WICHITA — Three was the magic number at the state track meet Friday, as a trio of local athletes brought home medals — all in the triple jump.
Marmaton Valley High’s Janae Granere and Piper Barney earned fourth- and seventh-place medals, respectively, in the Class 1A girls triple jump, while Humboldt’s Levi McGowen took home sixth in the 3A boys triple jump.
Granere garnered a distance of 35 feet, .25 inches, while Barney leapt 33’10.75”.
They were joined on the medal stand by McGowen, who went 42’6.75 in his Class 3A division.
McGwoen saved his best for last, with his fifth and sixth jumps his longest of the day.
WHILE THAT was the only hardware earned by local athletes Friday, other medals are almost certainly in the offing Saturday.
Iola HIgh’s Brett Willis, Humboldt’s Drew Wilhite and Marmaton Valley’s Jaedon Granere are virtually assured of earning medals in their respective sprints.
Willis qualified for the finals in Class 4A boys 200 meters, while Granere had the third-fastest time in the Class 1A boys 200 prelims. Wilhite nabbed the eighth and final qualifying spot in the Class 3A Boys 400 meters.
The top eight runners in the sprint divisions advance to finals, with medals going to the top eight finishers.
ELSEWHERE, Iola’s Karingten Hall, Jesse Taylor and Sage Barney came up just short in their hopes for a state medal.
Hall ran the 11th-fastest 4A girls 200-meter prelim, while Barney, despite setting her career best by clearing 8 feet, finished in 14th.
Taylor took 10th in the 3200, running a career best 10 minutes, 10.29 seconds.
The two-day track meet at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium, wraps up Saturday.
OTHER results:
Marmaton Valley’s Kaitlyn Drake took ninth in the 2A girls high jump, while Granere and Barney ran in 200 meters and 300-meter hurdles, respectively, but did not qualify for finals.
