O’NEILL – It was a tight race for the runner-up trophy, but Wayne settled for third in the girls division of the B-4 district track meet, while the boys placed eighth out of 10 teams at O’Neill High School.
Kylie Hammer qualified in three events and won two district titles, taking top honors in the long jump (17-1 3/4) and triple jump (35-1 1/2), while finishing third in the 400-meter dash (1:01.21).
Tarah Stegemann also was a multiple qualifier, earning an automatic bid in the high jump (she was fourth at 5-1) and winning the 400-meter dash in 1:00.54. Both she and Hammer could add another event to their agenda if the 1,600-meter relay team, which placed third, gets in on a wild card.
Wayne also got qualifiers in the throwing events. Jenna Trenhaile took runner-up honors in the girls discus (112-7), while Danica Schaefer was third in the shot put (36-3 1/4). Gabi Meyer was a qualifier in the 800-meter run (2:29.69).
Wayne’s 1,600 and 3,200-meter relays both finished third, but both can still qualify for state if they are one of the four fastest non-qualifying teams. Other districts had not completed their result submissions to the NSAA as of 9:15 p.m., so those entries likely won’t be announced until Friday.
On the boys side, Grayson McBride earned a district title with a win in the high jump (6-3) and also qualified for state as the runner-up in the triple jump (41-2 1/4). Christian Rogers just missed qualifying in the 200-meter dash, finishing fourth in 23.63. He still has a chance to qualify as a wild card as well.
State qualifiers advance to the Nebraska State Track and Field Championships, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 20-21, at Burke Stadium in Omaha.
