Jackson girls lead march to state meet

It was a big day for area Class 3 and 4 track athletes Saturday as many qualified for state competition and several set school records.

Jackson and Central participated in the Class 4 sectional at Parkway South, while Notre Dame and Perryville competed in the Class 3 sectional at Farmington.

The top four in each event from the sectionals advance to the state meet on May 25 and 26 in Jefferson City.

Jackson was particularly impressive as seven girls combined for 11 state berths, while four boys combined for five state berths.

Jackson senior Rachel Kahle, who has signed with Southeast Missouri State, qualified for state in the 100-meters, 200-meters, long jump and triple jump for the second straight year.

Kahle won the sectional triple jump Saturday, while placing second in the 100, second in the 200 and third in the long jump.

Jackson's girls also received a sectional win from freshman Landon Wachter in the 400, while freshman Jill Rushin set a school record in the shot put with a second-place distance of 41 feet 5 inches.

Rushin and Amanda Peiffer each qualified for state in both the shot put and discus.

Also qualifying were Heather Hileman in the high jump and the 1,600 relay team of Hileman, Wachter, Beth Barton and Mary Ann Bradshaw.

For Jackson's boys, Wren Harris set a school record in the triple jump with a third-place leap of 45-3/4, and he also qualified in the high jump.

Adam Zweigert's second-place 400 time of 49.9 seconds broke the school record, while Greg Gibson (1,600) and Jacob Bullinger (discus) also qualified.

"We had a really good day, with a bunch of really good performances," Jackson coach Bob Sinksaid. "Our girls are taking a lot of quality to state, and this is most boys we've taken to state in a few years."

Central had six boys combine for four state berths, while five girls combined for four state berths.

Tyler Terry, the state runner-up in the long jump and triple jump last year, won the triple jump but failed to qualify in the long jump.

Chase Johnson won the 800, while returning all-state pole vaulter Matt Willingham and the 400 relay team of Anwar Glenn, Jauvaris Walker, Terry and Kadeem Hammonds also qualified.

On the girls side for Central, returning all-state thrower Brianna Egbuka won the shot put and also qualified in the discus, Tiffany Mead qualified in the 400 and the 3,200 relay squad of Mead, Rachel Burchyett, Renee Moreland and Brittany Moreland made the cut.

In Class 3, Notre Dame qualified in two events, led by Matt Kiblinger's first place in the discus with a school-record 151-10. The 1,600 relay team of Ricky Harrington, Ethan Huber, Blake Kirkpatrick, John Unterreiner also made the cut.

Perryville qualified two girls in five events, along with five boys in three events.

Leading Perryville was all-state hurdler Brittney Castleberry, who qualified in four events as she was second in the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, along with placing fourth in the long jump and triple jump.

Also for Perryville's girls, Cassie Lawrence broke her own school record in the pole vault with a third-place 9-6.

For Perryville's boys, Kris Cottner won the 400, Nick Amschler was third in the 300 hurdles and the 800 relay group of Cottner, Brandon Kennon, Ryan Lorenz and Matt Lukefahr placed third.

Class 4 Sectional

(at Parkway South)

Area state qualifiers

BOYS

400 -- 2. Adam Zweigert (Jackson), 49.92

800 -- 1. Chase Johnson (Central), 1:57.42

1,600 -- 4. Greg Gibson (Jackson), 4:32.69

400 relay -- 3. Central (Anwar Glenn, Jauvaris Walker, Tyler Terry, Kadeem Hammonds), 43.43

High jump -- 2. (tie) Wren Harris (Jackson), 6-0

Triple jump -- 1. Terry (Central), 45-4 1/4; 3. Harris (Jackson), 45-0 3/4

Pole vault -- 2. Matt Willingham (Central), 13-6

Discus -- 3. Jacob Bullinger (Jackson), 144-4

GIRLS

100 -- 2. Rachel Kahle (Jackson), 12.38

200 -- 2. Kahle (Jackson), 25.20

400 -- 1. Landon Wachter (Jackson), 58.41; 3. Tiffany Mead (Central), 59.95

1,600 relay -- 2. Jackson (Heather Hileman, Wachter, Beth Barton, Mary Ann Bradshaw), 4:06.22

3,200 relay -- 3. Central (Mead, Rachel Burchyett, Renee Moreland, Brittany Moreland), 9:48.16

High jump -- 2. Hileman (Jackson), 5-2

Long jump -- 3. Kahle (Jackson), 16-7

Triple jump -- 1. Kahle (Jackson), 38-1 1/4

Shot put -- 1. Brianna Egbuka (Central), 42-0; 2. Jill Rushin (Jackson), 41-5; 3. Amanda Peiffer (Jackson), 38-6

Discus -- 2. Peiffer (Jackson), 123-7; 3. Egbuka (Central), 120-9; 4. Rushin (Jackson), 114-1

Class 3 Sectional

(at Farmington)

Area state qualifiers

BOYS

400 -- 1. Kris Cottner (Perryville), 49.99

300 hurdles -- 3. Nick Amschler (Perryville), 40.68

800 relay -- 3. Perryville (Cottner, Brandon Kennon, Ryan Lorenz, Matt Lukefahr), 1:32.25

1,600 relay -- 2. Notre Dame (Ricky Harrington, Ethan Huber, Blake Kirkpatrick, John Unterreiner), 3:29.46

Discus -- 1. Matt Kiblinger (Notre Dame), 151-10

GIRLS

100 hurdles -- 2. Brittney Castleberry (Perryville), 15.42

300 hurdles -- 2. Castleberry (Perryville), 46.60

Long jump -- 4. Castleberry (Perryville), 16-2

Triple jump -- 4. Castleberry (Perryville), 33-11

Pole vault -- 3. Cassie Lawrence (Perryville), 9-6