By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Seaman sophomore star Ryan Miller's weekend didn't get off to the start she wanted on Friday morning, with Miller losing contact with Salina Central junior Katelyn Rupe midway through the Class 5A 3,200 meters as Rupe went on to notch her third straight win in the event by more than 16 seconds.
Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller jumped out to early leads Saturday on the way to Class 5A titles in the 1,600 and 800 meters at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
But Miller bounced back on Saturday while flashing the form that has established her as one of the state's all-time bests, posting dominating victories in both the 1,600 and 800 before helping the Vikings to a runnerup finish in the 4x400 meter relay.
"The 32 I went out and I tried to reserve some, and it didn't work,'' Miller said. "She beat me pretty good those last three laps so today I was like, 'I'm just goint to get out, run my race.'
"I normally get out fast and I was just going to try not to let anybody get in my head.''
And Miller said Friday's loss in the 3,200 served as a big source of motivation on Saturday.
Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller earned four Class 5A state medals (two firsts, two seconds) as the Vikings tied for fourth as a team. [Photo by Jesse Bruner/Special to TSN]
"It was frustrating; I'm not sure what happened,'' Miller said of the 3,200. "It was just so early, I'm not used to running that early, but I just felt awful and I was like, 'This is the state meet. I may get hurt next year because of soccer,' and I was, 'If I'm going to do it, it has to be now,' so it was definitely motivation for sure.''
Miller started off her busy Saturday by jumping out to an early lead in the 1,600 and never looked back, winning her first state title in a 5A meet-record time of 4 minutes, 51.58 seconds.
She came back later in the day to take control of the 800 from the outset en route to the championship in 2:10.80 in windy conditions.
"I was looking at my weather app this morning and I was like, 'Oh my God, 85 and windy,' '' Miller said. "You could feel it on the frontstretch, but the big crowd definitely helped push me through it.''
Miller finished off her state performance with an anchor leg of 56.19 in the 4x400 relay, teaming with juniors Taylie Heston, Jaida Stallbaumer and Ally Steiner to finish second in 4:02.39 as the Vikings tied for fourth in the team standings with 42 points, five points behind third-place Andover.
"After yesterday I was a little worried, I'm not going to lie,'' Miller said. "Last year, soccer regionals fell on the same day as track so I was only able to do relays, but this year was different and last year I don't think I would have competed much anyways.
"I'm definitely proud of what I've done.''
Eagles end 3A meet with 4x400 title
Silver Lake's girls ended their state meet in style, claiming the Class 3A state championship in the 4x400 relay.
Junior Ella Bolan, senior Kaibryn Kruger, freshman Ali Gerber and senior Ava Rottinghaus clocked a winning time of 4:06.64, while Holcomb was a very close second in 4:06.90.
Rottinghaus also posted an eighth-place finish in the javelin with a throw of 124 feet, 3 inches.
Topeka High freshman Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton finished second in the Class 6A triple jump Saturday at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Freshman Rayton runnerup in 6A triple jump
Topeka High freshman Ahsieyrhuajh Rayton finished second in Saturday's 6A triple jump, her second state medal of the weekend.
Rayton was the 6A runnerup to Shawnee Mission North senior Rosjai Curtis with a best jump of 38 feet, 5.25 inches.
Rayton's triple jump finish came after a fourth-place showing in Friday's long jump competition with a best of 17-5.75 as Curtis also won that event.
Other highlights Saturday:
• Seaman senior Maggie Lesmeister finished third in the 5A javelin, posting a top throw of 128-1 and helping the Vikings finish in a solid fourth-place tie as a team.
• Other Shawnee County girls individual state medalists on Saturday included Washburn Rural's Raegen Petersen, fifth in the 6A discus (123-9); Rural's Rylee Ismert, sixth in the 6A 1,600 (5:17.31); Rural's Payton Fink, seventh in the 6A 1,600 (5:17.66); Rossville's Kielyn McDonnell, seventh in the 3A 100 (12.97); Topeka High's Keimara Marshall, seventh in the 6A 100 (12.41); Hayden's Natalie Hillebert, seventh in the 3A 400 (60.82) and Rossville's Shayla Rezac, eighth in the 3A 400 (61.57).
• Washburn Rural's team of Fink, Emily Graf, Brooklyn Nolte and Ismert posted a fifth-place finish in the 6A 4x800 relay, clocking a time of 9:47.16.
Hayden's Elliot Wrench, Hillebert, Rae North and Sofia Harper finished sixth in the 3A 4x400 relay in 4:13.46.
