Groves grabs second title in state meet

After breaking the state track meet record in the discus Friday, Loren Groves continued a big weekend with a win in the 100 hurdles (15.71), second place in the 300 hurdles (47.7) and fourth in the shot put (35-11) Saturday in the Class 2 girls state meet in Jefferson City.

Groves picked up 33 points on her own -- the only points Scott City scored -- and helped the Rams place fourth overall.

"Second my freshman year, second my sophomore year -- I finally got the best of them," she said.

Kelly's Nathan Lewer won the boys' high jump in 6-8.

Class 1 track

Jennifer Vandeven came up short in two of her three events at the Class 1 state track meet at Jefferson City, but she did come away with 19 points.

Vandeven finished second in the 100 (13.07) and 200 (27.13) and sixth in the 400 (1:03.54). Chaffee's girls tied for 12th overall with 19 points.

For Chaffee's boys, Matt Sanders placed ninth in the discus (116-0).

Class 4 track

Central and Jackson had strong days at the Class 4 sectionals at Eureka, Mo.

Central qualified 13 individuals and three relay teams for the state meet. On the boy's side Jarred Harris was second in the pole vault (13-6), Mikell Abraham was fourth in the shot put (47-1), Cody Beaton won the high jump (6-3) Darren Neels was second in the discus (141-0), Jeremiah Dukes was second in the triple jump (43-0) and Calen Wills was second in the 400 (49.2).

Central's 800 relay team finished fourth in 1:30.3. Members of the 800 team were Wills, Will Johnson, Kingsley Ehie and Monroe Hicks. Hicks, Wills, Johnson and Kenneth Lowe finished third in the 1,600 relay (3:24.87).

Central's girls got a pair of strong performances from Jennifer Pancoast. Pancoast set school records in the 800 (2:15.90) and 1,600 (5:01.41) to qualify in both events. Vicki Wilson took second in the 100 (12.6) and fourth in the 200 (26.8), Alex Wieser was fourth in the 800 (2:19.0), Doschae Jones was third in the discus (121-0), Ashley Colon was second in the shot put (38-0) and the 3,200 relay team finished second in 9:40. The 3,200 relay members were Wieser, Holly Schaffer, Pancoast and Linnea Woldtvedt.

The Indians qualified six individuals and three relay teams. On the boys' side, James Fortner won the 300 hurdles (40.2), Isaac Venable was fourth in the 800 (1:59), Brad Crader was fourth in the discus (137-3) and Stuart McIntosh was third in the pole vault (13-0). The top four finishers qualify for the state meet.

Jackson's girl's got third-place finishes from its 400 (50.2), 800 (1:46.7) and 1,600 (4:06) relay teams. Rebecca Martin and Heather Jones ran on all three relays. Melonie Essner ran on the 400 and 800 relay teams, Jenna Holten ran on the 800, Heather West ran on the 400 and Rachel Lowes and Jessica Venable rounded out the 1,600. West also won the triple jump (36-9) and finished third in the long jump (16-101/2). Lowes also finished second in the 400 (59.0).

Class 3 track

At the Class 3 sectionals in Festus, Mo., Perryville and Notre Dame had multiple state qualifiers.

Notre Dame's boys had three state qualifiers and the girls one. The 3,200 relay team of C.J. Harper, Jason Delgado, Ryan Roggow and Austin Critchlow was second (8:16.47). Adam Prasanphanich was second in the 100 meter dash (11.10) and Bryce Willen was second in the pole vault with a school-record 12-6. Katie Daniel was fourth in the 100 high hurdles (17.31) as Notre Dame's female qualifier. The top four qualify in each event.

For Perryville, Emily Amberger led the girls with fourth-place finishes in the 200 (27.34) and 400 (1:00.06). Sara Lappe finished fourth in the 300 low hurdles (48.86), Gina Buerck finished second in the 800 (2:23.81) and Melissa Crannick took third in the 100 (13.20). The team of Amberger, Buerck, Crannick and Lappe won the 800 relay (1:48.50) and finished second in the 1,600 (4:10.63).

Perryville's boys qualified three relay teams. The team of Chase Collom, Terry Wood, Kent Hadler and Ryan Shea won the 3,200 (8:15.30) and finished third in the 1,600 (3:29.87). Kevin Bohnert, Joel Kurre, Jesse Whistler and Kyle Cottner took second in the 800 (1:30.76). Hadler was fourth in the 800 (2:01.05), Kyle Dobbelare finished third in the 300 intermediate hurdles (15.28) and Chris Porter was second in the triple jump (44-6 3/4).

GIRLS SWIMMING

Erlacker wraps up state meet

Central's Jackie Erlacker finished 38th Saturday in the diving competition at the state swim meet in St. Peters.

The junior finished with 79.85 points.

Lafayette won the team title.

-- From staff reports