Multiple area athletes earn All-State honors in track championships

Cape Central senior Ryan Seabaugh finished his high school running career with All-State honors in three different open events on Saturday, May 27, in Jefferson City.

Seabaugh finished second in the boys’ 1600m ahead of his future college teammates Jonah And Josh Allison of Hillsboro at the Class 4 state championships. He also finished sixth in the 3200m (9:33.03) and eighth in the 800m (1.55.58).

Along with competing in the 4x800m relay, Seabaugh ran a combined four intense miles.

“Racing multiple events is very hard on the big stage,” Seabaugh said. “If you’re not racing, you’re immediately trying to recover for the next race.”

The graduating senior leaves Cape Central with the school record in the 1600m (4:15.78) and the 3200m (9:26.45). He is slated to run at Southern Illinois.

Three Cape Central relay teams earned All-State honors on Saturday. The girls’ 4x100 relay of Amazia Watkins, Haylie Williams, Aleah Jackson, and Ki Bogan placed sixth with a time of 49.64. Their prelim time of 49.32 tied the group for second all-time in the school record books. The girls’ 4x200m team of Williams, Bogan, Jackson, and Amiyah Mackins finished sixth with a time of 1:44.03, saving their personal best for last. The boys’ 4x200m relay of Torrance Murray, Breijon Clemons, Jamauri Brooks-Davis, and Marshon Edwards also finished with a personal high by placing fifth with a time of 1:29.82.

Kent Sheridan, son of head coach Collin Sheridan, was the only freshman vaulter from Class 4 to compete at the state meet. He vaulted 13’6.5 and ended the day with a three-way for third place.

Jackson senior Hunter Wendel placed fourth in the 3200m run (9:20.66) and broke the school record, previously set by Dodd McClellan (9:23.50) in 1987.

Jackson’s Lillian Gibbs finished seventh in the Class 5 girls' discus throw (36.53) and javelin (37.38). She is slated to throw javelin collegiately at Indiana State.

The Notre Dame 4x100m relay team of Cole Bruenderman, Gregory Dennis, Davis Dow, and Jacob Brown placed third with a time of 43.19. The Bulldogs 4x200m (Bruenderman, Dow, Brown, and Kyle Eftink) finished seventh with a time of 1:32.16.

Bruenderman went into the jumping events projected to be the Class 3 champion, but he finished fourth in both the triple jump (13.34) and long jump (6.64). In reflection of his final experience in the state championships, the future Lindenwood Lion looks back to the quote, "Never settle for being seeded first, always strive to be the underdog. Put in the work as if you were seeded last and you’ll always come out on top.”

"This is something that I feel like every athlete should hear," Bruenderman said. "I knew that I was going to be ranked No. 1 in both the triple and long jump going into the season, and I think I settle a little too much during practices and not always giving my 100%. I thought about this about a week before state, knowing that I wasn’t prepared at all, and I need to remind myself to never be comfortable at the top because there will be people training harder and longer than I am. As I was humbled at state placing both 4th in both of my jumps I know that I need to train harder and to put in the work as if I was the underdog."

Brown finished in sixth place in the 100m dash with a time of 11.01. Notre Dame junior Lauren Eftink finished sixth in the girls’ 1600m with a time of 5:12.92. Katelyn Turner finished eighth in the Class 4 girls' pole vault.