MHS track 'overperformed' at state as boys take 3rd, girls 5th

WICHITA — For Manhattan High track and field head coach Kory Cool, the overarching theme of Friday and Saturday’s state meet was overachievement.

Two school records fell, and multiple athletes set their personal bests as the Indians boys finished third and the girls came in fifth.

“I would say, looking at preseason expectations, we overperformed,” Cool said. “You want to come here and do the best you can. … As a whole, I would say there was just a lot of overachieving today. Really, really proud of the group as a whole.”

Sprinters led the way, as all three of Manhattan’s event victories and 10 of its 17 medals came in short foot races. Harli Omli won the girls’ 400-meter dash with a time of 56.58, and Tanner Dowling-Burnett came in first in the boys’ 400-meter dash at 49.24.

The boys’ 4x100-meter relay team of Dowling-Burnett, Ethan Samenus, Charles Morgan and Dante Walters took first and set a new school record at 41.81, while the girls’ squad also broke the school record and finished second at 48.37.

Samenus said setting a new school record in the boys’ 4x100 had been a goal all season, and that his relay team had come very close at the regional meet. During Friday’s preliminary, the group struggled with its handoffs, but everything came together in the finals on Saturday.

“We just came in and knew we had to beat it,” he said. “It’s really special to be on this team and hold the record. Not even beat it; we destroyed it.”

Morgan led the race and said he got off the blocks to a great start. Then, once that first handoff went through, he “knew we had it in the bag.” Walters added that as soon as he gave the baton to Dowling-Burnett for the final leg, he, too, realized his team was going to win.

The only question left dealt with that school record.

“Not only did I win a state championship, but I’m leaving a record,” Walters said. “It feels good to leave a mark on the school. It’s something that we know is going to be there for a long time.”

Dowling-Burnett — who also came in second in the 200-meter dash at 22.37 — said realizing his relay team had broken the school record was “the best moment of my life.”

“Ever since freshman year, I was dreaming of being a state champion,” he said. “There couldn’t be a better group of guys to run it with. We just had the best chemistry. We all get along. We’re best friends, really. It all worked out.”

While the girls’ 4x100-meter relay team of Omli, Avery Larson, Aylani Barron and Hanna Pellant didn’t win the race, Cool said that, considering the group had run the race faster than anyone in school history, “you can’t really hang your head on that.”

In fact, it was the fourth time this season the squad has broken the school record in that race.

“It’s a super cool feeling to break the school record, obviously,” Larson said. “I’m a senior, so this is my last high school sports (competition). This is my last event of the day, so to end it on a PR and getting second was super cool and a great feeling.”

Barron said she and her teammates prayed before the race and got off to a strong start.

“All our hard work this season really came together,” Barron said. “We are a little disappointed that we didn’t get first, but we definitely worked really hard for our second place, and we did really good as a team.”

In addition to running on the same 4x100-meter relay team, Pellant and Omli raced against one another in the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Pellant was third and Omli fourth in the 100-meter, while Omli was second and Pellant eighth in the 200-meter.

Omli said she was “glad I got to run my race with my best friend,” and before the 100-meter she shared some words with Pellant.

“I told her that she’s been working hard for all of this, and that she’s going to do great,” Omli said.

For what it’s worth, Omli said she wasn’t worried about pumping up her teammate too much, because she doesn’t mind finishing behind Pellant. And besides, Omli got the better of Pellant in the 200-meter later in the day.

Pellant said she was pleased with the way she performed at state. A few months ago, she didn’t even know if she’d get to compete this season after nearly tearing her quad muscle and missing six weeks during indoor track season.

“I wasn’t even supposed to run at all, and just know that I got (a time of 12.14 in the state 100-meter dash), I’m just very proud,” she said.

Triple jumpers hit personal records

Collins Elumogo and Alessandra Porres unleashed career bests in the triple jump to end up on the medal stand.

Elumogo leaped 47 feet, 7 inches, which beat his personal record by nearly three feet and earned him a second-place spot in the boys’ competition. On the girls’ side, Porres finished third at 36 feet, which was the distance she set as her goal prior to the season.

Elumogo said he prepared for the state meet by watching film and noticing that he needed to bring up his knees much more than he had been. The atmosphere of the state meet — with a huge crowd and a lot on the line — pumped his body full of adrenaline and helped him go much further than he ever had before.

“I was just happy,” Elumogo said of seeing his new personal best. “I was like, ‘Now, I’ve got to get 48. I’ve got to go for the record.’ But I came up just short.”

Even if he didn’t break the state record, Elumogo said his final high school competition gave him a lot more confidence as he prepares for a track career at Cornell University next year.

Porres said she entered the state meet simply hoping to finish in the top eight to get on the podium. Coming in third and hitting a personal record was an added bonus.

“I was kind of shocked; it didn’t feel like 36 (feet),” Porres said with a laugh. “But I was really happy to see it. That was my goal at the start of the season. I didn’t know if I was going to hit it, but I’m really glad that I did.”

Porres also attributed some of the way she “soared” to the adrenaline of the state meet, but also recognized the hard work she’s put in during her senior year.

“I’m really with how the whole season went,” she said. “I’m really happy with how I performed, and it’s a great place to end off on, so no regrets. I’m really happy with how I did.”

Other medalists

Manhattan had several other athletes medal during the two-day competition.

In the boys’ triple jump, Aaron Newcomer was third and Vincent Malone was fifth, both with best leaps of 6 feet, 4 inches. Sam Molt came in third in the boys’ javelin with a throw of 172 feet, which beat his personal best by 10 feet.

Jorryn Hall finished seventh in the girls’ shot put competition at 37 feet, 4 inches, and Faith Kratochvil came in eighth in the girls’ high jump at 5 feet.

The girls’ 4x800-meter relay team of Jillian Harkin, Haley Henningson, Talia Tindall and Saylor Salmans finished eighth at 10:02.28.

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Manhattan High girls’ results

4x800-meter relay: 8. Harkin, Henningson, Tindall, Salmans 10:02.28.

100-meter dash: 3. Pellant 12.14; 4. Omli 12.21.

4x100-meter relay: 2. Barron, Pellant, Larson, Omli 48.37.

400-meter dash: 1. Omli 56.58.

800-meter run: 16. Harkin 2:31.00.

200-meter dash: 2. Omli 24.88; 8. Pellant 25.68.

Shot put: 7. Hall 37 feet, 4 inches; 11. Gruber 34 feet, 8.5 inches; 14. Anhorn 31 feet, 4 inches.

Discus: 12. Gruber 103 feet, 8 inches.

High jump: 8. Kratochvil 5 feet.