Longhorns win in all weather

Chase County’s Will Kuenne was leading this Class C pack at Omaha last spring, and he’s helping the Longhorns win early-season challenges again in 2018.

Steve Towery/McCook Gazette

IMPERIAL, Neb. — They conquered one of the coldest Class C showdowns anyone could remember at Omaha Burke Stadium last May.

So does anyone really think a little snow, rain, wind and sickness will bother the two-time state champion Chase County Longhorns this spring?

Contenders Cozad, Mitchell, Ogallala and Sidney all heard a resounding “of course not” at the chilly Ogallala Invitational on Thursday.

The Chase girls ran away to 123 points and another team title — comfortably in front of those Haymakers (89) and host Indians (74) during this nine-team meet.

“It’s good to see how we compete against Class B teams. And teams like (Class C) Mitchell are always tough,” Longhorns coach Troy Hauxwell remarked this morning. “It was tough with the rain falling. We had some trouble getting a good grip on the discus and they eventually called off the boys’ pole vault for safety reasons.”

Yet the Longhorn boys still produced enough points (104) to top Sidney (90) in that title race.

Chase swept both titles just as the Longhorns did at a weather-shortened Perkins County Invite one week earlier.

“We’d like to get more throws in and really get the full experince of a full meet,” Hauxwell said. “Hopefully we’ll get it this week. But this spring has been crazy as far as weather so far.”

The Longhorns still delivered some great highlights.

Power thrower Allison Owings won bot the shot put and discus. The boys featured Jack Bauerle and state wrestling champ Aaron Hinojosa going 1-2 among boys’ shot put throwers.

Peyton Fiedler has been fighting through sickness so far this spring, Hauxwell added.

Her first outdoor meet featured a season-best 100 hurdles and championship. She also finished the 300 hurdles faster than ever before while taking third.

Once again, the Longhorn boys nearly kept pace with Evan Fisher’s career-best 110 hurdles leading to another title.

Adelaide Maxwell ran 100 and 200-dash season bests which earned two second places.

Parker Dillan leaped to second as he hit hits career-best long jump.

Female teammate Kamrie Dillan was also terrific and Ashley Bubak won the triple jump.

Will Kuenne ran his season-best 1600 meters for fourth place and Braden Space matched that feat with fourth in the triple jump.