North Platte girls finish as state runners-up; East Buchanan's Emma Klein brings home gold

Micaela Dea, St. Joseph News-Press, Mo.
·4 min read

May 22—JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Entering state as defending champions, the North Platte girls 4x400 meter team closed out a day of success for the Panthers on Friday at the Class 2 Track and Field State Championships at Adkins Stadium.

With a 4:09 finish in 2019, the 2021 team of Haley Sampson, Olivia Rodgers Maddie O'Neill and Trinity Wrightfield shattered the school record with a second-place finish at 4:05.76.

That led to the program's best finish and first state placement in school history, as the North Platte girls team rounded out the day by bringing home a second-place finish with 58 points.

The West Platte girls placed third with 35 points.

"It feels amazing that we can come from such a small school, and keep up with these really big Class 2 schools," O'Neill said.

The Panthers found success early and often, bringing home gold in the 4x100 meter race. The crown almost went to another school, but a failed exchange propelled Wrightfield to cross the finish line first.

Their time of 50.50 even broke a school record.

"I was very worried at first because I couldn't tell what was happening," Wrightfield said. "But as soon as I grabbed the baton and I didn't see them moving, I knew if I ran as hard as I could, we could do it, and right in those last 10 meters I crossed that line with the biggest smile on my face."

Other top finishes for the Panthers include the 4x800 meter relay team who placed third with a time of 10:15.31, cutting 10 seconds off of its personal record.

With a time of 1:42.43, the North Platte girls 4x200 meter relay team placed second.

In the Girls 200 meter, North Platte senior Maddie O'Neill earned second place with a time of 59.15 and Haley Sampson placed third with 59.34.

O'Neill had another second-place finish with a time of 25.70 in the Girls 200m, followed by Wrightfield at third with 26.50.

Klein wins gold for East Buch

East Buchanan junior Emma Klein is also returning home as a state champion. In the triple jump, Klein jumped 36-8.25 to place first.

"It's like a dream come true, honestly. I've been waiting for this for two years since we didn't get to come last year. I'm just really glad to be down here and compete with everyone. It's super fun," Klein said.

West Platte senior Mikenna Peters placed second in the Girls 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.21 and third in the 300 meter hurdles at 45.69.

Setting a new school record, West Platte senior Quinn O'Malley jumped 21-4.75 to earn a third-place finish in the Boys Long Jump.

Mid-Buchanan senior Kacie Livengood threw a personal record of 34.44 meters to earn second place in the Girls Javelin.

Mid-Buchanan sophomore Jordan Thornton finished fourth in the Girls 100 meter with a time of 12.57. The Mid-Buchanan boys 4x200 meter relay team placed fourth, setting a new school record with a time of 1:32.55.

In the Girls Pole Vault, Lathrop senior Arissa Jackson took home third place with a throw of 10-4.75.

The Class 1 state championships get underway Saturday.

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Area medalists

Girls

100 — Jordan Thornton, Mid-Buchanan (4th); Mikenna Peters, West Platte (8th)

200 — Madison O'Neill, North Platte (2nd); Trinity Weightfield, North Platte (7th)

400 — Madison O'Neill, North Platte (2nd); Haley Sampson, North Platte (3rd)

3200 — Julia Pattison, West Platte (5th)

100h — Mikenna Peters, West Platte (2nd); Brighton Swindler, Hamilton (7th)

300h — Mikenna Peters, West Platte (3rd); Brighton Swindler, Hamilton (8th)

4x100 — North Platte (1st); West Platte (4th); South Harrison (5th)

4x200 — North Platte (2nd); West Platte (4th); Plattsburg (7th)

4x400 — North Platte (2nd); West Platte (5th)

4x800 — North Platte (3rd); Gallatin (4th); West Platte (7th)

High jump — Josie Wright, Lathrop (7th)

Long jump — Emma Klein, East Buchanan (6th); Haley Sampson, North Platte (7th)

Triple jump — Emma Klein, East Buchanan (1st); Abbey Henry, South Harrison (3rd)

Javelin — Kacie Livengood, Mid-Buchanan (2nd); Arissa Jackson, Lathrop (4th)

Pole vault — Arissa Jackson, Lathrop (3rd)

Boys

100 — Quinn O'Malley, West Platte (4th)

400 — Carson Stockdale, Plattsburg (7th)

110h — Ryan Allsup, Hamilton (4th)

1600 — Charles Kinslow, West Platte (8th)

4x100 — Hamitlon (6th); Plattsburg (7th)

4x200 — Mid-Buchanan (4th); Plattsburg (8th)

4x400 — Plattsburg (3rd)

Long jump — Quinn O'Malley, West Platte (3rd); Dylan Scanlan, Lathrop (8th)

Shot Put — Hayden Elifrits, South Holt (4th)

Discus — Dominic Faulkenberry, Lathrop (8th)

Javelin — Cody Blackwell, Polo (3rd); Daniel Keel, Lathrop (7th)

Micaela Dea can be reached at micaela.dea@newspressnow.com.

Follow her on Twitter: @NPNowDea