It was a good day for the Trenton High School boys and girls track teams on Saturday. The THS boys won their second straight district crown and the Lady Bulldogs made a strong showing, finishing fourth overall.
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Junior DeAndre Vandevender paced the THS boys, taking first in three events and setting a new school record in the high jump. Junior Camie Steinhoff led the Lady Bulldogs by placing in four events, qualifying for sectionals in three events and helping Trenton’s 4×400-meter relay team to a first-place finish.
The top four finishers in each event move on to the sectional relay at Cass-Midway on Saturday, May 12.
THS Boys
The THS boys looked very impressive in the Class 2, District 8 Meet, which took place at St. Joseph LeBlond. The Bulldogs qualified 17 athletes in 12 different events. THS won 10 of 14 events and double-placed in eight events.
A year ago, THS narrowly edged out Lawson for the district crown, but on Saturday, THS made a strong statement with a total of 168.50 points. Lawson finished a distant second with 98 points.
“We have most of our stronger kids back from last season. We lost Zane (Robinson) and Andy (Hahn) who were big parts of last year, but for the most part everyone returned and they all improved,” Croy said. “That is a tribute to our kids’ work on the track and their work in the weight room. Our program is set up in a way that allows our athletes to lift and get strong all year around and I think the kids would tell you that gives us a big advantage.”
Vandevender led the way with first-place finishes in three field events. The most impressive of his wins came in the high jump, where he cleared a height of 6-8. That set a new school record, breaking Boyd Harrison’s 1981 record of 6-5.
“I think (DeAndre) was disappointed in his long jump and triple jump distances and so when he came to the high jump, he was very motivated,” Croy said. “He is a monster, not only breaking a record that has stood since ‘81, but clearing 6-8. That puts him up with the elite high jumpers in the state.”
Vandevender won the triple jump with a leap of 42-2 and won the long jump with a leap of 20-9.
The Bulldogs remained strong in the distance relays and had a pair of their best times in the sprint relays.
“Our 4×400 and 4×800 relays have been good all year and we have come to expect them to win,” Croy said. “The 4×100 and 4×200 relays have been really up and down. We have had to change personnel and move runners around, but I think we have found the right formula.”
Dylan Robinson, Brett Lawson, Aaron Shipley-Fair and Daniel Stokes combined to win both distance relays. The 4×800-meter relay ran a time of 8:27.15 and the 4×400-meter relay finished with a time of 3:33.50.
Derek Miller, Colton McGinness, Logan Epperson and Russell Prescott won the 4×100-meter relay with a time of 44.70. The four came back later to take second in the 4×200-meter relay with a time of 1:34.05.
First-Place Finishers
Trenton had four other first-place finishes. Joining Trenton’s three relays and Vandevender were three other individuals.
Epperson, who ran on both sprint relays, also took first in the 100-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles. Epperson finished with a time of 15.53 in the 100-meter high hurdles. He ran a 41.55 enroute to a 300-meter hurdle championship.
Robinson also helped the distance relays to a pair of firsts and came through with an individual championship in the 800-meter run. He finished with a time of 2:04.1. Kyle Hoyt rounded out Trenton’s top finishers with a first in the shot put with a throw of 53-6.
Double-Placers
Trenton double-placed in eight events. THS double-placed in both hurdle events, the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes, the long jump, the pole vault, the shot put and the 800-meter run.
Calvin Cooksey finished seventh in both the 100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles. He finished with a time of 16.82 and 44.95, respectively.
McGinness took third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.48. Miller took eighth with a time of 11:74. McGinness also took seventh in the long jump with a leap of 18-7.
Adam Hanes placed second in the pole vault by clearing 11-6. Teammate Austin Thompson cleared 10-0 and finished seventh.
Matthew Mayfield joined Hoyt with a top-three finish in the shot put. Mayfield took third with a throw of 44-3.
Shipley-Fair was fourth in the 400-meter dash and Lawson finished eighth. Shipley-Fair ran a time of 52.67 and Lawson finished with a 54.30. Stokes took eighth in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:07.0.
Other Placewinners
Hoyt was second in the discus with a toss of 148-8.
