What a finish! Bison girls rally for another team title

Friday, April 16, 2021
McCook's girls finished a step ahead of Sidney in the final team standings as athletes like sophomore Samantha Rodewald also moved up Bison all-time record charts at Thursday's Dutch Zorn Invitational. Junior thrower Sierra Kotschwar (below) along with relay runners Sienna Dutton and Ainsley Taylor (bottom photo) helped McCook take home the team title.
R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

GOTHENBURG, Neb. — McCook High girls battled until the final step, stride and second Thursday which resulted in another track/field invite championship.

Coach Brent May’s Bison rallied past a strong Sidney Red Raiders squad, 115-112, to cap an exciting 10-team Dutch Zorn Invitational.

With only two events remaining, McCook was still a seven-point “touchdown” behind Sidney but brought perfect touch to those relays.

Tami Pochop/For The Gazette

Emma Dutton, Sienna Dutton, Leah Spencer and Shawna Wilkinson took third among 1600-meter teams but — most importantly —scored six points compared to only four for those Sidney Red Raiders.

However, it was the split medley relay of Ainsley Taylor, Xyzanthia Bair, Leah Spencer and Izzy Renner who clinched McCook’s latest championship.

They took second place for eight points overall while Sidney did not place at all.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

Rather than 112-107, McCook moved in front for the triumph over nine other teams.

“Sidney brought a strong team, but we beat them in the end so that was fun,” May confirmed as the Bison have won every meet since their season-opening UNK Invitational.

The Bison showed great balance considering they won just two events overall.

May provided some other insights:

“Our 3200 relay ran 30 seconds faster than their previous best.”

The time at Gothenburg puts them towards the top of class B this week, they need to lower their time a little to be competitive at state but they have the potential to do so.”

Fall cross country runners Samantha Rodewald, Leah Spencer, Grace Cappel amnd Wilkinson teamed for that title.

“Shawna Wilkinson had another great day winning the 400 breaking 60 seconds and moving onto the top 10 charts at number four. Both our pole vaulters have now vaulted over 9’6 and are both tied at seven. Sammy Rodewald improved her 1600 time and is number on our top 10. Emma Dutton in the 300 hurdles moved up to number seven on the top 10."

The Bison featured several more high placers throughout this invitational.

GIRLS

Team scores: 1. McCook 115, 2. Sidney 112, 3. Ogallala 78, 4. Cozad 57, 5. Gothenburg 47, 5. Holdrege 47, 7. Kearney Catholic 35, 8. Aurora 34, 9. Lexington 31, 10. Kearney JV 2.

100-hurdles: 1. C. Ahrens, SID, 16.47; 2. Emma Dutton, MC, 17.09; 4. Ainsley Taylor, MC, 17.67 (PR). 200 meters: 1. B. Aitken, COZ, 26.18; 3. Shawna Wilkinson, MC, 26.84. 300-hurdles: 1. A. O’Hare, GOTH, 48.33; 2. Emma Dutton, MC, 48.52 (PR). 400 meters: 1. Shawna Wilkinson, MC, 59.4 (PR); Izzy Renner, MC, 1:09.98 (PR). 1600: 1. L. Henning, OGA, 5:33.79; 2. Samantha Rodewald, MC, 5:34.51; 6. Grace Cappel, MC, 5:53.43, 3200: 1. Henning 12:06.69; 2. Samantha Rodewald, MC, 12:11.43.

400-relay: 1. Ogallala 51.3; 7. MC 53.8 (Xyzanthia Bair-E. Dutton-Taylor-S. Dutton). 1600-relay: 1. Kearney Catholic 4:14.12; 3. MC 4:18.01 (E. Dutton-S. Dutton-Leah Spencer-Wilkinson). 3200-relay: 1. McCook 10:18.57 (Samantha Rodewald-Leah Spencer-Grace Cappel-Sienna Dutton). Split medley relay: 1. Cozad 4:28.88; 2. MC 4:45.95 (Taylor-Bair-Spencer-Renner).

Shot put: 1. K. Sylvester, SID, 41’9”; 2. Sierra Kotschwar, MC, 39’4” (PR); 3. Brittni Kinne, MC, 37’8 1/2” (PR); Lainey Schmidt, MC, 32;4 1/2” (PR). Discus: 1. Sylvester 118’5”; 3. Sierra Kotschwar, MC, 111’11”; 4. Lainey Schmidt, MC, 101’7”. Pole vault: 1. C. Knust, AUR, 10’; 3. Hannah Crow, MC, 9’6”; 4. Chayse Friehe, MC, 9’6” (PR). Long jump: 1. K. Leeling, SID, 16’2”; 4. Shawna Wilkinson, MC, 15’7” (PR).

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