Saxony runners chase another championship

During the Class 1 cross country meet, Saxony Lutheran gave notice that a new power had emerged by capturing the state title without a senior on the roster.

Using four of those cross country runners, the Crusaders are looking to bring home their second state title this year when the 3,200 relay team competes Saturday in the Class 1 state track and field meet at Dwight T. Reed Stadium on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

"We're excited, but we also want to do really well," junior Trey Maevers said. "We want to compete. We looked at the times on the Internet and saw we can compete with the guys in all the running events.

"Everything we do we want to be the best at. That's what we work at in practice. We want to do the best we can in the postseason."

The two-day event for classes 1 and 2 begins today.

In its first year of track and field last season, the Crusaders qualified in six events but did not bring home any all-state honors. This year, not only does Saxony Lutheran have a good chance at placing one of its eight entrants in the top eight, which earns all-state honors, but the 3,200 relay team of Brandon Etzold, Grant Lehmann, Max Wieser and Maevers could contend for a state championship.

"I don't think we've got the team to contend for a state title as a team, but our 4x8 team may have a shot at it in their event," Saxony Lutheran coach Larry Cleair said. "Our 4x4, if they run well, could be in the top three or four teams."

Saxony's district-winning time of 8:38.6 would have been good enough for third in the 3,200 relay last year at the state meet. Only two teams broke 8:40 last year, with the winning time of 8:32.13 coming from Stansberry.

"I don't know about getting first, but we're confident about doing well," Etzold said.

While running cross country and running track are not the same, running together in the fall has helped the relay team bond. All four runners also run on the 1,600 relay team.

"We really know each other as runners," Wieser said. "We know how fast we can run and what we can do. Hopefully we can break those limits at state."

Saxony Lutheran's 1,600 relay team has put up times comparable to last year's top eight at the state meet. The Crusaders' district time of 3:39 would have put them in the top six last year.

Lehmann, who also qualified in the 400 individually, said the relay teams are at their best against top competition.

"We try to break out times every time as long as we have competition," he said. "We try to push it to the max."

Etzold also should have a shot at earning all-state honors individually in the 1,600. After qualifying for both the 1,600 and 3,200 last year, Etzold has shaved considerable time off his 1,600 and is coming off a fourth-place finish at the state cross country meet.

"Brandon's got a good shot in the mile," Cleair said.

Other state qualifiers for the Crusaders include Maevers in the high jump, Alex Jauch in the 110 and 300 hurdles, Lehmann in the 400 and Tim Lorenz in the shot put. Saxony Lutheran does not have a senior among its state qualifiers.

"We're hoping we can really get something started," Cleair said.

Chaffee also will be represented at the Class 1 state meet. Matt Sanders (discus), Sarah Dooley (shot put and discus), Whitney Schlosser (shot put) and Christa Beck (100 and 300 hurdles) will make the trip for the Red Devils.

In the Class 2 state meet, Kelly's Michael Glastetter will attempt to earn all-state honors for a second straight year in the 800. Rachel Kline will also represent Kelly in the high jump.

Scott City is led by Jackie Kittleson, who is qualified to compete in four events at the Class 2 state meet. Kittleson qualified for the 1,600 and 3,200, and helped both the 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams qualify. The 3,200 relay team posted a district-winning time of 10:13.72, which is more than 20 seconds faster than the time the Rams ran at the state meet last year. Other members of the relay teams include Christy Laxton, Angie Laxton and Kacie Cartwright. Christy Laxton will also compete in the 800.

Sectionals for large schools

While area small school athletes will be shooting for places in the top eight, athletes from Perryville, Notre Dame, Jackson and Central will be going for top-four finishes in Saturday's Class 3 sectional at Festus and Class 4 sectional at Parkway South.

The top four at sectionals qualify for next week's state championship for classes 3 and 4.

At Parkway South, Jackson has three individual returning all-state performers trying to make another trip to Jefferson City. Despite an injured foot, pole vaulter Amy West won the district meet last week and is hoping to make a run at a state title this year. Brad Crader (discus) and Rebecca Martin (shot put) will try to keep their hopes of repeat all-state performances alive in the sectionals. Jackson also has three relays on the girls side competing and will have six throwers looking for a state berth.

Central's Nicole Jackson, an all-state performer in the 200 last year, should be considered one of the favorites in that event on Saturday despite struggling with a leg injury. The Tigers should also have a solid shot at qualifying in all four relay events on the girls side. Tigers sophomore sprinter Allen Walker will have some stiff competition in the 100, as St. Louis University High School sports two of the St. Louis area's top sprinters.

The Tigers boys should be considered among the favorites in both sprint relays. Tyler Terry in the jumps, along with Central pole vaulters Lance Altenthal and Matt Willingham also should have solid shots at a state berth.

In Class 3, Notre Dame senior Katie Daniel has set herself up to qualify in three individual events. Besides being a favorite for a top-four finish in both the 100 and 300 hurdles, Daniel also should have a solid chance at qualifying in the shot put.

Notre Dame's boys have been dominant in the 3,200 relay and should be a favorite for a berth in the 1,600 relay as well. Bryce Willen (pole vault) and Austin Critchlow (800) both are returning all-state performers.

Perryville's boys won the district meet in the 1,600 relay and should emerge from the sectional in that event. The Pirates also should have a good chance to get through in the 3,200 relay, along with several individual events.