Strong showing for Blue Jays in lone home meet
McKayla Orr didn’t show much rust for someone who hadn’t run the 100-meter hurdles since junior high.By: Chris Aarhus, The Jamestown Sun, The Jamestown Sun
- Allmer Leads
- Handing Off the Baton
McKayla Orr didn’t show much rust for someone who hadn’t run the 100-meter hurdles since junior high.
On her first try, the Jamestown High School senior ran a state-qualifying time of 15.97 seconds, which lifted her to first place at the 54th annual Al Cassell Relays on Saturday at Taylor Stadium.
“She hadn’t run it since middle school,” JHS coach Arnie Falk said. “She’s running well right now. I think she can run faster yet.”
Orr put her stamp all over the meet, also winning the 200 (26.89) and the 300 hurdles (46.34). The events lifted the Blue Jays to a second-place finish with 125 points. Fargo North was first with 138. Lisbon was third with 105.
Orr also placed second in the 100 with a time of 12.80. Falk said she’s qualified in five events, and possibly the 200, which he was unsure about.
Aiding the Jays’ effort was a standout performance from Alison Allmer, who captured the 800 with a 2:22.81 and the mile with a 5:14.21.
“In the mile, that was the best time she’s had this year,” Falk said. “Both races she wasn’t even challenged. She’s a very hard worker and very well disciplined.”
Falk pointed out Kylie Voight’s state-qualifying time in the 400. She ran a 1:01.44, which placed her third. Additionally, he raved about the effort from Beka Hilgeman in the javelin. She threw a state-qualifying mark of 111 feet.
“For a freshman to do that is phenomenal,” Falk said. “This is my 25th year (at JHS). I don’t remember any freshman qualifying in the javelin. It’s quite the feat.”
Barnes County North’s SaraLi Peterson had the best long jump at 16-5, while Griggs County Central’s Shaleen Helmer took top honors in the discus with a 114-8. Sierra Rosenau of Carrington won the javelin (143-7), while Kelsey Laufenberg was victorious in the shot put (41-6). Carrington’s Kayla Hochhalter finished second in the discus, javelin and shot put.
On the boys side, JHS got a win out of Joe Jensen in the rarely ran steeplechase (7:10.27) to send the Blue Jays to fourth place with 82.5 points. Lisbon won the meet with 156 points, while Fargo North was second with 141. A partial Bismarck High team took third with 136 points.
The Blue Jays got runner-up finishes from Nathan Willer in the discus (145-6) and Ashton Johnson in the high jump (5-10). John Nagel placed third in the 400 (52.21) and Jordan Thoreson was fourth in the shot put (48-10).
JHS coach Ken Gardner said the Jays are nipping at the heels in two events. Nagel is closing in on a qualifying time in the 400 while the 400 relay isn’t far off, either.
“We’re almost there,” Gardner said. “We’re gonna run them in the last chance meet in Bismarck (today).”
Gardner said with his team’s hard workouts over, he expects performances to be on the rise.
“Their bodies are starting to recover so they can get those fast times and far jumps by the time West Region rolls around,” Gardner said.
Lisbon’s Nick Anderson won the high jump (6-0), and the 3,200 relay’s 8:29.92 was enough to edge Kindred for first place. Other area winners include Kellemon Hinton of Ellendale in the triple jump (41-5) and Barnes County North’s Cody Christ (10:15.64).
With help from Anderson, Lisbon got to its point total with a variety of runner-up finishes. Its 400 relay and 800 relays were second, as was Nathan Mangin in the 200, Jacob Gallagher in the 3,200, Jenner Manske in the long jump and Tyler Doll in the javelin. Anderson also finished second in the triple jump.
A small portion of Jamestown’s teams are going to a meet in Bismarck today. The West Region meet is Saturday, also in Bismarck.
Complete results of the meet can be found on Page B2.
Sun sports writer Chris Aarhus can be reached at (701) 952-8462 or by email at caarhus@jamestownsun.com
Tags: track and field, sports, track, jays
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