GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD PREVIEW
 

 
CLASS 6A
 
2022 State Champion: Olathe Northwest
 
2022 State Runner-up: Shawnee Mission Northwest
 
2022 Review: It doesn’t get much closer than it got in deciding the Class 6A girls state title last year. Olathe Northwest and Shawnee Mission Northwest were neck and neck throughout the meet, SM Northwest taking 67-66 lead with three events to go in the meet after a 2-6 finish by Olivia and Addison Pixton in the 300 hurdles. But Oalthe Northwest got a third from Lydia McGlockin in the 800 to go back up 72-69 and after neither had a finalist in the 200, all the Ravens need to do was not finish more than three places behind SM Northwest in the 1,600 relay – a bit of an ask after Olathe Northwest qualified seventh and SM Northwest qualified third. But while SM Northwest held its position in third, Olathe Northwest moved up the necessary one place to take sixth and take a 76-75 win in the race for the team title. Olathe Northwest was led by a trio of individual state champions as Olivia Cooper won the 110 hurdles, Val Galligan won the javelin and Adrienne Locke-Garcia took the shot put title. Kendall Yarnell added a runner-up in the discus and fourth in the shot and the Ravens did just enough to hold off the Cougars, whose lone individual event win came from Paige Mullen in the 3,200. Mullen placed in three events, as did Olivia Pixton, who was the state runner-up in the long and triple jump. Olathe West was third as a team, behind Kennedi Cline, who won the 400 and was on the Owls’ winning 400 relay. West also won the 3,200 relay title and Cline added a runner-up finish on the 1,600 relay and in the 200 where she took second to Olathe North’s KaLiyah McGinnis, who swept the sprints by also adding the 100 title in a record-setting time of 11.79. Blue Valley West’s Olivia Bakker also was a double-winner in the 800 and 1,600, leading the Jaguars to a fourth-place team finish. Other individual event winners included Wichita Northwest’s Adryanna Shelby (300 hurdles), Olathe South’s Kaitlyn Otroszko (high jump), Free State’s Isa Evans (pole vault), Hutchinson’s Sarah Schwartz (long jump), Manhattan’s Gili Johnson (triple jump) and Shawnee Mission South’s Kirsten Womack (discus).  
 
2023 Contenders: Returning all three of its individual state champions, Olathe Northwest has a big leg up on the rest of the 6A field trying to chase down the defending champs. Olivia Cooper will likely have the biggest challenge defending her individual crown in the 110 hurdles, fighting off Wichita Northwest’s Adryanna Shelby by .31 seconds for the crown. Shelby is back this year and won the 300 hurdles. Adrienne Locke-Garcia was more than two feet better than the field in the shot put last year and Val Galligan won the javelin by nearly 10 feet, both seeing their top challengers a year ago graduate. Knedall Yarnell could join the mix and help Northwest to a throws sweep, taking second in the discus last year to departed state champion Kirsten Womack of Shawnee Mission South. Galligan’s top threats both came from Shawnee Mission Northwest, which battled the Ravens to the final event for the team title before coming up one point short. The Cougars will be in almost a complete rebuild mode around returning 3,200 champion and three-event placer Paige Mullen. Graduation claimed triple runner-up finisher Olivia Pixton and the 2-3 javelin duo of twin sisters Shelby and Jordan Sogaard and double placer Ella Mackiewicz. Olathe West was third and lost its lone state champion individual Kennedi Cline, but boast an excellent distance corps that won the state cross country title and the 3,200 relay with seniors Charis Robinson and Paige Baker and juniors Bree Newport and Kate Miller on that team. Of that quartet, only Robinson medalled in an individual event and if the Owls are to make a run at Olathe Northwest, they’ll need bigger contributions from the strength of their squad, particularly with 800 and 1,600 champion Olivia Bakker of Blue Valley West having graduated. The list of 6A contenders got a little deeper with the addition of Mill Valley, which moves up after capturing the 5A team title last year. The Jaguars return a large number of last year’s state contingent, but the graduation losses were big ones – Quincy Hubert, who swept 5A titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles, long jump state champion Kate Roth and standout distance runner Katie Schwartzkopf. Sophomore Charlotte Caldwell joins the list of strong distance challengers after placing in the 800 and 1,600 last year. Olathe North’s KaLiyah McGinnis broke the 100 record last year on her way to a sweep of the sprints and will be back to defend those titles. Blue Valley North sophomore Delia Gregory is one of the top contenders to replace West’s Cline as the 400 champion and anchored the Mustangs’ winning 1,600 relay last year as a freshman. Lawrence’s Victoria Reed will be her top threat, returning as a state champion after winning the 5A 400 last year for Highland Park before transferring in the offseason. Olathe South’s Kaitlyn Otroszko won a jump-off with Free State’s Reese Hulcher to win the high jump title last year and both return to battle it out against this year along with Wichita North’s Taryn St. Clair, who was just 2 inches back and won the title in 2021. Manhattan’s Gili Johnson was the top triple jumper in the state last year and will be the favorite to add the long jump title as well with the graduation of champion Sarah Schwartz of Hutchinson and SM Northwest’s Pixton.
 

