WEST PLAINS -- McDonald County's track squads are sending three relay teams and a discus thrower to this weekend's Class 4 State Track Meet at Jefferson City after qualifying efforts in the Sectionals Meet held Saturday, May 20, at West Plains.
The boys' 4x100- and 4x400-meter relay teams, along with discus thrower Toby Moore, will represent the Mustangs with the girls' 4x400 relay squad competing for a state title for the Lady Mustangs.
"(Lady Mustangs Coach) Ashleigh Griffin and I are extremely proud of our relay teams and Toby Moore in the discus throw," said Mustang Coach Chris Kane. "All of our qualifiers will face the best Missouri has to offer at Jefferson City High School this Friday and Saturday."
The 4x100 prelims start Friday at 2:10 p.m. with the 4x400 prelims to begin at 5:45 p.m. for the girls and 6:15 p.m. for the boys. Moore's event is set to start at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
McDonald County's 4x100-meter relay quartet of Sam Barton, Esteban Martinez, Josh Pacheco and Dominic Navin clocked a 43.69 to finish third behind West Plains (42.49) and Marshfield (42.82).
"Our 4x100 team broke its own school record and jumped a few spots ahead of where they were ranked coming into sectionals to advance to the state championship," said Kane.
The 4x400 squad of Dalton McClain, Hunter Leach, Pacheco and Navin turned in a 3:29.92 to finish second behind Union's 3:28.12.
"Our 4x400 team set a new season-best mark with their second-place finish and advanced to the state championships," said Kane.
Moore qualified for state in the discus with a throw of 141-08.00, which placed the junior third behind Webb City's Nathaniel Miller (157-04.25) and Rolla's Demarii Williams (142-10.50).
"Toby Moore hit a 2-meter personal best to jump from a seventh-place initial ranking to a third-place finish and a trip to state as well," said Kane.
Moore had also qualified for sectionals in the shot put, but wasn't able to advance to state after finishing sixth with a mark of 47-08.75.
McDonald County's boys' 4x800 relay team of Tyler Rothrock, Miguel Mora, McClain and Leach was unable to advance to state after finished seventh with a time of 8:54.92 and Navin missed state in the 400-meter dash with a seventh-place finish of 54.62.
Leach was unable to qualify for state in the 800-meter run, finishing sixth in 2:02.51, and Pacheco missed qualifying in the triple jump, finishing fifth with a jump of 41-03.00.
GIRLS
On the girls side, McDonald County's 4x400 quartet of Kenzie Horton, Corina Holland, Anna Belle Price and Ireona Nirka qualified for state in a big way, turning in its top time to date of 4:13.41 to place fourth behind West Plains (4:09.14), Rockwood Summit (4:09.37) and Washington (4:11.03).
"Our girls 4x400 team set a season-best mark and did a great job in advancing to the state championship," said Kane.
Holland, a member of that relay team, qualified for sectionals in the 400-meter dash but did not advance to state after placing sixth with a time of 1:02.93.
McDonald County's 4x800-meter relay team of Kate Cheney, Dallie Racher, Horton and Price finished seventh at sectionals with a time of 10:46.28.
Lady Mustang Lacey Nix, who qualified for sectionals in the pole vault, finished eighth in that event at West Plains, clearing the bar at 8-00.50.
Courtesy photo Mustang Coach Willie Howard stands with McDonald County's state-qualifying 4x400-meter relay squad of (from left) Dalton McClain, Josh Pacheco, Hunter Leach and Dominic Navin after the team qualified for state by finishing second with a time of 3:29.92 at the Sectional Meet held Saturday, May 20, at West Plains.
Courtesy photo The Lady Mustang Coach Ashleigh Griffin stands with her state-qualifying 4x400-meter relay team of (from left) Ireona Nirka, Kenzie Horton, Anna Belle Price and Corina Holland, which ran a season-best 4:13.31 at the Sectional Meet held Saturday, May 20, at West Plains.
Courtesy photo McDonald County junior Toby Moore, shown with Coach Chris Kane, qualified for state in the discus with a throw of 141-08.00 at the Sectional Meet held Saturday, May 20, in West Plains.