SPRINGFIELD, MO — The Missouri Class 5 Sectional 3 Track and Field Championships saw athletes from Joplin, Neosho, Carthage, and Webb City deliver standout performances en route to qualifying for the Class 5 State Championships.
Joplin’s Speed and Versatility Shine
Joplin’s athletes excelled across multiple events, with Brylee Strickland and Ava Doll leading the charge. Strickland dominated the girls’ 400m dash, winning with a time of 57.92 seconds. Nalyjiah Madison took third place (58.53).
Strickland added a third-place time of 25.30 seconds in the 200 and anchored the girls’ 4x400m relay team to a first-place finish of 3:58.67, securing state berths in both.
Doll claimed the girls’ 3200m title with an impressive 11:03.69 and took third in the 1600m with 5:09.93, earning two state qualifications.
The girls 4x100 (4th, 48.34) and the 4x200 (3rd, 1:41.60) relay teams also qualified for state.
On the boys’ side, Avarus Kuhn-Wofford was a force in the hurdles, winning the 300m hurdles in 39.54 seconds and taking third in the 110m hurdles with 14.89 seconds. Isaiah Thom also qualified in the 300m hurdles, finishing second with 40.79 seconds.
In the field, Aiden Scourten secured fourth in both the long jump (6.4m) and triple jump (13.69m), while Neil Barstow earned fourth in the shot put (16.15m) and third in the discus (44.68m).
Brennen Washington qualified in the discus with a fifth-place throw of 42.42m, and senior Davin Thomas took sixth in the 100m dash (11.07 seconds). The boys’ 4x200m relay team finished fourth in 1:29.43, earning a state spot.
Neosho’s Sprint and Field Prowess
Neosho showed off its speed and field event strength. Isaiah Keezer won the boys’ 400m dash with a blazing 49.47 seconds, while Phoenix Rhatigan took fourth in the same event with 50.40 seconds, both advancing to state.
In the pole vault, Noah Soriano cleared 4.19m for second place, and in the javelin, Denver Welch (46.53m) and Brock Pyle (46.18m) took fifth and sixth, respectively. On the girls’ side, Beclynn Garrett qualified in the javelin with a fourth-place throw of 34.8m, and Kaylin Soule took seventh in the triple jump (10.44m). Lauren Sullivan placed fifth in the high jump (1.52m), and senior Ashlyn Stevens finished seventh in the 400m (1:03.57).
Carthage’s Hurdles and Distance Standouts
Carthage athletes secured state spots in hurdles, relays and field events.
Elsie Willis qualified in the girls’ 100m hurdles with a third-place time of 15.47 seconds and in the 300m hurdles with a sixth-place finish of 48.78 seconds.
Henry Laytham won the boys’ 800m run in 1:54.61, earning a state berth, while Brody Jackson took fourth in the 300m hurdles with 41.08 seconds.
In the field, London Shepherd qualified in the girls’ triple jump with a second-place mark of 11.33m, and junior Chasity Straw earned state berths in both the discus (35.76m, second) and shot put (11.91m, second).
Karlie Nichols took fourth in the shot put (10.9m), and Riley Cochran placed sixth in the high jump (1.5m) and seventh in the pole vault (2.9m).
The girls’ 4x400m relay team finished fifth (4:06.53), and the 4x800m relay team took fifth (10:20.08), both advancing to state.
In the boys’ triple jump, Malachi Dougless (6.25m, sixth) and Jackson Hettinger (12.5m, eighth) competed but fell short of state qualification.
Webb City’s Distance Dominance
Webb City shone in distance and relay events. Brooke Hedger dominated the girls’ 800m (2:15.92) and 1600m (5:05.74), winning both and securing state spots.
The girls’ 4x800m relay team took first with 9:39.02, and the 4x400m relay team placed third (4:02.75).
Noah Lankard qualified in the boys’ 800m with a third-place time of 1:58.44.
In the field, Chase Stilley and Selah Shewmake tied for third and sixth in the high jump (1.55m and 1.5m, respectively).
Adalyn Maxwell took sixth in the discus (31.95m), and seniors Brooke Collard and Emma McKinzie placed fifth (11:57.08) and seventh (12:05.98) in the 3200m.
Cooper White won the boys’ javelin with a throw of 51.64m.
Olivia Klotz finished seventh in the 800m (2:25.42).