 
CLASS 5A
 
2022 State Champion: Mill Valley
 
2022 State Runner-up: Great Bend
 
2022 Review: Boosted by a trio of state champions, Mill Valley fought off challenges from Great Bend and Kapaun Mt. Carmel to take the 5A team title last year, finishing with 75.5 points to beat Great Bend by 8.5 points and Kapaun by 9.5. Quincy Hubert led the way for the Jaguars, sweeping the titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles, while Kate Roth added a title in the long jump. Mill Valley also racked up big points in the distance races behind Charlotte Caldwell and Katie Schwartzkopf, each placing in two races. Great Bend only had one state champion in its runner-up finish, that coming from the 1,600 relay team of Eliana Beckham, Makenzie Premer, Mersadie Spray and Kara Feist. But the Panthers scored points in eight events overall, getting runner-up finishes from Premer in the 300 hurdles, Taryn Warren in the shot put and Valerie Luna in the high jump. Kapaun, meanwhile, rode a trio of champions like Mill Valley to its third-place showing. Lillian Harris swept the 100 and 200 and Sophia Gimino won the javelin crown, while the Crusaders also got a second from their 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Perhaps the biggest eye-opening performance in 5A girls came from Salina Centralfreshman Katelyn Rupe, who made a run at the state-meet record in the 3,200 and wound up winning the 1,600 title as well in her debut season. Other individual event champions included Highland Park’s Victoria Reed (400), Seaman’s Bethany Druse (800), Andover Central’s Brittany Harshaw (high jump), Piper’s Kaitlin Lindstrom (pole vault), Newton’s Hayley Loewen (triple jump), Leavenworth’s Aarion Pickens (shot put) and Bonner Springs’ Mariyah Noel (discus). 
 
