March 28, 2024

Fields’ throws are the lone auto state qualifiers for Creston

Clarke automatically qualifies three events

GLENWOOD — Creston senior Kelsey Fields swept the throws to be a two-event state track and field qualifier in a Class 3A state qualifying meet at Glenwood’s Ram Memorial Field Thursday.

A few other Creston events are on the bubble to qualify as a qualifiers list won’t be released until this afternoon.

Clarke automatically qualified Josey Dunbar in the 100-meter dash (13.11 seconds) and Tory Henry in the 100-meter hurdles (16.74). On the boys’ side, Dalton Stubbe won the shot put to automatically qualify, with a throw of 50 feet, 5 inches.

The top two finishers in each event and the next eight performances from around the state qualify for the state track meet in Class 3A. Classes 2A and 3A will compete in the morning all three days of the state track meet, with 1A and 4A competing in the afternoon session.

“Kelsey was excellent,” said Creston coach Clay Arnold. “Molly Sickels was also great in the 1,500. It was the third meet in a row that she had a huge PR (personal record).”

Fields didn’t throw personal records in the shot put or the discus, however her throws were good enough to win. She threw the shot put 42 feet, 2 inches and the discus 124 feet, 8 inches.

On the boys’ side, a couple of third place finishers with Cael Kralik in the 400 (54.20 seconds) and Brandon Briley in the 800 (2:05.74) are considered on the bubble.

“This is the time of the season we were hoping to be doing our best, and Coach [Steve] Birchard and I were very happy with how the boys competed,” said Creston boys coach Pat Schlapia. “We have two events on the bubble — the 400-meter dash with Cael Kralik and the other being Brandon in the 800. Cael and Brandon left it all out on the track during these races. Again, we were very happy with how our team competed. We had many get out of their comfort zones and stepped up the intensity level. This was another example of the growth these boys have shown throughout the season.”

Fifth place finishers for the Panthers on the girls’ side were the 4x200-meter relay (Tristen Rice, Angelina Chuong, Brianna Fields and Kelsey Fields) that finished in 1:57.73; the 4x400-meter relay (Peyton Rice, Brianna Fields, Chuong and Doryn Paup) in 4:31.94; and the distance medley relay (Chuong, Kelsey Fields, Peyton Rice and Paige Davis) that finished in 4:44.01.

Fifth place finishers for the boys were Ty Morrison in the 1,600-meter run (5:03.87) and the 4x800-meter relay (Austin Evans, Calvin, Morrison and Briley) in 9:24.52).

The 4x100 (Chris Wells, Austin Seaton, Hunter Walter, Ethan Freeman) was sixth in 48.90 seconds, the 4x400 was sixth (Calvin, Tony Davidson, Gavin Bolton and Briley) in 3:53.24, the sprint medley was sixth (Walter, Jaydan Pettegrew, Kralik and Davidson) in 1:43.75, the shuttle hurdle was sixth (Bolton, Garett Burkhalter, Seaton and Pettegrew) in 1:18.52, and Keagan Smith was sixth in shot put (43 feet, 4 1/2 inches).

Back on the girls’ side, Clarke’s Dunbar was third in the 200 (27.23), Ali Henry was third in the 100-meter hurdles (16.79) and the Lady Indians took third in the shuttle hurdle, with a team comprised of Ali Henry, Kaiya Dunbar, Crystal Barlage and Tory Henry, in 1:15.02.

The Clarke boys 4x800 took third with Tanner Fry, Seth Johnson, Ethan Domina and Colby Feehan (8:54.43).

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson has served as News Editor of the Adair County Free Press and Fontanelle Observer since Oct. 2017. He and his wife Kilee live in Greenfield. In Greenfield and the greater Adair County area, he values the opportunity to tell peoples' stories, enjoys playing guitar, following all levels of sports, and being a part of his local church.