By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WICHITA -- Topeka West's Alesecio Batson went home disappointed after his state track and field debut as a freshman in 2022.
Topeka West sophomore Alesecio Batson soared to the Class 5A state title in the boys triple jump on Friday at Cessna Stadium. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
On Friday Batson left Cessna Stadium as a state champion, jumping 48 feet, 4.25 inches to win the Class 5A boys triple jump as Batson and city rival Tre Richardson of Highlanf Park (46-5.75) went one-two in the event.
Even though he wasn't happy with his '22 state performance, Batson said it was a big help heading into his return to the state meet.
"It really helped me because I hadn't been in a lot of really big events like this,'' Batson said. "Last year coming here I came in with like a 43-5 as a freshman. I was really nervous, scared, the wind was blowing and I ended up jumping like a 39 and it was really bad.
"This year I came in and I had a really big boost of confidence because I had been here before and I was more confident now.''
Batson served notice on Friday's opening jump that he was going to be the man to beat and went on to go wire to wire for the win.
"I was really blessed to come out with a 47-4 or something like that my first jump,'' Batson said. "I was sure I was going go out and get that meet record but I ended up finishing at 48-4. I'll definitely come back and go for it next year.''
"I'm very happy, I'm very blessed to be here and be a state champion as a sophomore.''
Rural's Lane second in 6A discus
Washburn Rural junior Jamond Lane demolished his previous personal record on Friday en route to a second-place finish in the Class 6A discus competition.
Lane got off a throw of 167 feet, 6 inches to finish second by less than three feet to Jayden Woods of Mill Valley (170-3).
"When I heard 167 I was in shock,'' said Lane, also a standout lineman for Rural's football team. "My best had been 152. This gets me excited for the upcoming seasons.''
Rural junior Josh Sulzen-Watson also posted a top-four finish in the event, finishing fourth with a throw of 157-4.
Sulzen-Watson added a fifth-place finish in the javelin at 168-6.
Other Shawnee County field-event state medalists on Friday included Silver Lake's Ava Rottinhaus, sixth in the 3A girls javelin (126-2); Silver Lake's Blake Redmond, fourth in the 3A boys long jump (20-11.75); Shawnee Heights' Alex Dittman, fifth in the 5A boys javelin (165-9), and Hayden's Joe Otting, eighth in the 4A boys discus (142-4).
