CREIGHTON — The Wausa varsity track and field teams both finished in the top four at the 2024 Knox County Invitational.
The Vikings shared the runner-up spot with Crofton, scoring 82 points at the meet held on April 2 at Creighton High School. The Lady Vikings finished in fourth place with 77 points.
“This was our first regular event invitational and I was really pleased with our performances on not such a great day with the wind and cool conditions,” Wausa head coach Greg Conn said.
“On days like this, when getting great time can be difficult, it comes down to being a tough competitor – and not the conditions – (to) determine the outcome of where you place,” he said. “Everyone competing on days like this has the same conditions.”
He noted the Vikings and Lady Vikings set several personal records and had “great performances.”
Junior Colton Baue won the boys’ long jump with a personal best of 19’-7.25” and sophomore Preston Schlote hit a personal best in the boys’ shot put with a mark of 41-10” to place fifth. Senior Cashe Carlson also hit a personal best in the boys’ shot put with a mark of 39’-5” to place sixth.
In the girls’ long jump, freshman Reagan Gillilan had a personal best of 15’-11” to win that event. In the girls’ high jump, sophomore Mackenzie Suhr recorded a personal best of 5’-0” for a second-place finish.
“I wish I could do better in it,” Gillilan said of the long jump.
Suhr noted she felt “very good” about establishing a personal record in the high jump.
“I’ve struggled a few years trying to get that PR and it felt really good to finally get it,” Suhr said.
Suhr thought the Knox County Invitational went pretty well overall for Wausa.
“Obviously, it’s the start of the season, so there’s more room to improve before the end of the season,” Suhr said.
Both Gillilan and Suhr said they want to keep setting personal records in their events as the season progresses.
The Vikings and Lady Vikings competed on April 9 at Cedar Catholic’s Trojan Invitational in Hartington and will travel on April 11 for the O’Neill Invitational at 10 a.m. and then return to Hartington on April 15 for the Hartington-Newcastle Invitational at 3 p.m.
Knox County Invitational
Boys’ Results: - 100 meters: Senior Jyler Petersen, 11.51, third.
- 200 meters: Senior Jyler Petersen, 24.3, second.
- 400 meters: Freshman Matthew Schindler, 57.2, third.
- 800 meters: Senior Cade Wakeley, 2:22, fourth - 1,600 meters: Sophomore Luke Woockman, 5:13, fourth.
- 3,200 meters: Sophomore Luke Woockman, 11:37.73, second.
- 4-by-100-meter relay: Freshman Mac Carlson, senior Cade Wakeley, junior Colton Baue and senior Jyler Petersen, 48.51, second.
- 4-by-400-meter relay: Freshman Mac Carlson, sophomore Gaven Nipp, senior Jyler Petersen and sophomore Braydon Hoesing, 4:08.88, third.
- 4-by-800-meter relay: Sophomore Luke Woockman, senior Cade Wakeley, sophomore Braydon Hoesing and freshman Matthew Schindler, 9:40.57, first.
- High jump: Sophomore Gaven Nipp, 5’-4”, fourth; freshman Ryan Kleinschmit, 5’-2”, sixth.
- Long jump: Junior Colton Baue, 19’-7.25” PR, first; freshman Matthew Schindler, 18’-6.25”, fifth.
- Shot put: Sophomore Preston Schlote, 40’-10”, fifth; senior Cashe Carlson, 39’-5”, sixth.
-Discus: Sophomore Preston Schlote, 107’-8”, fifth.
Girls’ Results: - 200 meters: Sophomore Lexi Wright, 29.08, fourth.
- 400 meters: Freshman Reagan Gillilan, 67.07, third.
- 800 meters: Sophomore Taylor Dawson, 2:50.38, fourth; freshman Carlie Kleinschmit, 3:04.14, sixth.
- 100-meter hurdles: Freshman Kennedy Gillilan, 17.94, fifth; sophomore Mackenzie Suhr, 18.22, sixth.
- 300-meter hurdles: Sophomore Avery Stevens, 56.44, fourth.
- 4-by-100-meter relay: Freshman Kennedy Gillilan, freshman Reagan Gillilan, sophomore Avery Stevens and sophomore Lexi Wright, 55.59, third.
- 4-by-400-meter relay: Sophomore Mackenzie Suhr, freshman Kennedy Gillilan, sophomore Avery Stevens and sophomore Taylor Dawson, 5:05.13, third.
- High jump: Sophomore Mackenzie Suhr, PR 5’-0”, second; freshmen Reagan Gillilan and Carlie Kleinschmit, 4’-8”, tie for fourth.
- Long jump: Freshman Reagan Gillilan, PR 15”11”, first; sophomore Lexi Wright, 14’-7”, third.
- Shot put: Senior Kate Lundberg, 33’-5.5”, second; sophomore Tierney Alexander, 29’-6”, sixth.
