While the event may have been smaller in terms of sheer numbers, Iola Middle School’s annual track and field extravaganza still featured plenty of excitement.
Seven schools attended the Terry Lower Invitational at Iola’s Riverside Park, down from 21 teams in years past.
Organizers agreed to downsize this year’s meet — traditionally one of the largest middle school competitions in the state — because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
There were still plenty of highlights and standout performers.
Iola’s India Barney highlighted the seventh-grade girls competition. Barney won the 100-meter dash and 100-meter hurdles, while taking second in the 200-meter dash.
Iola’s Karingten Hall and Prairie View’s Bree Allen were four-time gold medalists in the eighth grade girls division. Hall won the 100-, 200-meter dashes and 100-meter hurdles while anchoring the first-place 4×100-meter relay team. Allen, meanwhile, was top in the 400-, 800- and 1600-meter runs, and as part of the Buffalos’ 4×400-meter relay team.
On the seventh grade boys’ side, Marmaton Valley Junior High’s Dierks Kegler took first in the 100, 200 and 400 dashes, while placing second in the long jump.
Iola’s Cole Moyer was a standout among the eighth grade boys from all distances. He won the 800- and 3200-meter runs and was part of the gold medal-winning 4×100 relay squad. Moyer also took third in the 200.
Local results follow.
Girls
Seventh grade
1. Humboldt, 113; 2 (tie). Iola and Royster, 94; 4. Marmaton Valley, 70.
100 — 1. India Barney, I, 14.53; 2. Laney Hull, H, 14.57; 3. Kylah Sander, MV, 14.80; 5. Teghen Jaro, H, 15.81; 6. MaHallie Genoble, I, 15.92; 8. Kandrella McCullough, I, 16.62.
200 — 2. Barney, 31.76; 3. Genoble, 32.71; 5. Bella Rahming, I, 34.61; 6. Anapaula Franco, H, 34.67.
400 — 2. Shelby Sprague, MV, 1:15.83; 5. Rylee Woods, H, 1:22.22; 7. Kalyn Baughn, H, 1:26.13; 8. Lilli Reeder, H, 1:26.68.
800 — 1. Skylar Hottenstein, H, 2:47.91. 5. Victoria Melendez, H, 3:10.53; 7. McCullough, 3:21.79; 8. Sophia Heim, MV, 3:28.11.
1600 — 1. Sprague, 6:39.76; 3. Heim, 7:34.04; 4. Stephanie Fees, I, 8:00.00; 5. Franco, 8:19.55.
3200 — 1. Melendez, 3:10.53.
100-m hurdles — 1. Barney, 17.85; 2. Hull, 18.67; 3. Braelyn Sutton, MV, 20.53; 4. Genoble, 20.93; 7. Franco, 21.90.
4×100 — 3. Humboldt (Hull, Jaro, Baughn, Hottenstein), 1:03.58
