Boone County Schools Thrive at Class 3 State Meet
Centralia boys track and field captured third at the Class 3 state meet in Jefferson City Saturday. The Southern Boone girls sealed second, and Hallsville’s girls won two of the KRES area’s six event titles.
Centralia’s Liam Hill earned 110M hurdle and 300M hurdle championships. The senior Hill also medaled fourth in high jump and eighth in javelin.
Hill recorded 14.8 in the 110 hurdles and 39.6 in the 300 hurdles. The track standout and KRES All-Star defensive back declined collegiate offers to pursue a welding career. Hill said he wanted to meet expectations in his last competition.
Hill delivered 26 of Centralia’s 41 points, which placed Ben Sontheimer’s Panthers just two points shy of a team title.
Centralia senior Xaden Lockett tossed third in shot put. Junior Grant Erisman landed third in long jump, and fellow junior Beau Gordon grabbed sixth in pole vault.
The Lady Panthers also shined at Adkins Stadium. Senior Carter Hawkins claimed a pole vault championship.
Four girls vaulted 11-3, but Hawkins succeeded in the fewest attempts. Teammate Baylee Beard launched second in shot put. Centralia’s girls also ended third in the 4x800M relay and eighth in the 4x200M relay.
Southern Boone freshmen Alex Volkart and Evan Mauney propelled the Lady Eagles’ second-place effort. The duo crossed one-two in the 3200M. Volkart clocked 11:18.
Volkart managed sixth in the 1600M. Mauney complemented her runner-up medal with third in the 1600 and sixth in the 800. On the boys side, Southern Boone sophomore Connor Burns boasted second in the both the 1600 and 3200, and third in the 800. Senior Blake Dapkus finished fifth in the 110M hurdles.
Hallsville’s girls won the 4x200M relay as a nine seed. Senior Taylor Jones and the Lady Indians outlasted the field by more than a second.
Jones teamed with sister Kristen Jones, Rachel Hargis, and Marissa Austene. Sophomore Kristen Jones later produced a long jump championship.
The Jones sisters and the Lady Indians closed the day fourth in the 4x400M relay.
Macon senior Gabe Thrasher tallied third in pole vault.
Thrasher previously took sixth as a sophomore. Tigerette Shelby Petre placed third in high jump. Junior Chezney Smith secured sixth in shot put.
See the full results and hear several interviews.
