each lap, it was like, 'Don't slow down.' I just felt really good, better than I thought I was going to feel."
Wagner also posted a second-place finish in the 800 (2:24.63) and Carter was third (2:26.08) while Khloi Bird added to Rural's big day in the distance races with a win in the 3,200 (12:23.36).
Washburn Rural senior Joel Goering cleared 13 feet Friday in the Joe Schrag City Invitational to win the pole vault title. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rural's boys piled up a ton of points in the field events, including a pair of wins from senior Zach Sulzen-Watson in the shot put (48-2) and discus (152-5) while junior Zsamar Sipple won the triple jump (43-6), senior Sam Shonka the high jump (6-2) and senior Joel Goering the pole vault (13-0).
Senior Marquel Russell won the 110-meter hurdles (16.49) for the Junior Blues while senior Jacob Mitchell won the 800 (2:04.40).
Other meet highlights:
• Topeka West freshman Victoria Reed picked up three wins and a second-place finish to key a strong second-place team finish by the Charger girls.
Reed won the 400-meter dash in 57.94 seconds and she won the 100 in 12.94 and teamed with senior Adina Davis, sophomore Malayah Henderson and sophomore Ala'Jah Brooks to win the 4x100 relay in 50.44 before finishing second in the 200.
The highlight of the day for Reed was her blazing time in the 400.
"It felt really good,'' Reed said. "I could not beat a 1:01 and I finally beat it, last track meet with a 59 and this track meet with a 57.''
Davis was also a double individual winner, winning the long jump at 16 feet, 10.25 inches and the the triple jump at 33-9 while sophomore Makinsey Jones won the high jump at 5-2.
• Seaman freshman standout Taylin Stallbaumer swept the city titles in the 100-meter high hurdles and the 300 lows.
Stallbaumer won the 100-meter event in 16.90 and came back to win the 300s in 49.24.
Seaman also got a win in the 800 from sophomore Bethany Druse, who remained unbeaten in the (2:21.65) while sophomore Anna Domann won the discus title (117-6).
• Shawnee Heights sophomore Taylor Rottinghaus bounced back from a loss to Reed in the 400 (58.52) to win the 200 in 26.39 and also ran on the T-Birds' winning 4x400 relay (4:13.43).
Other city girls champions Friday included Hayden junior Jaydn Paige Falley in the shot put (33-2) while Silver Lake's team of sophomore Mariah Farmer, senior Aubrey Bahner, sophomore Lanie Koelliker and senior Anna Ruby won the 4x800 relay (10:44.68).
Topeka West junior Javion Lee won the long jump title in Friday's Joe Schrag City Invitational with a jump of 23 feet, 4.50 inches. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
• Topeka West junior Javion Lee won two events in the boys division, winning the long jump at 23-4.5 and the 100-meter dash in 11.24 while the Chargers also got a victory from sophomore Lenny Njoroge in the 3,200 in 9:51.48.
Shawnee Heights got wins from sophomore Kory Sutton in the 1,600 (4:30.80) and senior Jacob Myers in the 400 (53.47), while Highland Park sophomore Tre Richardson took the victory in the 200 (22.69).
Seaman got wins from the team of sophomore Landon Stuke, sophomore Branen Moore, senior Titan Cina and junior Jace Moore in the 4x800 relay (8:37.58) and from seniors Treyton Ramiez, Cadin Worcester and Cade Rothenberger and sophomore Adonis VanLeeuwen in the 4x100 relay (43.92).
Hayden's foursome of freshman Finn Dunshee, sophomore Jake Muller, junior Ryan Rochford and senior Dawson Adams won the 4x400 relay (3:30.49)
JOE SCHRAG CITY INVITATIONAL
Boys
Team scores
Washburn Rural 164, Hayden 116, Silver Lake 90.5, Shawnee Heights 87.5, Seaman 87, Topeka West 80, Holton 19, Highland Park 18, Topeka High 15.
Individual results
High jump -- 1. Shonka, Washburn Rural, 6-2; 2. Worcester, Seaman, 6-0; 3. Rothenberger, Seaman, 5-10.
Pole vault -- 1. Goering, Washburn Rural, 13-0; 2. Myers, Shawnee Heights, 12-0; 3. Mercer, Washburn Rural, 11-6.
Long jump -- 1. Lee, Topeka West, 23-4.5; 2. Richardson, Highland Park, 22-3; 3. Sipple, Washburn Rural, 22-2.
Triple jump -- 1. Sipple, Washburn Rural, 43-6; 2. Renfro, Silver Lake, 42-10; 3. Bush, Seaman, 41-3.
Shot put -- 1. Sulzen-Watson, Washburn Rural, 48-2; 2. Etzel, Shawnee Heights, 44-8.75; 3. Wettengel, Washburn Rural, 43-7.5.
Discus -- 1. Sulzen-Watson, Washburn Rural, 152-5; 2. Ashwill, Washburn Rural, 122-8; 3. Sanders, Topeka West, 122-7.
