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McCook High girls climb charts besides B-6 team title
OGALLALA, Neb. — Ogallala had to be echoing OH mercy, these McCook High girls are really good!
The 2022 Bison are becoming some of McCook’s best ever in girls’ track and field.
On Tuesday, they reached an even higher level with their first B-6 district team championship since 2014.
And it wasn’t even close.
“We had a fantastic day with 18 season or personal bests,” coach Brent May proclaimed as the Bison scored 105 points while Scottsbluff’s Bearcats were a distant second with 77. “Plus we had six improvements or additions to the McCook girls’ top 10 charts.”
The Bison qualified 13 girls for Class B state at Omaha Burke Stadium starting Wednesday morning. Class B competition continues through Thursday night.
Senior Emma Dutton and junior Shawna Wilkinson both qualified in a team-best four events.
Dutton will run both hurdles (100, 300), the 200-meter dash and 400-meter relay.
Wilkinson will defend her 400-meter Class B state title besides running 800, 400-meter relay and the 1600-meter relay.
“Emma Dutton has continually improved this year after her couple week injury away from hurdles,” May said. “Hopefully, she has a great state meet. By all signs, should be in the finals of the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.”
“Shawna has another great year,” the coach added about Wilkinson who ranks among McCook’s top 10 all-time in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 meters.
Senior Sierra Kotschwar won the shot put besides taking second to continue her school record-setting discus throw season.
Teammate Kori Rippen unleashed her all-time best shot put heave, so the Bison will take a 1-2 punch to Omaha.
“Sierra is sitting really well at state this year and hopefully will make finals,” May said.
Kotschwar moved to No. 4 among Bison shot putters all-time.
“As a sophomore, Kori Rippen looks to continue the success of the throws in the future,” he added.
The Bison will take another powerful 1-2 combo to Omaha in pole vaulters Chayse Friehe and Hannah Crow.
They went 1-2 at districts with Friehe clearing 10’4”.
“My goal is 11’6’,” Friehe said. “I know I can do it, so I might as well.”
Crow’s aiming for 11’3” and a repeat state medal.
Other state qualifiers are senior Ainsley Taylor (400-relay) — who’s now the No. 10 all-time Bison 300-hurdler — junior Sammy Rodewald (3200-run, 3200-relay), sophomore Sienna Dutton (1600, 3200 relays), junior Leah Spencer (1600, 3200 relays), junior Kennedy Walter (400-relay), freshmen Paige Bortner (3200-relay) and Danika Havlicek (1600-relay). Sophs Izzy Renner and Abby Boner are state alternates.
A final rundown of record climbers at McCook high on Tuesday.
"We had 6 improvements or additions to the McCook Girls' top 10 charts. Emma Dutton moved to #2 in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.22, and to #6 in the 300 hurdles with a time of 47.59. Shawna Wilkinson moved to #6 in the 800 with a time of 2:23.77 and Paige Bortner improved her #9 spot to a time of 2:28.20. Ainsley Taylor moved onto the 100 hurdles chart at #10 with a time of 16.62 and Lacyn Keller moved onto the 300 hurdles chart with a time of 49.69 at #10," coach Brent May said.
The 3200-relay also now holds McCook High's No. 10 all-time spot.