Sharpe, Cougars chase top podium finishes after qualifying for state track and field finals

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A bevy of area athletes will take their shot at finishing as high on the podium as possible Saturday during the Missouri state track and field championships.

Highland sophomore Chevie Sharpe will have three cracks at that.

Sharpe qualified third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.59 seconds. She also ran a leg on the Cougars’ 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams. Highland qualified third in the 4×200 with a time of 1:47.98 and fifth in the 4×400 in 4:12.92.

South Shelby’s Callie McWilliams will have two cracks at the podium. She qualified sixth in the 400 dash in 1:00.13 and will participate in the triple jump. The Lady Birds’ 4×400 relay team missed qualifying for the finals by one spot, finishing ninth in 4:16.28.

Mark Twain qualified for the finals in the girls 4×100 relay, taking sixth in 51.13. The Tigers ran a 1:49.50 in the 4×200, but missed the finals. Ella Moss did not qualify in the 100 dash, running a 12.96.

In the 1,600 run, Monroe City freshman Bradi Keller finished 10th in 5:42.59, while South Shelby’s Abigail Osborn was 14th in 5:56.66. They will both run in the 3,200 on Saturday.

Mark Twain’s Amaris Melvis and South Shelby’s Kamryn Mitchell both finished in the second half of the field in both the 100 and 300 hurdles. Melvis ran a 17.41 in the 100 and a 51.61 in the 300, while Mitchell ran a 17.89 in the 100 and a 52.10 in the 300.

Highland’s Addy Abell finished ninth in the pole vault, clearing 8 feet, 8.25 inches, while South Shelby’s Sofia Elcazarraza was 12th in the long jump with a leap of 16-8. Mark Twain’s Jenna Ross ran a 25.79 in the 200 but did not make the finals.

On the Class 2 boys side, the South Shelby 4×400 relay team qualified for the finals, finishing sixth in the prelims in 3:31.45. The Cardinals missed out on qualifying in the 4×200, finishing 11th in 1:33.49, and they finished 11th in the 4×800 in 8:35.43. Mark Twain was 13th in the 4×800 in 8:44.88.

Mark Twain’s Mason Delaporte was ninth in the 110 hurdles, missing the finals by one spot as he ran a 16.28. Highland’s Charlie Evans ended up 15th in the 400 dash preliminaries in 53.41.

In Class 3, Palmyra’s Sydney Compton qualified in the girls 300 hurdles by finishing seventh in the preliminaries in 15.48 seconds. The Panthers missed out on advancing in the 4×100 and 4×200 relays, taking ninth in the 4×100 in 51.05 and 11th in the 4×200 in 1:48.50.

Palmyra’s Hailey Kroeger was one spot off the podium in the javelin, finishing ninth with a throw of 116 feet, 2 inches.

In Class 1, North Shelby’s Harper Copenhaver qualified for the finals in both the girls 200 and 400 dashes. She qualified seventh in the 200 in 27.00 seconds and eighth in the 400 in 1:02.61.

North Shelby’s 4×200 and 4×400 relay teams did not qualify for the finals. The Raiders ran a 1:54.26 in the 4×200 and a 4:32.63 in the 4×400.

Canton’s Laken Hudnut missed the finals in the 100 dash, finishing in 13.35, while the Tigers’ 4×100 relay team posted a 55.61 time, which didn’t crack the top eight to advance. Canton’s Sophia Slater, who ran a leg on the relay team, will compete in the triple jump Saturday.

Marion County’s Samantha Kindhart finished 13th in the shot put with a toss of 31 feet, 2.75 inches. She will compete in the discus on Saturday. The Mustangs also will run in the girls 4×800 relay. North Shelby’s Gannon Bowen will throw in the boys javelin competition.