Scott City's Groves saves her best for Jackson Invitational

Scott City senior Loren Groves gave track and field fans at Jackson Junior High a preview on Saturday of what she hopes to do at the state meet next month, setting three personal records in winning three events at the Jackson Invitational.

Groves even surprised herself a little with a personal-record discus throw of 157 feet and two inches. The throw was more than 13 feet farther than her record throw at the state meet last year.

"I have been throwing in the 140's, but me and my dad knew I had to hit my peak sometime," Groves said of the discus. "I hit it today.

"We knew it was there. I've got the strength, I just had to get it going with the speed and technique."

Groves' throw came right after a winning performance in the 300 hurdles. She ran a personal-best 47.2 seconds in the 300 hurdles. Earlier in the meet Groves won the 100 hurdles with a personal-best time of 15.5 seconds.

"I'm really surprised how well it's coming together with everything," Groves said.

The only loss for Groves came in the shot put, where she finished second with a throw of 37-1/2. Rebecca Martin of Jackson won the shot put with a throw of 37-9.

Martin was one of five winners for Jackson's girls, who finished third in the team standings with 113.5 points. Lafayette won with 147.5 and Central finished with 122.5.

Rachel Kahle (100) and Audrey Standfield (long jump) were Jackson's other individual winners. Jackson's 1,600 and 800 relay teams both won. Kahle, Martin, Melanie Essner and Jenna Holten ran on both relays.

"I felt like our two sprint relays ran awfully well," Jackson coach Bob Sink said.

Central had seven wins en route to its second-place team finish. Jennifer Pancoast (1,600), Holly Shaffer (800), Linnea Woldtvedt (3,200), Maggie Limbaugh (pole vault) and Nicole Jackson (200) all won individually. Central also won the 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Yates, Renee Moreland, Shaffer and Stephanie Wehner ran the 1,600 relay, and Pancoast, Shaffer, Woldtvedt and Wehner made up the 3,200 relay.

Notre Dame's girls finished fourth, setting five school records along the way. Records were set in the 800 relay, 400, 200 and the 100 and 300 hurdles.

Katie Daniel set both hurdle records with a pair of second-place finishes. Amber Karnes set the 400 record with a second, Emily Bira set the 200 record with a third and the 800 relay team of Bira, Daniel, Hannah Glueck and Haley Bohnert set the record with a third.

"For an early season meet these were really some good performances," Notre Dame coach Bill Davis said.

Poplar Bluff, highlighted by three relay wins, took first in the boys competition with 145.5 points. North County was second with 109, while Perryville (88.5) was third and Central (82) fourth.

Central won the 400, 800 and 1,600 relays. Calen Wills, Zeno Walker, Anwar Glenn and Will Johnson ran on both the 800 and 1,600 teams. The 400 relay team was Marcus Rice, Johnson, Allen Walker and Jonathon Evans.

Mark Egbuka won the shot put for the Tigers with a throw of 48-1/2. Jarred Harris won the pole vault (14-0).

Harris, who competed at the state meet last year, said he is getting back into top form.

"Something that drives me is knowing that all the seniors graduated, and I'm the only one left," he said. "Now I feel like I can really do it."

Notre Dame's boys got a win from the 3,200 relay team of Austin Critchlow, Sam Montgomery, Ryan Roggow and Jason Delgado. Bryce Willen (pole vault), Matt Pfau (3,200) and Montgomery (1,600) each set school records.

Jackson got a win from Isaac Venable in the 800 and a second in the 1,600. Brad Crader finished second in the discus.

jjoffray@semissourian.com

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