When Emma Slade entered seventh grade at Mission Valley, she was looking for something new athletically.
 
She had played some softball growing up, mostly because her friends were doing it, but admitted by the time she reached middle school, she was “done with it and wanted something different.”
 
So she went out for track and field, gravitating toward the throwing events – in particular the discus. And it wasn’t long before she knew she found her niche.
 
“I hadn’t done much with track so I wanted to try a little of everything and discus is where I started to succeed at,” Slade said. “My dad and I worked a lot at home to set a good foundation and I realized there would be nothing better than throwing.”
 
Slade has poured herself into the discus ever since and has worked her way up to being one of the top throwers in the state this season. In throwing 136 feet, 8 inches at last week’s Osage City Invitational, Slade now owns the No. 3 overall mark in the state in the discus, trailing only Olathe Northwest teammates Kendall Yarnell (141-8) and Val Galligan (141-5).
 
Oh, and Slade also now owns Mission Valley’s school record in the event, breaking the old record of 130-3, set by Katie Waters in 2003.
 
“I threw a 132 right before it and I remember turning around and I looked at my coach and was so happy,” Slade said of her series at Osage City, where she won the meet title by more than seven feet over Flint Hills League rival Kate Boss of Osage City, last year’s Class 3A state runner-up. “When I threw 136, I was so excited it finally happened. I’ve been working for it for so long and so it felt so good.”
 
Slade started this season with a throw of 128-9 to win the Silver Lake Invitational, giving her a sign that good things were to come this season after a somewhat bittersweet 2023 junior season.
 
After throwing 120-10 to finish sixth in Class 2A at the State Outdoors as a sophomore in 2022, Slade was expecting a similar jump as a junior as she experienced between her freshman and sophomore years when she added nearly 30 feet from her best mark as a freshman (98-9).
 
Instead, she continued to hover right around the 120 mark she finished her sophomore year at, throwing a season-best of 122-11 at regionals. That mark was the second-best regional mark in 2A, however, and set Slade up as one of the top contenders for the state title last spring.
 
At state, however, Slade admitted she let the nerves get to her. She never found her rhythm and walked out of the ring with a best of 100-9 that placed her 13^th overall.
 
“State last year for me was a hard point,” Slade said. “I was very disappointed about it. After I got over it, it was more of a growing moment for me. I learned how to deal with that high-pressure situation where there are a lot of eyes on me. It was something I hadn’t experienced before so it was good for me to learn how to cope with it and that really helped me out a lot.
 
“It was just a lot of pressure that I inflicted on myself going into it. Mentally it was a lot and very overwhelming.”
 
It also lit a fire under Slade that she immediately capitalized on. A week after the state meet, Slade competed at the Midwest Night of Stars in Lincoln, Neb., and threw a career-best 129-6 to place second behind Madison Smith of Gothenburg, Neb.
 
“It really did help me work harder and focus on the things I needed to do to get my numbers higher,” Slade said of her state disappointment. “The 120s for me was a hump to get over. It took a lot of hard work and a lot of practices where I spent time afterwards working on my footwork to make sure I had the right technique down and I had a good foundation. I also did a lot of strength training to get my muscle build up so I have that power behind everything.”
 
Now that she’s cracked the 130-foot barrier, Slade has her sights set on throwing 145 feet or farther by the end of the high school season. That would get her in the ballpark of the 2A state meet record of 146-3 set by Hill City’s Alyssa Miller in 2016.
 
Slade will get a good test this week when she competes against a high-caliber field at the Shocker Pre-State Challenge in Wichita, facing throwers from various classes. She’s eager to build off her school-record throw and see where how she stacks up in a high-pressure environment at the same site of the state track meet.
 
“I’m really excited to compete against other throwers who are at my level,” she said. “Other than (Boss), I don’t have a lot of competition at most of my meets. I really like having people push me and really drive me to do better. After my state experience and having all that pressure, I’ve learned the little things that can help me. Music really helps cope with my nerves, but I’ve also learned to live in the moment and enjoy what I’m doing and not worry so much about everything else. Hopefully that keeps going.”
 
