Lutheran long-jumper Michelle Persich wins at state

JEFFERSON CITY | Confidence came early for Lutheran junior long-jumper Michelle Persich.

In March, when Persich competed in the long jump at the Central Missouri Mule Relays, her first track and field event of the season, she surprised herself with how she defeated the 28-athlete field. She jumped a foot longer than the next-closest competitor and pumped herself with the thought: “Hmmm, I have a shot at this,” Persich remembered saying.

Persich meant a “shot” at winning state, and she accomplished her months-long goal on Saturday by taking the Missouri Class 1 championship with a leap of 16 feet, 5 3/4 inches.

“(Central Missouri) gave me a lot of confidence,” Persich said, then reflected on her two-day performance at Dwight T. Reed Stadium, where she also earned a second-place medal in the triple jump on Friday. “It felt amazing. All the elements were right.”

Lone Jack senior hurdler Nikki Harris knows that feeling — when everything’s clicking and everyone’s watching you on top of the medal stand. Harris won her first state championship in the Class 1 100-meter hurdles in 16.24 seconds. Later in the afternoon, Harris attempted to add another gold in the 300 hurdles event and although she led during much of the race, Sidney Chavez of Southwest (Ludlow) overtook her in the final five steps to the finish line.

However, Harris thought her 100 hurdles win, as well as the performance from teammate Kevin Beaubien (second in the 400-meter dash, fifth in the 100 meters and sixth in the 200 meters), helps give the Lone Jack program — traditionally known for its distance runners — some sprint and hurdling credibility.

“It’s nice, it’s a change,” Harris said. “All (you hear about) Lone Jack is guys’ distance, so this is kind of different.”

Lone Jack did not stray too far from its identity when the boys’ 3,200-meter relay placed fourth and sophomore Daniel Gilbert medaled in eighth place in the 3,200-meter run.

Hogan finishes fifthThe Hogan Prep boys’ track team, unabashedly made up of football-first athletes, just missed earning a state trophy, finishing in a tie for fifth place and six points behind Westran. That oh-so-close storyline followed the Rams as members routinely landed in the runner-up position.

Junior Maurice Sneed ran against Maplewood senior Fred Taylor, who did not lose a race this weekend, and finished second in the 100-meter dash in 11.06 seconds. Sneed competed against Taylor in the 200 and again finished second. Sneed also led off his team’s 400 relay that finished second to — take a guess — Maplewood and anchor-runner Taylor.

However, Sneed did not mind second place, recalling how a football injury kept him from competing as a sophomore. This season, Sneed got recruited to give track one more try.

“My coaches said it would be good for you to run track because you’re kind of fast,” he said, but offered he would have ran anyway for the team. “I can’t let my teammates down.”

Hogan Prep senior Calvin Meeks added to the team total of 33 points with his fourth-place finish in the shot put.

More medalsBefore leaving for a new life at Park University to play volleyball and basketball, Lawson senior Jasmine Kassanavoid competed in her final high school event by finishing second in the shot put (39-9 1/4 ).

Senior Dirk Hudson continued the West Platte legacy in distance running with his second-place finish in the 3,200 meters.

The St. Mary’s girls’ 1,600-meter relay also finished second while the sprinters from Southeast turned in a third-place finish in the boys’ 400-meter relay. Also, Midway junior Shannon Carver earned third in the girls’ Class 1 pole vault event by clearing 9 feet.

submitted by CANDACE BUCKNER - 2009-05-23 21:29:03

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