Up and over. Two different events; both make competitors go up and over.
Kendra Taiclet capped her senior regular season of track and field winning a league championship. Junior Breanna Stout continued an Iola High tradition.
“It’s the highlight of my senior season. To be SEK champion and do it here at home in our final SEK track meet ever. It’s pretty special,” said Taiclet.
Taiclet dominated the Southeast Kansas League field in the 100-meter high hurdles Thursday. She went up and over the hurdles in front of the Riverside Park stadium for the 2012 SEK championship.
She won the gold medal in 16.23 seconds. Second place went to Skyler Muff of Pittsburg in 17.80 seconds.
Stout started the day with a third-place finish in the SEK girls’ high jump. She cleared the bar at 4 feet, 8 inches.
Not bad.
But the best was yet to come for the IHS junior.
For the fourth straight year, the SEK girls’ pole vault championship belongs to Iola High. Stout used a personal-best vault of 9 feet to win the 2012 SEK championship Thursday.
“It feels great to be the SEK champion in our last-ever SEK meet. Also it was a good feeling to win it going 9 feet,” Stout said.
“I cleared all my heights on the first attempt until I went for 9’6”. David Roe (former IHS pole vault coach and teacher) told my coach that on my vault for 9 feet, that I went over high enough to be able to clear 10 feet. That’s exciting and what I’m reaching for next.”
Maggie Wilson, who is competing for Emporia State this season, completed a three-year reign as SEK champion in pole vault last year. Stout took third in the event at home a year ago in the league meet.
“There’s no place like home,” said Marvin Smith, Iola High head track coach. “Man, oh, man, we squeezed out every point we could and our girls scored 100 points competing here at home.”
The Fillies finished third as a team. Iola ended its long association with the Southeast Kansas League by holding the 2012 SEK track meet in Riverside Park.
Pittsburg walked away with the SEK team championship with 145 points. Chanute scored 106 points for second place.