Javelin -- 1. Karn, Holton, 160-7; 2. Hicks, Shawnee Heights, 159-6; 3. Otting, Hayden, 140-2.
4x800 relay -- 1. Seaman, 8:37.58; 2. Hayden, 8:39.72; 3. Silver Lake, 8:39.80.
110 hurdles -- 1. Russell, Washburn Rural, 16.49; 2. Purcell, Holton, 16.84; 3. Johnson, Silver Lake, 16.93.
100 -- 1. Lee. Topeka West, 11.24; 2. Reed, Topeka West, 11.32; 3. Renfro, Silver Lake, 11.38.
1,600 -- 1. Sutton, Shawnee Heights, 4:30.80; 2. Esquibel, Shawnee Heights, 4:33.18; 3. Njoroge, Topeka West, 4:36.31.
4x100 relay -- 1. Seaman, 43.92; 2. Silver Lake, 44.51; 3. Hayden, 44.91.
400 -- 1. Myers, Shawnee Heights, 53.47; 2. Kaniper, Silver Lake, 53.75; 3. Rochford, Hayden, 53.76.
300 hurdles -- 1. Purcell, Holton, 40.81; 2. Johnson, Silver Lake, 41.24; 3. Muller, Hayden, 41.62.
800 -- 1. Mitchell, Washburn Rural, 2:04.40; 2. White, Washburn Rural, 2:06.35; 3. Kaniper, Silver Lake, 2:07.01.
200 -- 1. Richardson, Highland Park, 22.69; 2. Dunshee, Hayden, 23.27; 3. Reed, Topeka West, 23.65.
3,200 -- 1. Njoroge, Topeka West, 9:51.48; 2. Esquibel, Shawnee Heights, 9:54.62; 3. Sutton, Shawnee Heights, 10:08.90.
4x400 relay -- 1. Hayden, 3:30.49; 2. Holton, 3:36.50; 3. Silver Lake, 3:36.64.
Girls
Team scores
Washburn Rural 177.5, Topeka West 131, Silver Lake 129, Seaman 117, Shawnee Heights 62.5, Hayden 42, Topeka High 10.
Individual results
High jump -- 1. Jones, Topeka West, 5-2; 2. Zeigler, Washburn Rural, 4-10; 3. Kelly, Topeka High, 4-8.
Pole vault -- 1. Robinson, Holton, 9-4; 2. Hoover, Silver Lake, 8-6; 3. (tie) Busenitz, Shawnee Heights, and Rezac, Washburn Rural, 7-0.
Long jump -- 1. Davis, Topeka West, 16-10.25; 2. Bray, Washburn Rural, 15-9; 3. Zeigler, Washburn Rural, 15-2.5.
Triple jump -- 1. Davis, Topeka West, 33-9; 2. Jones, Topeka West, 31-9.25; 3. Zeigler, Washburn Rural, 31-7.
Shot put -- 1. Falley, Hayden, 33-2; Smith, Washburn Rural, 32-8.25; 3. Smith, Silver Lake, 32-6.75.
Discus -- 1. Domann, Seaman, 117-6; 2. Peterson, Washburn Rural, 112-11; 3. Smith, Washburn Rural, 110-1.
Javelin -- 1. Tanking, Holton, 139-8; 2. Emperley, Shawnee Heights, 130-7; 3. Falley, Hayden, 108-0.
4x800 relay -- 1. Silver Lake, 10:44.68; 2. Seaman, 11:15.54; 3. Washburn Rural, 11:19.95..
100 hurdles -- 1. Stallbaumer, Seaman, 16.90; 2. Carlson, Holton, 17.90; 3. Henderson, Topeka West, 17.91.
100 -- 1. Reed, Topeka West, 12.94; 2. Brooks, Topeka West, 13.24; 3. Hillebert, Hayden, 13.27.
1,600 -- 1. Wagner, Washburn Rural, 5:18.26; 2. Carter, Washburn Rural, 5:24.06; 3. Laster, Washburn Rural, 5:43.95.
4x100 relay -- 1. Topeka West, 50.44; 2. Silver Lake, 53.75; 3. Seaman, 53.88.
400 -- 1. Reed, Topeka West, 57.94; 2. Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights, 58.52; 3. Bray, Washburn Rural, 1:02.82.
300 hurdles -- 1. Stallbaumer, Seaman, 49.24; 2. Henderson, Topeka West, 50.90; 3. Gross, Holton, 52.47.
800 -- 1. Druse, Seaman, 2:21.65; 2. Wagner, Washburn Rural, 2:24.63; 3. Carter, Washburn Rural, 2:26.08.
200 -- 1. Rottinghaus, Shawnee Heights, 26.39; 2. Reed, Topeka West, 26.67; 3. Brooks, Topeka West, 27.13.
3,200 -- 1. Bird, Washburn Rural, 12:23.36; 2. Schultz, Seaman, 12:32.59; 3. Ruby, Silver Lake, 12:32.94.
4x400 relay -- 1. Shawnee Heights, 4:13.43; 2. Washburn Rural, 4:15.72; 3. Seaman, 4:21.22.
