Girls track notebook
Christian wins C 3,200
For the first time since 1991, Lincoln Christian has a girls state track gold medallist. The Crusaders’ 3,200 relay team broke the tape in 9:46.31 to win the C race.
In ’91, former Nebraska sprinter Kathy Travis and standout middle distance runner Kim Bennett led the Crusaders to the last of their three straight C state titles.
“That’s our best time by a lot of seconds,’’ said sophomore Sarah Plambeck, who ran the anchor leg.
“It’s been a long drought. I’m speechless,’’ Christian coach Sam Nelson said. “They had a job to do and they did it.’’
The trio of freshmen Joelle Andersen, freshman Renee Williams and sophomore Bailee Dworak gave Plambeck a sizable lead. Plambeck closed it out with a 2:20 time on her 800 leg.
“Renee had a 2:23 split (on the second leg), a PR by nine seconds,’’ Nelson said. “That’s a difference-maker. It broke the race open.’’
* Wahoo edges rival: For Wahoo freshman Mattie Murren, winning the girls Class B 3,200 relay Friday was more than just beating cross-town rival Bishop Neumann. It was a matter of family bragging rights as well.
Murren held off her cousin, Neumann junior Sara Reeves, at the end of the anchor leg to give the Warriors a narrow victory. Wahoo finished in 9:41.367, while second-place Neumann came in at 9:42.06.
“She’s my cousin, I had to beat her, even though she’s older than I am,’’ Murren said. “I could feel her closing. All I could think was, ‘Get to the finish line.’”
Wahoo‘s first three legs — Erin Curran, Erin Walker and Morgan Hancock — built an approximately 50-meter lead for Murren when she got the baton. It was a turnaround from the district meet, when Neumann had a lead and Wahoo was unable to completely close the gap. Neumann’s district time of 9:39.0 was the fastest time in Class B entering state.
* White back on top: Broken Bow’s Katie White won her third Class B 3,200 girls title in the past four years by running a personal-best 10:51.81. Last year’s champion, Eliza Kolbo of Omaha Gross, took second in 11:21.55. The senior finished third a year ago when a bout of tendinitis limited her to bicycle workouts the last six weeks of the season.
“It’s was nice to be able to run and condition coming into state this year,” said White, who also won the 1,600 as a freshman and sophomore, and completed the distance in 2006 by also taking gold in the 800.
“It felt good to win again,” she added. “It feels even better to get the time I wanted (under 11 minutes).”
Last year’s 3,200 runner-up, Jenna Kral of Crete, has not run at all this season. The senior, who’s running next season at Morningside, has been sidelined by two stress fractures since cross country season. She got out of her boot last week.
“She was one of the top runners in Class B last fall before she got hurt,’’ Crete distance coach Kyle Royuk said. “She was cleared to start preseason practice, and we started her out slowly, but it (the stress fracture) came back.”
* Maher keeps streak intact: For the fourth straight, a Maher has won a girls state pole vault title.
After winning Class B a year ago at Centennial, junior Maggie Maher of Kearney added a Class A gold medal to her collection by clearing a personal-best 11-4¼. In 2005 and ’06, Maher’s older sister, current Nebraska vaulter Lindsey Maher, also won B titles at Centennial.
“I was really nervous today,’’ said Maggie Maher, whose father, Brian, took the superintendent job at Kearney last fall. “I couldn’t sleep at all last night.”
The restless night came before Maher’s best performance of the season. The Bearcats had two other vaulters also place. Abby Radtke was fifth and Anna Greenwald was seventh. Southwest’s Kamala Moore was the only Lincoln medallist, taking third with a 10-4.
“It’s been great having teammates to cheer you on and help you out,’’ said Maher, who just missed going 11-6¼ on her final attempt. Her best this spring entering state was 10-8.
“I’ve felt good (vaulting) this season, I just haven’t gotten the heights I wanted,’’ Maher added. “Today it all came together.”
* Norris dominates 100 hurdle finals: Almost half of the eight finalists in the Class B girls 100 hurdles are from Norris. The Titans occupy the first three lanes: Abigail Olsen in one, Abigail Kroese in two and Gretchen Kroese in three. Bishop Neumann has two finalists: Mach and McKenzie Fujan, who had the two fastest qualifying times.
