BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
WICHITA — Great Bend's 5A triple jump leader Ohnmacht captured his second consecutive 5A state title (47-11/4) Saturday at the state track championship. Ohnmacht recorded five of the top six jumps during his second consecutive year competing at 8 a.m.
Ohnmacht earned third place in the 5A long jump (22-41/2), three inches from a gold medal.
"Earning back-to-back triple jump championships is pretty cool," said Great Bend track coach Lyles Lashley. "Anytime you win a state championship, you're pleased. Cooper performed very consistent with his marks really close to his best distance every time. He had a long jump distance about 23 feet, but fouled. He'll keep improving the next two years."
Freshman pole vaulter Grant Watkins cleared a career best 12-6 to place fifth in 5A. The Panthers placed 12th with 20 points, a fraction of a point ahead of Hays High.
Freshman girls high jumper Micah Ellegood (5-0) tied for fifth place. Pole vaulter Kayle Baldwin (10-0) tied for eighth place.
Great Bend's ninth-place 3,200-meter relay clocked a season best (10:01.71) with Reese Bullard and Brooklynn Kelly contributing season-best splits teaming with Kate Welcher and Bella Long. Micah Ellegood and Kelly contributed season-best splits on the 13th-place 1,600 relay (4:14.14).
"It's amazing how strong the 5A girls distances races have been the past few years," Lashley said. "You're typically guaranteed a medal if your 4-by-8 relay runs at 10 minutes. 5A girls distance races are loaded. We did finish higher than our regional seeding in several events with a bunch of young athletes competing at the 5A state meet for the first time."
STATE TRACK *season best
TOP 8 PRELIMS MAKE FINALS
GREAT BEND 5A GIRLS—High jump—5TH—Micah Ellegood, 5-0; 11TH—Cassie Ellegood, 4-10; Pole vault—8TH—Kayle Baldwin, 10-0; 3,200m relay—9TH—Great Bend, *10:01.71 (Bullard, Kate Welcher, Kelly, Long); 800m—9TH—Reese Bullard, 2:22.12; 100m hurdles—13TH—Mikala Minton, 15.54; 300m hurdles—13TH—Minton, 48.6; Javelin—16TH—Hofflinger, 98-5; Shot put—13TH—Allie Gerhart, 34-101/2; 1,600m relay—13TH—Great Bend, 4:14.14 (Reese Bullard, Micah Ellegood, Minton, Brooklynn Kelly); 3,200m—13TH—Bella Long, 11:54.08
GREAT BEND 5A BOYS—Triple jump—1ST—Ohnmacht, 47-11/4; Long jump—3RD—Cooper Ohnmacht, 22-41/2; Pole vault—5TH—Grant Watkins, *12-6; Javelin—13TH—Ohnmacht, 162-8; 800m—16—Tavon Stroup, 2:00.43; 1,600m—12TH—Stroup, 4:30.35
