The West Plains Zizzers track and field teams have hit their stride this month, capturing double team championships at their home Zizzer Relays before sharpening their skills at the Southwest Baptist University (SBU) Bearcat Classic.
SBU Bearcat Classic
West Plains treated the SBU Bearcat Classic like a tune-up with teeth on April 20. Narrowing its focus against a 25-school field of Class 4 and 5 competition, the boys team placed fourth overall and the girls placed 10th.
West Plains Head Coach Alicia Gunter said the shift was an intentional way to trade volume for precision after a heavy workload the week prior.
“We focused on one or two events at SBU and took a break from some of our regular events,” Gunter said. “After a heavy load at the Zizzer Relays, we felt we wanted SBU to be more of a focused event, where Zizzer Relays was more about winning the meet.”
The strategy yielded a long list of personal records (PRs). On the boys side, PRs were set by the 4x800 relay team of Hunter Stanley, Trevin Smith, Blake Romans and Joseph Roberson; Judah Harvey (110 hurdles); Chaska Shearin (1,600); the 4x100 relay team of Kael Harrison, Gavin Kenslow, Mason Matejek and Cameron Miller; Smith (800); Peyton Allen (discus); Halen Mullen (javelin); Jagger Collins (long jump); and Jared Kraft (high jump).
The girls added their own stack of lifetime bests: the 4x800 relay team of Lena Finke, Karlee Romans, Libby Hart and Kaebrynn Gunter; the 4x200 relay team of Lillian Dixon, Anna Welch, Izabella Bridges and Mylea Adams; the 4x100 relay team of Dixon, Welch, Ashlyn Tinsley and Adams; Libby Hart (800); and Dixon (200).
Top boys finishes included Jaxon Hunter placing second in both the shot put (44.38 meters) and discus (44.38 meters). Jacob Colvin placed second in the javelin (36.71 meters), and Kraft won the high jump (1.98 meters). The 4x100 relay team took third, while the 4x200 relay placed second.
Top girls finishes included Kaebrynn Gunter winning the 1,600 meters (5:11.82). The 4x800 relay team secured second place, and Shaylee Peterson placed third in the shot put (11.18 meters).
Joe Bill Dixon Zizzer Relays
During the Joe Bill Dixon Zizzer Relays on April 16, West Plains didn’t pace itself. The team stacked events during its final home meet of the season, and both the boys and girls teams captured first place overall.
“We loaded our kids up and asked a lot of them,” Gunter said. “We set as our goal to win our home meet, or get as close as we could, giving our very best in multiple events. Our athletes answered the call and came through, exhibiting a lot of mental and physical toughness.”
First-place finishes for the boys included the 4x100 relay team, the 4x800 relay team, Hunter in the shot put (17.36 meters) and discus (49.27 meters), Chance Bradfute in the pole vault (4.30 meters) and Kenslow in the triple jump (13.16 meters).
First-place finishes for the girls included Adams in the 200 meters (26.73 seconds), long jump (5.03 meters) and triple jump (10.81 meters). Kaebrynn Gunter won both the 1,600 meters (5:10.96) and 3,200 meters (11:28.20). The girls 4,000-meter distance medley relay took first, along with Peterson in the shot put (11.36 meters), Jocelyn Denny in the discus (34.61 meters) and Violet Hafer in the pole vault (2.60 meters).
“It’s amazing what can happen when you believe in yourself and believe in your coaches,” Gunter said. “We are getting better as proven by the list of PRs. That means we are doing things right and getting the right workouts in.”
Glendale Girls Night Out
Earlier in the month, the Lady Zizzers traveled to JFK Stadium in Springfield for the Glendale Girls Night Out on April 9. Competing against 44 high schools, Peterson led the way in the field events, tossing a lifetime best in the shot put to move up the program’s all-time list.
Adams posted a personal best in the 200 meters (26.54) to place 10th out of 67 finishers. Kaebrynn Gunter set a personal best in the 1,600 meters (5:20.61) for sixth place, and placed fourth in the 3,200 meters. The 4x800 relay team placed second overall.
Marshfield JV Invitational
The month opened with a developmental trip to the Marshfield Junior Varsity Invitational on April 6, where the boys placed sixth and the girls placed eighth.
“Marshfield hosted a nice meet that gave us a chance to get some JV kids in races and events, as well as some varsity kids, more experience,” Gunter said.
Highlights included Chaska Shearin winning the boys 1,600 meters (4:53.91) and placing third in the 800 meters. Jagger Collins placed second in the triple jump (11.44 meters). Jane Cobb paced the girls distance runners, placing third in the 3,200 meters and fourth in the 1,600 meters. Edie Hart placed third in the pole vault.