2023 Contenders: With Mill Valley moving up to 6A this season, the battle for the 5A title is wide open in 2023. Great Bend will certainly be a major factor, losing just three seniors off last year’s state title team, though shot put runner-up Taryn Warren will be missed. The Panthers return their entire 1,600 relay state championship team and two of those relay members – juniors Makenzie Premer and Mersadie Spray – were state placers in multiple events with Premer runner-up in the 300 hurdles. Valerie Luna was a runner-up in the high jump with Spray taking third and both will challenge for the title with the graduation of last year’s champion, Andover Central’s Brittany Harshaw. That gives the Panthers plenty of points they can count on. Third-place a year ago, Kapaun Mt. Carmel also has the pieces to take over the top spot this season after finishing just one point behind Great Bend. The Crusaders lost a little more to graduation with the loss of six seniors, two of them off the runner-up 3,200 relay, but Kapaun has the power at the top with the return of a trio of state champions. Senior Lillian Harris is one of the top sprinters in the state and swept the 100 and 200 last year. Fellow senior Sophia Gimino took the javelin crown last year – her second straight -- in a tight competition where just nine feet separated the top four. Runner-up Kylie Brockman of Piper and third-place Olivia Vanderweide of Basehor-Linwood also are back as is Basehor’s Brenna Lynn, who had the second-best throw in the state last year but finished just sixth at state. New champions will be hard to come by in all the throws as last year’s shot put and discus champions also return. Leavenworth’s Aarion Pickens was the lone 5A thrower over 40 feet last year in the shot put as a sophomore with a season-best of 41-9. Mariyah Noel of Bonner Springs won the discus title by more than three feet for her second straight title, but was only inches better than Basehor’s Lynn overall during the season and will also have to contend with last year’s runner-up, sophomore Margo Todd of Spring Hill. It’s hard to picture anyone coming close to Salina Central’sKatelyn Rupe in the 1,600 or 3,200, especially after Rupe turned in a dominant cross country season. The question will be if Rupe can chase down the 5A meet record of 10:34.20 in the 3,200 set by Salina Southlegend Alysun Decikert in 1983. She’ll also be a threat to the 1,600 record, especially if she’s pushed again by runner-up Grace Hanson of Piper, who was runner-up in state cross country. Seaman’s Bethany Druse is back to defend her 800 title and has a strong distance running mate in freshman Ryin Miller. The battle for the 400 will be wide open with last year’s champion Victoria Reed transferring from Highland Park to 6ALawrence. All seven other placers are back, led by Shawne Heights’ Taylor Rottinghaus. De Sotosophomore Ella Capling will challenge for the vacated titles in the triple and long jumps after taking second and fourth, respectively, in those events last year. Hutchinson’s Anna Cullens was a state champion in the 100 and 300 hurdles for Wellington in 4A last year, but now will assume a favorite role in 5A in both events with the depature of Mill Valley’s Quincy Hubert as champion in both.

 

 
CLASS 4A
 
2022 State Champion: Andale
 
2022 State Runner-up: Eudora
 
2022 Review: The powerhouse that is Andale girls track and field continued its stranglehold on the Class 4A state championship trophy as the Indians won their fifth straight crown, joined by the boys as champions as well for a sweep of 4A. And as impressive as the previous four titles runs, last year’s was Andale’s most dominant showing. The Indians scored a whopping 152 points – 14.5 more than they scored in 2021 – and nearly doubled up runner-up Eudora, which scored 78. Andale won nine events overall and had a total of 20 top-eight performances, failing to score in only five events. McKenzie Fairchild followed in the footsteps of older sister Katelyn Fairchild and became a triple crown winner in the throwing events, taking the shot put title by nearly a foot, the discus crown by nine feet and the javelin title by nearly 23 feet. Maddie Schrandt joined Fairchild with multiple golds, winning both the 400 and 200, leading a 1-2 Indian finish in the latter with Betsy Reichenberger. It was one of three 1-2 showings for the Indians, the others coming from Fairchild and Emery May in the discus and Annabeth Baalmann and Claire Rowland in the pole vault. Lexi Horsch added a title in the high jump and the Indians won the 400 and 1,600 relays with Reichenberger on both and Schrandt on the 1,600 relay. Eudora’s lone victory on its way to its runner-up finish came from the 3,200 relay team of Phoebe Fletcher, Mackenzie Mayer, Sydney Owens and Hanna Keltner. Keltner and Owens each delivered top-five finishes in the 1,600 and 3,200 with Keltner adding a third medal in the 800 to cap a solid freshman state debut. Clearwater finished a distant third, led by a double-gold performance from Hayley Trotter, who won the 800 and 1,600. Wellington’s Anna Cullens also was a double winner in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Other individual event winners included Chapman’s Elyssa Frieze (3,200), Independence’s Nala Burns (100), Paola’s Maggie Kauk (long jump) and Ottawa’s Emery Keebaugh (triple jump).
 