At that meet, Slade will also get a chance to compete in an event that’s also become one of her favorites – the hammer throw. She has only competed in that event during her summer competition with the NEK Track Club, but will add it to her repertoire once she’s in college, having signed with Fort Hays State.
 
“I could definitely see it becoming more of a favorite than the discus,” Slade said. “I’m really excited to work with my college coaches on that and get a new perspective on my throws. I’m excited to have a hammer coach who can work with me every day because right now I have one that comes every few weeks. It’s just a fun event and I love it.”
 
Slade will throw the hammer on Thursday and then come back in the discus and shot put on Friday.
 

 
SEAMAN’S MILLER MAKES EARLY STATEMENT
 
There’s no debate that Salina Central’s Katelyn Rupe is the current queen of distance in Class 5A. The two-time reigning state champion in the 3,200, Rupe won last year’s state title by nearly a minute and then dominated the 5A cross country championships in the fall, winning by 22 seconds.
 
If last week’s Lansing Invitational is any indication, however, Rupe could face a serious challenge to her crown from Seaman sophomore Ryin Miller. 
 
A third-place finisher at state cross country in the fall, coming in a minute behind Rupe, Miller sent an early message that she’s intent on closing the gap this spring with her performance at Lansing last Friday.
 
Miller began her big night with a dominant showing in the 1,600, running a 4:53.37 that not only is the top time in the state this year, but also ranks as the 14^th-best time in state history. It’s also nearly eight seconds faster than Rupe’s top time in the event this year (5:01.13).
 
If that wasn’t impressive enough, Miller came back later in the meet and turned in a 10:26.64 in the 3,200, a time that’s also tops in the state this year and ranks No. 7 all-time in state history. The time also was 13 seconds faster than what Rupe ran to win the state title a year ago and is nearly 16 seconds faster than Rupe’s top mark this year (10:42.47).
 
Both of Miller’s times also demolished Seaman’s school records in the event that had stood for nearly 40 years. Marge Eddy set the previous records in both events in 1986, running a 5:04.44 in the 1,600 and 10:59.94 in the 3,200, both times converted from hand times of 5:04.2 and 10:59.7 to FAT.
 
“It definitely boosts my confidence for state,” Miller said. “I have worked extremely hard over the winter and expected to be happy with my time, but not that happy. I know that if I keep working and stay healthy, I have a shot to go against anyone. I couldn’t have gotten here without the support of my teammates, friends, coaches and family who have heled me tremendously to keep pushing for my goals.”
 
Miller, who also plays soccer for Seaman, was limited just relays state a year ago after a soccer conflict at regionals. But she ran a 5:24 in the 1,600 and 2:26 in the 800 a year ago and turned loose in the individual events this spring. She’ll run the 800 at Friday’s Free State Invitational and has a shot at a school record in that event as well.
 
“Ryan is just an amazing athlete,” Seaman coach Rick Brading said. “When I ask for a 68-second average on repeat 400s, I get 63s. When I ask for a 2:40 average in 800 repeats, I get a 2:25. She is super-motivated and we certainly haven’t seen her best races yet.”
 
Miller also capped her record-setting night by running a 59.6 leg on the Vikings’ 1,600 relay as the Vikings turned in a 4:15.21 to win by eight-plus seconds.
 
