State Track boys wrap: Seyfert, Haughton set new state marks

WICHITA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Only the 3200m run finals were decided on the track on day one of the KSHSAA Track and Field State Championships at Wichita State University Friday. In other words, it was a day for field athletes to shine. Beloit senior Grady Seyfert answered the call in the 3A shot put.

With a season-best of 62-4, Seyfert just needed to get close to that to break Monty Beisel’s (Douglass) 26-year-old record. A loaded Class 3A final featured 10 of the state’s top-10 throwers this spring. Seyfert beat the field by nearly three feet and edged Beisel’s record by three inches at 60-7.75. Nemaha Central senior Connor Deters reached 57-11.5 for the silver, and Lakin sophomore Colter Oldham just surpassed 57 feet for the bronze.

Given Andale senior Riley Marx’s season best of 202 feet in the javelin, a career best of 209-9, and some other big throws on the day, a 16-year-old record in the 4A competition was definitely under scrutiny. Marx did come up with a season best of 206-11 to climb into the national top-10. Senior teammate Jonah Meyer became just the second Kansas thrower to surpass 200 feet this spring with the silver at 202-6. He moves into the top-25 nationally. Eudora junior Kole Manley picked up the bronze at 193-8.

At 69-4.5, the 5A state meet record in the shot put is the best among all the classes. That meant no record for Lansing senior Jamale Williams, though his throw of 61-1 was a personal best and far enough to climb into the top-50 nationally. He beat St. James Academy junior Spencer Dohm by more than eight feet. Hutchinson senior Grady Bare placed third at 51-5.75.

The Class 1A jumps were competitive. Pawnee Heights senior Alec Carlson and Madison senior Bryson Turner finished second and third, respectively, in 2022. Carlson won the gold Friday morning on a leap of 22-6.75. Turner won the silver by 11 inches at 22-2. Carlson had a chance to repeat in the triple jump but Turner reached 45-3.5 to take the gold. Carlson settled for the silver by 17 inches at 44-9.25. The Class 1A high jump will also be competitive Saturday as Carlson and Burlingame’s Matthew Heckman both have top-10 all-class heights this spring.

The Moundridge boys set the 2A state meet record in the 4x1 last season at 42.61. A record watch will definitely be in effect for Saturday’s finals as the Wildcat team of Kaden Elmore, Logan Churchill, Landon Kaufman, and McKaleb Unruh posted a prelim time of 42.64.

Shawnee Mission East senior Wyatt Haughton already ranked No. 11 all-time on the state’s 3200m list. He moved to No. 5 in the final race Friday by running an 8:56.66. He also smashed an 11-year-old 6A state meet record by 10 seconds. Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Henry Born won the silver in 9:10.22.

Meade junior Logan Keith repeated as champion in the 3200m run. He won the Class 1A title last year in 10:07. He cut 31 seconds off that time as a Class 2A running this spring, winning a tough race in 9:36.74. Two Kansas City Christian runners finished second and third, led by junior Andrew Schumacher in 9:39.34 for the silver.

The Class 3A 3200m run proved to be one of the better races on day one. Wichita Trinity junior Samuel Ferguson edged Marysville senior Silas Miller by just 0.67 seconds in 9:20.23. Collegiate sophomore Will Meyer ran third in 9:21.59. All three ran top-25 times in Kansas this spring.

Then there are the easy days. With a best height of 15-7 in the pole vault, Dighton’s Max Neeley ranked No. 4 all-class this spring. Attica senior Wyatt Peterson missed at 13-6 but got it on his second try in the Class 1 finals. He missed again on his first attempt at 14-0. On his first attempt of the day, Neeley cleared the bar at 14-0 to secure his third-straight title. He also cleared 14-6 and 15-0 on first attempts, but failed three times with the bar at 16-0. Cunningham sophomore Will Wegered placed third at 13-0.

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