2023 Contenders: Don’t blame Andale if it’s already clearing out a spot in the trophy case for another championship trophy this spring. The Indians will be hard-pressed to match last year’s dominating showing, but then again, it’s certainly not out of the question. Senior McKenzie Fairchild is poised to finish her career with another triple crown in the throws, a feat that would give her seven state golds in her career with Fairchild denying older sister Katelyn the triple crown in 2021 when she won the discus. Maddie Schrandt also returns after having a hand in three golds, winning the 200 and 400 individually and anchoring the meet-capping champion 1,600 relay. High jump champion Lexi Horsch is also back, as is runner-up as is pole vault runner-up Claire Rowland and 200 runner-up Betsy Reichenberger, with Reichenberger the top returning finisher in the 100. Only four athletes graduated, most notably two-time pole vault champion Annabeth Baalmann and Cali Kerschen who was runner-up in the 100 hurdles and was on the winning 400 and 1,600 relays. Eudoragraduated seven off last year’s runner-up team, but have two very big pieces back in junior Sydney Owens and sophomore Hanna Keltner. That duo combined for five medals individually in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, Keltner placing in all three including a runner-up finish in the 3,200, and also led the 3,200 relay to a title. The Cardinals lost double-placer Maya Pattison in the sprints and return only one placer in the field events, Alyssa Chapman, who was third in the pole vault and will be a title threat this season. The Cardinals will be battling Clearwater for second like it did a year ago. The Indians have a big scorer in senior Hayley Trotter, who swept the 800 and 1,600 titles last year in dominating fashion. She also won the 4A cross country title in the fall and if she opts to try the distance triple, she’ll have to contend with Chapman’s Elyssa Frieze, who won the event last year and was runner-up in the 1,600. Clearwater also could have the favorite in the hurdles this season in sophomore Madison Williams, who was runner-up in the 300s and third in the 100s but saw four-time champion Anna Cullens of Wellington transfer to Hutchinson in 5A. Fellow soph Kenzy McArtor was third in the 300s for the Indians, giving them some solid scoring complements to Trotter. Both champions in the horizontal jumps return as Paola’s Maggie Kauk is back to defend her long jump crown and Ottawa’s Emery Keebaugh is back for the three-peat triple jump title. 
 

 
CLASS 3A
 
2022 State Champion: Smoky Valley
 
2022 State Runner-up: Eureka
 
2022 Review: Though not nearly as dominant as Andale in winning in 4A, Smoky Valley still turned in an impressive showing in running away with its second straight 3A crown. The Vikings had to replace triple champion Belle Peters (110 hurdles, 200, pole vault) off their 2021 title team, but did so quite nicely with a state contingent that featured only two seniors. They swept titles on the track from in the 200, 400 and 800 with three different runners accounting for those – sophomore Breanne Peters winning the 200, senior Abby Rose taking the 400 and senior Gracie Lambert winning her second straight 800 crown. Lambert and Rose also were on the winning 3,200 relay and runner-up 1,600 relay, Lambert was second in the 1,600 and Peters also added a second in both the 100 and pole vault. It all added up to an 82.5-point day that was 40.5 points ahead of runner-up Eureka, which edged Cheney by one point for second place. The Tornades got three golds from the Singhateh sisters as Ashley swept the titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles and Abby added a crown in the shot put. Ashley also took third in the 100. Cheney’s lone victory came from its 400 relay team of Amy Wright, Brynn McCormick, Reagan Ayres and Lacy Luehrs. Campbell Hague’s runner-up finish in the triple jump led the Cardinals’ individual placers. Southeast of Saline’s Jentrie Alderson swept the 1,600 and 3,200 for the second straight year to cap her career with four state golds. Other individual event winners included Hesston’s Caryn Yoder (100), West Franklin’s Lily Judd (triple jump), Rossville’s Briar Gillum (discus), Norton’s Jenessa Ruder (javelin), Heritage Christian’s Rachel Van Gorp (long jump), Hoisington’sShellamae Farmer (pole vault) and Chaparral’s Mattie Swartz (high jump).
 