 
OTHER TRACK AND FIELD STANDOUTS

• St. Marys sophomore Jolenna Wingerter took down a 28-year-old school record in the girls long jump, soaring 17 feet, 1 inch to win the title at the Wabaunsee Invitational. The old record was 17-0 by Macy Tanking in 1996.
• After already setting school records in the 800 and 1,600, De Soto’s Brooke Bundt took down another school mark at Friday’s Olathe Invitational, running an 11:22.59 that was nearly seven seconds better than the old mark of 11:29.10 set by Lacey Erickson in 2011. Boys teammate Carson Miller had a big performance at the 6A-dominated meet, winning the 100 and 200 and helping the Wildcats’ 400 relay to a narrow runner-up finish to Olathe West. Injured as a junior, Miller nipped teammate Jayden Lang for the 100 title in 10.97 and then went 22.19 in the 200 for the title with that time fifth-best in the state overall. 
• Wellsville’s Samantha Viets overcame a cold to set the Eagles’ school record in the long jump with a leap of 17-6.5 at the Paola Invitational. Boys teammate Dez Winton won his second straight long jump title, going 22-3, while Nash McDaniel added a title in the 800 and Carsen Bell set a PR in the pole vault, going 13-6 to win his second straight meet title.
• Silver Lake’s Ava Rottinghaus broke her own school record in taking the girls’ javelin title at the Riley County Invitational last Friday. Rottinghaus threw 129-9 to best her previous school record of 126-2 by more than three feet.
• Heritage Christian’s Maddy Wolf added a third javelin title of the season in winning at the Lyndon Invitational. After throwing over 125 feet in her first two meets, Wolf threw a 133-0 at Lyndon which ranks her fifth in the state overall.
• Minneapolis’ Maci McClure came within two inches of breaking the Lions’ school record in the long jump in winning the event at the Concordia Invitational. McClure jumped 17-9 to narrowly miss the school record of 17-11, but ranks ninth overall in the state this season.
• Jefferson County North’s Isaac Kane, the reigning Class 2A 400 champion, scored three first-place finishes at the McLouth Invitational. Kane set a school record in the high jump with a clearance of 6-6. He’s tied for sixth in the state overall in the high jump and Kane also won the 400 in 51.81 and anchored the winning 1,600 relay.
• Nemaha Central’s Cali Honeyman broke the school record in the 100 hurdles in winning the title at a Big Seven Quad at Holton. Honeyman finished in 15.53, breaking her old mark of 15.74 set at state last year.
• Chase County’s Madelyn Wilson picked up a pair of wins at the Marion Invitational, winning the discus title with a throw of 124-5 and javelin title with a throw of 103-8. Her discus mark was just three inches away from the school record in the event and she also took second in the shot put (36-6). Tucker Groh (400) and Luke Budke (pole vault) added wins for the boys.
• Northern Heights freshman Ellei McCrory helped the Wildcats’ 3,200 relay to a best time of 10:42.16 while also winning the 1,600 and 3,200 at the Wabaunsee Invitational. Cooper Hamlin added a title in the boys’ 1,600.
• Abilene’s Renatta Heintz had a big showing at the Riley County Relays, winning the 100 in 12.82 and 200 in 25.96. Judah Bowell swept the boys hurdle titles at the meet, winning the 110s in 15.11 and 300s in 40.75. Abilene also got wins from the boys’ 1,600 and 3,200 relays, Tyler Green in the boys’ high jump, Eden Bathurst in the girls’ 800, Arissa Cathey in the girls, 3,200, the girls, 400 relay and Claire Dannefer in the girls’ long jump.
• Central Heights’ Cody Hammond, Connor Burkdoll and Christian McCord went 1-2-3 in the 800 at the Osage City Invitational with Burkdoll and McCord setting PRs, two of 11 PRs by the boys team. 
• Marais des Cygnes Valley freshman Landon Traver went 19-1 in the long jump and 38-11.5 in the triple jump while Colbie Cormode turned in a 1:09.57 in the girls’ 400.
• Washington County’s girls picked up eight event victories in winning the team title at the Frankfort Arctic Invitational. Addy Goeckel swept the hurdles titles and was on two winning relays while Lillee Richard won the pole vault, Kiersten Tholstrup the 400, Jesse Hoover the javelin and Alyssa Jueneman the long jump.