BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
BUHLER – The Great Bend girls swept three relay teams to spark the ultimate team effort for first place (128 points) at Friday's Buhler Track Invitational. The Panthers dominated the relays with first-place medals in the 400-meter (51.69), 1,600-meter (4:16.52) and 3,200-meter (10:29.57) relays.
The Panthers are blessed with high-quality distance runners. Emma Loomis, Addy Nicholson, Diane Alvarez and Emilia Diaz cruised to a solid 3,200-meter relay win. Loomis gave the Panthers a solid start followed by progressively solid runs by Nicholson, Alvarez and Diaz in 35 mph wind. The Panthers beat Andover, which had posted the state's third-fastest time.
"We've got a lot of 800 runners, so we can exchange if someone is hurt,” Diaz said. “We want to keep the same pace and PR every meet. The wind makes it hard, but everybody is running in the same conditions. You've got to do it."
Diaz is confident the Panthers will contend for Western Athletic and regional titles with an eye targeted on the 5A state race at Wichita State.
"It's a challenge figuring out who are best and fastest runners," Diaz said. "Everyone works well together. There's always someone willing to go out there and run a 4-by-8."
Great Bend also swept the 400-meter relay with Valarie Luna, Kara Feist, Sadie Spray and Makenzie Premer. Spray, Emma Loomis, Cassie Ellegood and Premer competed on the 1,600-meter relay.
Premer captured her third gold medal with a season-best time in the 300 hurdles (46.76) along with a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdles (15.82) behind Buhler's Caylin Seely (15.54). Kyndall Blessing captured the javelin (118-10). Marissa Boone earned a personal-best time in the 1,600 (5:48.96).
"The girls are performing well and keep getting better," said Great Bend coach Lyles Lashley. "When the wind is blowing like today, you know you're not going to PR. They all competed well in a tough wind."
GREAT BEND BOYS – As usual, Great Bend's Kaiden Esfeld swept the 800 (2:02.79) and 1,600 (4:35.99). Oliver Dominguez won the 400 (52.0) and placed runner-up in the triple jump (41-93/4).
The dazzling Madison Regehr won the 300-meter hurdles (42.79) and anchored the first-place 1,600-meter relay (3:30.65) with Dominguez, Esfeld and Alex Galindo. Mathew Moeder posted a season-best third-place javelin throw (151-5). Mathew Moeder's third place javelin throw (151-5) was a personal best.
"The boys competed really well. Our 4-by-4 ran right at their best time in the windy conditions," :Lashley said.
The Panthers compete at Tuesday's Wichita East Relays.
BUHLER INVITATIONAL
GIRLS TEAM TOTALS–1–Great Bend 128; 2–Hutchinson 86; 3–Salina Central 78; 4–Andover Central 74; 5–Buhler 63; 6–Andover High 61; 7–Salina South 46; 8–Maize South 39; 9–Dodge City 35
GIRLS RESULTS *season-best time
High jump–1–Harshaw, AC, 5-2; 2–Luna, 5-0; 6–Ellegood, 4-10; Spray, 4-10
Long jump–1–Schwartz, H, 18-6
Triple jump–1–Cole, AC, 34-91/2; 6–Jones, 32-01/2
Shot put–1–Waterman, AC, 37-41/2; 3–Warren, 36-111/2
Discus–1–Burke, MS, 124-2; 3–Warren, 112-8
Pole vault–1–Housely, AC, 10-0; 4–Kuhlman, 8-6
Javelin–1–Blessing, GB, 118-10; 4–Nachtigal, 108-11
100m–1–Schwartz, H, 12.5
100m hurdles–1–Seely, B, 15.54; 2–Premer, 15.82
200m–1–Denny, SC, 25.97; 3–Luna, 27.32
300m hurdles–1–Premer, GB, *46.76; 3–Spray, 47.73; 6–Peterson, 51.68
400m–1–Denny, SC, 1:01.36; 6–Ellegood, 1:07.03
800m–1–Anderson, Andover, 2:31.61; 3–Emma Loomis, 2:34.36
1,600m–1–Rupe, SC, 5:31.48; 4–Boone, *5:48.96
3,200m–1–Rupe, SC, 11:38.63; 3–Diaz, 12:36.84; 4–Nicholson, 12:44.02; 5–Boone, 12:48.62
400m relay–1–Great Bend, 51.69 (Luna, Kara Feist, Spray, Premer)
1,600m relay–1–Great Bend, 4:16.52 (Spray, Emma Loomis, Ellegood, Premer)
3,200m relay–1–Great Bend, 10:29.57 (Emma Loomis, Nicholson, Alvarez, Diaz)
BUHLER INVITATIONAL
BOYS TEAM SCORES–1–Andover Central 122; 2–Buhler 107; 3–Maize South 96; 4–Great Bend 74; 5–Dodge City 73; 6–Salina Central 49; 7–Salina South 36; 8–Hutchinson High 32; 9–Andover High 20
BOYS RESULTS
High jump–1–Stupka, AC, 6-2
Long jump–1–Barkdull, AC, 21-91/4
Triple jump–1–Gilliam, Buhler, 42-8; 2–Dominguez, 41-93/4
Shot put–1–Daniels, AC, 50-3
Discus–1–McCormick, MS, 147-6; 7–Mathew Moeder, 127-3
Javelin–1–McCormick, MS, 158-9; 3–Mathew Moeder, *151-5
Pole vault–1–Barkdull, AC, 15-0
100m–1–Barkdoll, AC, 10.57
100m hurdles–1–Kitterman, AC, 15.81; 3–Regehr, 15.94
200m–1–Barkdull, AC, 22.05; 7–Scheuerman, 23.68
300m hurdles–1–Regehr, GB, 42.79
400m–1–Dominguez, GB, 52.0
800m–1–Esfeld, GB, 2:02.79
1,600m–1–Esfeld, GB, 4:45.99
3,200m–1–O'Neail, AC, 10:19.68
400m relay–1–Dodge City, 43.98
1,600m relay–1–Great Bend, 3:30.65 (Dominguez, Esfeld, Galindo, Regehr)
3,200m relay–1–Dodge City, 8:31.43
