Class 1 state track and field: Day 1 recap

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The 2016 MSHSAA State Track and Field Champions are underway. Here’s a recap of Class 1’s action from Friday in Jefferson City.
 

Workman adds 2 more golds

The results were inevitable. At this point, it’s Claire Workman vs. the Class 1 record book.  

The NCA junior remained undefeated in state distance events Friday, easily winning the 1600 (5:01.09) and 800 (2:16.89).

Workman’s mile time shatters the former Class 1 record of  5:11.14, set by Polo’s Darla Curp in 1981.

PHOTOS: CLASS 1 STATE TRACK DAY 1

Workman’s half-mile time was .05 seconds shy of breaking her own Class 1 record (2:16.85) set last year. She originally set the Class 1 half-mile record as a freshman in 2014 when she ran 2:18.98.

The most challenging part for Workman may come between her ears, she admitted.

“Mentally, it is kind of hard,” Workman said. “I just have to remind myself that I’m a really young runner. I try to basically pretend that none of (the achievements) are there. I’ve won those things, but that’s in the past. That’s not today. You never know who’s out there. Mentally, I just try to remind myself: it doesn’t matter what you’ve done then, it’s what you can do now.”

While she missed out on breaking her own Class record in Friday’s half-mile, Workman didn’t seem too disappointed.

“I was just concerned with getting through it,” Workman said. “That’s OK. I just wasn’t feeling it as much today with the 800. You run the 1600, it’s kind of hard to come back. I just decided I was going to run (the 800) tough, hope for the best and see what happens.”

Workman swept the distance events (800, 1600, 3200) her first two seasons. She added a seventh gold medal in track and field last year as NCA won the 4×800 and ended up as Class 1 state champions.

Counting two state championships in cross country during the fall, Workman now has 11 gold medals for her prep career – with the 3200 and 4×800 ahead on Saturday.
 
Her seed time for the 3200 (11:33.88) puts her about 3.5 seconds away from breaking Mackenzie Weis’ (Midway, 11:30.58) Class 1 record set in 2010. Workman posted an 11:05.44 two-mile performance in mid-April this season.
 
But Workman, anything but a selfish runner, may be looking forward to the 4×800 the most. Workman said she loves the team aspect of the 4×800, as she teams with Katie McCune, Cassilyn Enyart and Claire McCune.

“There’s not really a specific goal for me personally,” Workman said. “We’re just going to do the best we can. If we could do something like break the record, that’d be awesome. We’re going to go for that, but we’re definitely not expecting things to just come to us. We’re ready to run a hard race and do the best we can.”
Locals dominated the Class 1 girls 800 and 1600 events Friday.
 
Liberal junior Alexys Barton finished second in the 800 (2:21.27) and 1600 (5:08.74). Claire McCune (5:11.82) and Katie McCune (5:19.21) finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 1600. Claire McCune was also third in the 800 (2:24.23).


Carswell becomes School of the Ozarks’ first track and field state champion

Evie Carswell knew the odds weren’t in her favor. She wasn’t supposed to end up as a state champion.

But, much to her delight, she became just that.

Carswell pulled off a surprise win early in the day in the girls’ high jump, winning on a tiebreaker at 5’3” to become the first track and field state championship in School of the Ozarks’ young history.  

“I was not expecting to be a state champion,” Carswell said. “It was really fun. I was not expecting that.”

RESULTS: CLASS 1 STATE TRACK DAY 1

Carswell entered Friday with a season-best jump of 5’3”, looking up at the leader among the Class 1 high jump group, who had cleared 5’9” during the regular season.

But when that person failed to clear 5’2” on Friday, the door opened up for Carswell. She bested Stewartville junior Allyson Kauth on a tiebreaker (fewer overall scratches) to win gold.

Afterwards, Carswell was congratulated by her coach, a.k.a. her father, a high jumper in high school himself.

 “He said ‘good job’ just like a normal coach,” Carswell said. “He gave me a high-five, a hug, a congratulations. We were not expecting to get this far.”

Carswell’s result gives the S of O girls a boost in the Class 1 team standings heading into Saturday. The Patriots sit in third place (20 points), 17 points behind first-place New Covenant Academy.
 

Shoemaker shatters old PR in 3200, still finishes 2nd

Humansville junior Dustin Shoemaker ran the race of his career in Friday’s Class 1 3200.

But competing against Hardin Central’s Riley Gorham, Shoemaker’s time of 9:43.79 – a PR by 13 seconds – was only good enough for second place.

It was a result Shoemaker accepted with courage.

“I felt good and I wasn’t slowing down, either,” said Shoemaker, who proudly added that he broke his brother’s school record with Friday’s run. “When (Gorham) passed me, I guess he just had a lot more left than I did and he went. I was giving it my all, I just couldn’t go with him.

“That was faster than I ever thought I could have ran. I’m really happy I did that. I’m just going to keep working over the summer, keep trying to improve my time and see if I can beat Riley next year.”

Shoemaker’s 2016 time in the Class 1 two-mile would have won him a gold medal by five seconds in last year’s same event.

With defending state champ Seth Brown of La Plata graduating, Shoemaker thought he could contend to win it all this year. Gorham has become a friendly rival – and measuring stick of sorts – for Shoemaker.

Gorham got the better of Shoemaker in last fall’s Class 1 state cross country meet as the duo finished 1-2.

“I thought this was my chance to beat Riley Gorham,” Shoemaker said. “I’m like, ‘If I can run fast, I can do it.’ He had a better race than I did.

“We’re decent friends and I love racing against him. He always makes me run fast,” Shoemaker said. “It’s always good to have someone you can race with at state. Once (2015 state champ) Seth Brown (La Plata) left, me and Riley were just going to push each and make each other better.”

Shoemaker will have another chance to top Gorham on Saturday, as the two go head-to-head in the 1600. Gorham is the defending state champion in that event, with Shoemaker finishing about 8.25 seconds behind him in third place last year.
 

Class 1 boys all-state notables
School of the Ozarks’ Teddy Lingner (6’3”) and Lockwood’s Brady Waters (6’0”) finished third and in a tie for fifth, respectively, in the high jump.

Appleton City’s Tyler Piepmeier (19’2.5”) was 7th in the long jump.

Appleton City’s 4×800 relay of Dakota Gay, Michael Ashley, Evan Mitts and Drew Smith ran a 8:30.64 to place 8th.

Hermitage sophomore Easton Sabala (10:10.71) finished 6th in the 3200.

Osceola senior Marek Thompson posted a mark of 48’9.75” in the shot put, taking 2nd.
 

Class 1 girls all-state notables
Dora junior Makenzie Gardner (4’11”) took 8th in the high jump.

Jasper senior Lexie Royster (33’7”) and School of the Ozarks senior Rachel Snyder (33’6”) placed 6th and 7th, respectively, in the long jump.

School of the Ozarks sophomore Brooke Housley (39’3”) finished 2nd in the shot put.
McAuley Catholic senior Miranda Green was 5th (36’9.5”) in the same event.

Through five events, New Covenant (1st, 37 points), School of the Ozarks (3rd, 20 points) and Liberal (4th, 16 points) are in the Top 4 of the Class 1 girls team standings.

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