2023 Contenders: Things might be a little tighter this season as Smoky Valley goes after a 3A three-peat. The Vikings do return a cornerstone piece to build around in 200 state champion Breanna Peters, who also was runner-up in the pole vault and 100. Just a junior, she’s capable of a triple-crown performance this season as the top returner in the 100 and 200. The pole vault title will be a little tougher with Hoisington’s Shellamae Farmer back to defend her title. But Peters was just a foot back and senior sister Noelle Peters was right behind in fourth, six inches back. Smoky Valley will have to replace state champions in Abby Rose (400) and Gracie Lambert (800), but everyone else returns. If Smoky Valley does come back to the pack after winning its last two titles by 40 points or more, Eureka will be poised to take advantage. The Tornadoes return double state champion Ashley Singhateh, who swept the hurdle crowns last year and also took third in the 100. Her battle with Peters in the 100 could be a big swing event. Older sister Abby graduated after winning the shot put last year. The Tornadoes return three-fourths of their state 400 relay that just missed making finals. Cheneycan throw numbers at the field, taking 3A-best 17 athletes to state last year. Only five graduated, two of those off the winning 400 relay, but triple jump runner-up Campbell Hague returns as the favorite in the event this year and the Cardinals also return three-fourths of the fourth-place 1,600 relay and the entire fourth-place 3,200 relay. With the graduation of four-time distance champion Jentrie Alderson of Southeast of Saline, Prairie View’s Bree Allen steps into the role as favorite to sweep the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 this spring. She was runner-up in the 3,200 and third in the 1,600 last year, helping the Buffaloes finish fifth as a team, and won the state cross country title in the fall. Columbus’ Montana Ohmart will give her a run in the 800 and 1,600, taking second in both last year. Phillipsburg took fourth as a team last year and returns the favorite in the 400 in senior Heather Schemper, who won the event in 2021. She also will challenge Peters in the 200 and also anchored the Panthers’ winning 1,600 relay, which has three of its four members back. Heritage Christianalso could make a move up the standings with the return of long jump champion Rachel Van Gorp, who also placed top-four in the 100 and 200. She and teammate Caelyn Ferguson went 1-3 in the long jump last year and Ferguson also returns for a potential 1-2 finish this year. The top-four finishers in last year’s high jump all are gone, leaving that event wide open. Beloit sophomore Taytum Seyfert is the favorite to fill the vacated titles in the discus and potentially the shot put, taking second in the discus and sixth in the shot last year as a freshman. Three who finished ahead of her in the shot are back, led by Nemaha Central sophomore Cami Dalinghaus, whose older sisters Jacy and Kaley were past state throws champions. Norton’s Jenessa Ruder returns to defend her javelin title as do her top-two challengers.
 

 
CLASS 2A
 
2022 State Champion: Garden Plain
 
2022 State Runner-up: Wabaunsee
 
2022 Review: After blowing away the 2A field in 2021 when it scored 108 points to win by 60 points, Garden Plain found itself in a battle for the title last year with Wabaunsee and Stanton County. Just as she did in 2021, Brooke Hammond carried a big part of the load for the Owls, capping her standout out career with three more state golds to bring her career haul to 10. Hammond completed the career sweep of the 100 and 200 (no state meet in 2020 for COVID) and anchored the Owls’ winning 400 relay for the third time in her career as well. Seven other top-eight finishes were just enough to propel Garden Plain to the title as the Owls finished with 58 points to beat Wabaunsee by three and Stanton County by five. Hammond had won the 400 as a junior, but didn’t compete in the event last year. She might have been hard-pressed to defend that title because Stanton County’s Chesney Peterson added it to her impressive repertoire and turned in arguably the best performance by any athlete at last year’s state meet. Already with an impressive state resume with a sweep of the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 as a sophomore in 2021, Peterson pulled the extremely rare quadruple crown, winning the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200, smashing her own state record in the 1,600 by six seconds with a 4:54.00. Peterson had some help last year as Suzanne Farham added a runner-up finish in the pole vault. Peterson’s presence also likely kept Wabaunsee from dethroning Garden Plain as champions. The Chargers got a state title from Lauren Schutter in the long jump, the third title of her career, and saw freshman Payton Wurtz take second to Peterson in the 400, 1,600 and 3,200 and finish fourth in the 800 as she also attempted the distance quad. Valley Heights tied for fourth with Berean Academy with the Mustangs’ Emma Yungeberg capping a stellar career with a triple crown in the throws, winning her second straight in the shot put and javelin. Sedan’s Landrea Sears swept the titles in the 100 and 300 hurdles. Other individual champions included Pittsburg St. Mary’s Colgan’s Lily Brown (triple jump), Elkhart’s Nakaela O’Hair (pole vault) and Jefferson County North’s Adie Manville (high jump) with Manville’s title her third straight.
 