Miller took fourth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.8.
John Ray finished fifth in the 3200-meter run with a time 10:59.17.
Jason Ausberger took sixth in the 1600-meter run with a time of 4:59.52.
“I was really disappointed for, but not disappointed in, our distance runners,” Croy said. “They have worked so hard this year. I really wanted them to go through to sectionals. We just had some very good distance runners in our districts.”
The Bulldogs will look to remain unbeaten on Saturday when they travel to Cass-Midway for the sectional meet. Heavy rains will most likely make it impossible for THS to get on the track at C.F. Russell Stadium. The Bulldogs are hoping to practice on one of the area all-weather tracks. Arrangements can hopefully be made with Chillicothe.
“I think we have a good chance at sectionals,” Croy said. “Our two goals this season were to repeat as district champs and bring a top four trophy back with us from state; one down and one to go.”
THS Girls
The Trenton girls had a good day in LeBlond on Saturday, qualifying 11 of 22 girls.
“I thought it was an exceptional day for us,” Head Coach Chris Parks said. “We had half our team move on to sectionals, which is great.”
The 4×400-meter relay team finished the meet with the Lady Bulldogs’ only first-place finish. Amanda Stiner, Trisha Ireland, Emily Anderson and Steinhoff ran a 4:18 to place first.
“The 4×400 relay ran a good time,” Parks said. “It is nice to have a district champion, and, really, all four of our relay teams ran well.”
Those four also combined to place third in the 4×800-meter relay with a time of 10:19. The 4×200-meter relay team was the third Lady Bulldog relay team to make it through to sectionals. Liz Hoffman, Melissa Gay, Anderson, and Stiner ran a time of 1:54 and placed fourth.
“Our 4×200-meter relay took three seconds off their best time,” Parks said. “All three of our relay teams have a chance to move on to state.”
Hoffman, Tasha Ewing, Samantha Fair and Kelli Grogan combined to run a 54.8 in the 4×100-meter relay. That earned them seventh place overall.
Steinhoff had a great day, according to Parks. Not only did she help a pair of relay teams qualify for sectionals, she also placed in two individual events.
Steinhoff took third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:02 and sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.89.
“Camie runs with so much heart. First, she helps the 4×800 relay place third, and then she turns around one event later and qualifies for the finals in the 200-meter dash,” Parks said. “She competed in four very tough events and did very well in all four.”
JaNea Whitney finished second in the pole vault after clearing 7-6. The district champion also cleared 7-6, but did so in one less attempt. Becky Flieger-Peterson took fourth in the shot put with a throw of 32-7.
“I was proud of both JaNea and Becky,” Parks said. “JaNea nearly won the pole vault and it was great that Becky made it through to sectionals because she has been steady for us all season.”
Ewing came through with some unexpected team points by placing fourth in the high jump with a personal best jump of 4-10.
“It was a nice surprise to see Tasha move on to sectionals,” Parks said. “Her personal best was 4-8, so to see her do her best at districts when it counts is great. Those points were big because the meet was really tight.”
Ireland finished up the Lady Bulldogs’ placewinners with a sixth place in the 800-meter run. Ireland ran a time of 2:58.
“I am really proud of all the girls,” Parks said. “They have worked hard and improved throughout the year and I think we have a great shot of getting most of these girls through to state.”
The sectional relay will be held Saturday, May 12 at Cass-Midway.
Final Team Standings
Girls
Hamilton 144.0
Lawson 129.5
Lexington 73.5
Trenton 57.5
Mid-Buchanan 55.5
West Platte 42.5
East Buchanan 42.0
Maysville 37.0
Carrollton 31.50
LeBlond 29.0
Lathrop 17.0
South Harrison 16.0
North Platte 15.0
Plattsburg 11.0
Final Team Standings
Boys
Trenton 163.5
Lawson 98.0
Carrollton 85.5
East Buchanan 68.0
West Platte 49.0
Hamilton 47.0
Lexington 35.0
Maysville 32.50
Plattsburg 32.0
Mid-Buchanan 32.0
Lathrop 25.5
South Harrison 22.0
LeBlond 8.0