For the first time since 1991, Lincoln Christian has a girls state track gold medallist. The Crusaders’ 3,200 relay team broke the tape in 9:46.31 to win the C race.
In ’91, former Nebraska sprinter Kathy Travis and standout middle distance runner Kim Bennett led the Crusaders to the last of their three straight C state titles.
“That’s our best time by a lot of seconds,’’ said sophomore Sarah Plambeck, who ran the anchor leg.
“It’s been a long drought. I’m speechless,’’ Christian coach Sam Nelson said. “They had a job to do and they did it.’’
The trio of freshmen Joelle Andersen, freshman Renee Williams and sophomore Bailee Dworak gave Plambeck a sizable lead. Plambeck closed it out with a 2:20 time on her 800 leg.
“Renee had a 2:23 split (on the second leg), a PR by nine seconds,’’ Nelson said. “That’s a difference-maker. It broke the race open.’’
* Wahoo edges rival: For Wahoo freshman Mattie Murren, winning the girls Class B 3,200 relay Friday was more than just beating cross-town rival Bishop Neumann. It was a matter of family bragging rights as well.
Murren held off her cousin, Neumann junior Sara Reeves, at the end of the anchor leg to give the Warriors a narrow victory. Wahoo finished in 9:41.367, while second-place Neumann came in at 9:42.06.
“She’s my cousin, I had to beat her, even though she’s older than I am,’’ Murren said. “I could feel her closing. All I could think was, ‘Get to the finish line.’”
Wahoo‘s first three legs — Erin Curran, Erin Walker and Morgan Hancock — built an approximately 50-meter lead for Murren when she got the baton. It was a turnaround from the district meet, when Neumann had a lead and Wahoo was unable to completely close the gap. Neumann’s district time of 9:39.0 was the fastest time in Class B entering state.
* White back on top: Broken Bow’s Katie White won her third Class B 3,200 girls title in the past four years by running a personal-best 10:51.81. Last year’s champion, Eliza Kolbo of Omaha Gross, took second in 11:21.55. The senior finished third a year ago when a bout of tendinitis limited her to bicycle workouts the last six weeks of the season.
“It’s was nice to be able to run and condition coming into state this year,” said White, who also won the 1,600 as a freshman and sophomore, and completed the distance in 2006 by also taking gold in the 800.
“It felt good to win again,” she added. “It feels even better to get the time I wanted (under 11 minutes).”
Last year’s 3,200 runner-up, Jenna Kral of Crete, has not run at all this season. The senior, who’s running next season at Morningside, has been sidelined by two stress fractures since cross country season. She got out of her boot last week.
“She was one of the top runners in Class B last fall before she got hurt,’’ Crete distance coach Kyle Royuk said. “She was cleared to start preseason practice, and we started her out slowly, but it (the stress fracture) came back.”
* Maher keeps streak intact: For the fourth straight, a Maher has won a girls state pole vault title.
After winning Class B a year ago at Centennial, junior Maggie Maher of Kearney added a Class A gold medal to her collection by clearing a personal-best 11-4¼. In 2005 and ’06, Maher’s older sister, current Nebraska vaulter Lindsey Maher, also won B titles at Centennial.
“I was really nervous today,’’ said Maggie Maher, whose father, Brian, took the superintendent job at Kearney last fall. “I couldn’t sleep at all last night.”
The restless night came before Maher’s best performance of the season. The Bearcats had two other vaulters also place. Abby Radtke was fifth and Anna Greenwald was seventh. Southwest’s Kamala Moore was the only Lincoln medallist, taking third with a 10-4.
“It’s been great having teammates to cheer you on and help you out,’’ said Maher, who just missed going 11-6¼ on her final attempt. Her best this spring entering state was 10-8.
“I’ve felt good (vaulting) this season, I just haven’t gotten the heights I wanted,’’ Maher added. “Today it all came together.”
* Norris dominates 100 hurdle finals: Almost half of the eight finalists in the Class B girls 100 hurdles are from Norris. The Titans occupy the first three lanes: Abigail Olsen in one, Abigail Kroese in two and Gretchen Kroese in three. Bishop Neumann has two finalists: Mach and McKenzie Fujan, who had the two fastest qualifying times.
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