2023 Contenders: With graduation claiming 10-time state champion Brooke Hammond, Garden Plain is going to have to find a new horse to ride to a third straight 2A state title. The Owls also lost state placers Naomi Dooley and Sophie Smith, but return state placers in Celia and Sydney Puetz and Molly Zoglman and juniors Haidyn Thompson and Abby Redmon. That may not be enough to deny Wabaunsee or Stanton County, however. Barring a surprise or an injury, Stanton County has 40 guaranteed points if senior Chesney Peterson goes after the same quadruple gold performance she pulled off last year in winning the 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Wabaunsee sophomore Payton Wurtz duplicated Peterson’s four-event performance and took second to the Trojan standout in three of them. She’ll be right on her heels again if she opts for the same outing again this spring. Stanton County also returns pole vault runner-up Suzanne Farnham, who battled Elkhart’s Nakaela O’Hair for the title last year with O’Hair also back this season. Wabaunsee lost its other top scorer, three-time state champion Lauren Schutter, who was the long jump champion. Farnham’s presence makes Stanton County the slight favorite in what could be a crowded battle for the team title. Valley Heightsand Berean Academy tied for fourth last year but Heights lost the bulk of its state points with the graduation of triple-crown throws champion Emma Yungeberg. Berean racked up big points in the relays with all three taking top four. Only three relay members across the three relays graduated, including Sophia Dugger, who also finished third in the pole vault. Pittsburg St. Mary’s Colgan is a team to keep an eye on as a potential title contender. The Panthers took sixth last year and have a point-scoring machine in Lily Brown, who won the triple jump last year and also took second in the high jump and 100 hurdles. With the graduation of last year’s champions in both of those events, Brown very well could be a triple crown winner this spring. The Panthers only lost one member off last year’s title team, making them a serious threat for the title this year. With Hammond gone after sweeping the 100 and 200 in her career, the sprint titles are vacant for the first time in a while. St. Marys’ Hope Garland was runner-up in the 100 and fourth in the 200 while Bennington’s Rori Miles was second in the 200 and fourth in the 100. Kansas City Christian freshman Katalina Chan was second to departed state champion Landrea Sears of Sedan in the 300 hurdles. Jackson Heights’ Kanyon Olberding is a former champion in the triple jump and took second to Colgan’s Brown last year and second to Wabaunsee’s Schutter in the long jump. The bulk of the top finishers in all the throws graduated with the top returner Smith Center’s Camryn Hutchinson, who was runner-up in the javelin.
 

