Several
Platte County tracksters head to state
by Tad
Brewer
Landmark reporter
After having numerous participants qualify for sectionals,
the Platte County Pirate track team then had several of
those individuals qualify for state.
At sectionals, the Pirates faced some stiff competition,
but were able to have one of their best meets of the year.
A couple of school records were either broken or tied
at sectionals, while several more seasonal or personal
best records were set.
Seniors Mitch Black and Eli Klimek were the only Pirates
to finish first in any of their events at sectionals.
Black finished first in the boys’ triple jump with
a distance of 43 feet and a half-inch. Klimek finished
first in the 3200 meter run with a time of just 9:57.8.
Even though these two boys were the only competitors
to finish first in an event for Platte County, several
other boys were able to qualify for state by finishing
in the top four in an event.
Sophomore Zach Ryun qualified with Klimek in the 3200
meter run. Ryun finished slightly behind Klimek in third
place in that event with a time of 10:09.
Klimek also qualified for state in the boys’ 1600
meter run. Klimek finished third with a time of 4:39.
This was the second of three different events that Klimek
would qualify for state in.
Senior Bill Flynt had an outstanding day at sectionals
as he qualified for state in three different individual
events. Flynt finished third in both the 100 meter dash
and the 400 meter dash for Platte County, and in addition
to these, Flynt finished fourth in the 200 meter dash.
Flynt ran the 100 meter dash in a time of 11.03 seconds.
Flynt then ran the 400 meter dash in a time of 51.03 seconds.
Finally, Flynt ran the 200 meter dash in a time of 22.78
seconds.
Black qualified for state in the 300 meter hurdles. This
was Black’s second event of the meet that he qualified
for state in. Black ran the 300 meter hurdles in a time
of 40.25 seconds and finished fourth. Even though Black
finished fourth in this event, he was able to break the
old school record of 40.7 seconds in this event, which
had been set by Bobby Neill in 2001.
In addition to all of the individuals qualifying for
state, the Pirates had one relay team that was able to
qualify for state. Klimek, senior Shane Praiswater, junior
Mark Dudley, and sophomore Zach Praiswater all qualified
for state in the 4 by 800 meter relay. The team qualified
with a fourth place finish in a time of 8:17.
Even though many individuals at sectionals from Platte
County were able to qualify for state, there were numerous
other Pirates who did not make it to state.
Junior Mike Wade finished fifth in the pole vault with
a height of 13 feet. To illustrate how good the field
was in this event, Wade did not qualify for state despite
tying the school record in the pole vault.
The girls’ 4 by 800 meter relay team did not qualify
for state despite running their best time of the season
by 13 seconds. The team, which consisted of junior Jill
Prather, sophomores Angela Hattesohl and Angela Scheetz,
and freshman Jessica Duncan, ran the event in 10:08 and
finished sixth.
Duncan also finished sixth in the girls’ 400 meter
dash, despite running the best time of her career. Duncan
ran the event in 62.09 and finished sixth.
Zach Praiswater was not able to qualify for state in
the 800 meter run after a sixth place finish and a time
of 2:05.
The boys’ 4 by 400 meter relay team, which consisted
of Shane Praiswater, Flynt, Black, and Dudley, finished
seventh with a time of 3:37.3.
Junior Matt Frey finished seventh in the discus despite
recording his best distance of the season. Frey threw
for a distance of 141 feet and 7 inches.
Dudley finished seventh in the high jump with a height
of five feet and eight inches.
Those who qualified for state will next be in action
on Friday, May 24 and Saturday, May 25 in Jefferson City.
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