 
CLASS 1A
 
2022 State Champion: Hanover
 
2022 State Runner-up: Kiowa County
 
2022 Review: Hanover didn’t crown a single individual champion at last year’s state meet, it’s lone victories at the meet coming from its 400 and 1,600 relays. But the Wildcats’ depth was more than enough to help them dethrone reigning champion Kiowa County and win the program’s second title in three years. Junior Ceegan Atkins and freshman Anna Jueneman each posted a pair of runner-up finishes individually – Atkins in both of the hurdles and Jueneman in the 200 and 400 – and both were on the winning relays as Hanover amassed 60 points to beat the Mavericks by eight. Kiowa County’s runner-up showing was keyed by senior standout Addi Heinson, who swept the 100, 200 and 400 titles for the second straight year. Teammate Kendal Blanton also medalled in the 100 and 200 as Kiowa County did the bulk of its scoring on the track, while also getting a runner-up finish from Marley Little in the pole vault. Hodgeman County finished third as a team, led by a hurdles sweep from Kaylee James, who dethroned Hanover’s Atkins in the 100s and then defended her 300s title. Doniphan West’s Elle Williams also was a double-winner, taking titles in the 800 and 1,600 to lead the Mustangs to a fourth-place finish. Williams was denied the distance triple, taking third in the 3,200 behind Golden Plains’ Emma Weiner and Meade’s Madison Sutterfield. Williams was won of three champions from the Twin Valley League with Centralia’s Raegan Becker winning the high jump title and Blue Valley-Randolph’s Landry Zoeller winning the triple jump. Attica’s Tamara Lozoya successfully defended her pole vault title as did Victoria’s Macy Hammerschmidt in the long jump and Thunder Ridge’s Toree Slavik in the discus. Other individual event champions included Wallace County’s Ja’Asia Stafford (shot put) and Lebo’sBrooklyn Jones (javelin), each moving up to the title after runner-up finishes in 2021.
 
2023 Contenders: The graduation of three seniors typically is a significant loss at the 1A level. But Hanover is well-equipped to absorb those losses and remain the favorite to win its second straight 1A team title and third in the past four years. Returning senior Ceegan Atkins and sophomore Anna Jueneman carried the torch for the Wildcats a year ago, each finishing runner-up in two individual events and running on Hanover’s winning 400 and 1,600 relays. Jueneman finished only behind Kiowa County’s Addi Heinson in the 200 and 400 and with Heinson having graduated becomes the favorite in those events. Same goes for Atkins, who finished behind departed Kaylee James in both hurdles and now is the favorite. Atkins won the 100 hurdles title in 2021 and The Wildcats also return sophomore Emma Kruse from both champion relays, losing Allison Jueneman from both, and Kruse also placed in the 200. Hanover’s top challengers from a year ago suffered serious graduation losses. Kiowa County lost six-time state champion Heinson, who swept the 100, 200 and 400 as a junior and senior, while third-place Hodgeman County lost hurdles double-champion Kaylee James. Kiowa does return last year’s pole vault runner-up Marley Little, who is poised to take over the title from departed two-time champion Tamara Lozoya of Attica. Hodgeman’s top returners are junior Alexis Bradshaw, who was sixth in the 400, and is one of three returners from the Longhorns’ runner-up 400 relay along with senior Kaytlin Ewy and sophomore Blake Dansel. Kalyn Washburn added a sixth in the javelin. Doniphan West also lost its standout performer in double champion Elle Williams, who won the 800 and 1,600 last year and scored 28 of the Mustangs’ 40 points. Senior Claire Cole accounted for the rest, taking third in the high jump, fifth in the 100 hurdles and seventh in the 300 hurdles. Golden Plains very well could be Hanover’s top challenger, returning all but one off its sixth-place team. Emma Weiner was the state champion in the 3,200 and is coming off her second straight cross country title. She also was runner-up in the 1,600 and is poised to pull the distance sweep this season. Senior Breanna Rath was runner-up in the triple jump to Blue Valley-Randolph’s Landry Zoeller and both return to battle for the title this season. Three-fourths of the sixth-place 3,200 relay also return. Victoria’s Macy Hammerschmidt will be going for her third straight long jump title, winning last year by six inches. She’ll also challenge in the 100 after taking second to Heinson last year.. Thunder Ridge’s Toree Slavik also is looking to become a three-time champion in the discus, winning last year by nearly seven feet over Stockton’s Kaelyn Means, who also returns. Ja’Asia Stafford of Wallace County and Brooklyn Jones of Lebo are back to defend their state titles in the shot put and javelin, respectively. Jones will be pushed as the top-four in the event return and Central Plains’ Lauren Oeser was just  5 inches behind as last year’s runner-up. Stafford also will be challenged by Osborne sophomore Grace William, who was 4.5 inches back last year. Centralia’s Raegan Becker is back to defend her high jump title with Doniphan West’s Cole and Beloit-St. John’s Sophia Thompson her top challengers.