State Track Athletes Compete in Jefferson City

From+left+to+right%2C+back+row%3A+Rashawn+Moore%2C+Wyle+Potter%2C+Luke+Ivey%2C+Dalton+Robinson%2C+Zach+Compton%2C+Trevor+Foster%2C+Logan+Beach%2C+Joe+Caudle%2C+and+Lyndon+Kays.+Front+row%3A+Victoria+Fishback%2C+Haley+Stallings%2C+Megan+Wahlquist%2C+Lindsey+Padgett%2C+Alyssah+Orr%2C+Jorden+Stacey%2C+Maegan+Holland%2C+and+Gabby+Washington.

From left to right, back row: Rashawn Moore, Wyle Potter, Luke Ivey, Dalton Robinson, Zach Compton, Trevor Foster, Logan Beach, Joe Caudle, and Lyndon Kays. Front row: Victoria Fishback, Haley Stallings, Megan Wahlquist, Lindsey Padgett, Alyssah Orr, Jorden Stacey, Maegan Holland, and Gabby Washington.

Carolyn Hardin, Opinion Editor

On Thursday May 22nd, seventeen Fair Grove High School students started off towards Jefferson City to compete at this years state track championships. The following day, Friday May 23rd, was the first day of track state. The Fair Grove track team went into preliminaries with the boys 4×100 meter relay, the boys 4×200 meter relay, the girls 4×200 meter relay, and the girls 4×400 meter relay competing. Additionally Trevor Foster (12) and Dalton Robinson (12) along with Jorden Stacey (10)  went into preliminaries competing in individual events.

Following preliminaries, the boys 4×100 meter relay team, run by Lyndon Kays (12), Trevor Foster (12), Logan Beach (12)  and Rashawn Moore (11)  placed 5th advancing to state finals with a time of 44.49 seconds, while also setting the school record for this event. The boys 4×200 meter relay team, also run by  Kays, Beach, Foster and Moore placed 6th advancing to state finals with a personal record time of 1:32.86.

Although, Trevor Foster placed 9th in long jump during preliminaries he did not advance to finals the next day, Foster now holds the school record for long jump with 22 feet 6 inches. Foster described his experience at state track as being bittersweet.

“I would’ve liked to have done better, but I’m so happy that we placed.” As for Foster’s long jumping he said that he wishes it would have gone better, but he’s happy that he broke the record and was able to go to state. Dalton Robinson (12) also competed at state in his individual event of discus. Robinson’s throw of 143 feet and 9 inches earned him 5th place at this years track state championships. For Robinson, competing at state this year was definitely nerve wracking, especially with having to compete with Missouri’s best Class 2 throwers.

“It was awesome being able to compete with all of my friends and having succeeded together,” Robinson shared about his last track meet experience.

However, the girls 4×200 did not advance to finals the next day. Megan Wahlquist (12), Lindsey Padgett (12), Maegan Holland (9)  and Dani Thompson (9) set a personal record with a time of 1:51.69. The girls 4×400 meter relay team, also, set a personal record as well with a time of 4:20.78, which included Padgett, Alyssah Orr (12), Wahlquist and Holland. As for Jorden Stacey’s (10) event in pole vaulting, she did not break into finals but she was able to set a personal best vault of 9 feet.

On the final day of track state, Saturday May 24th, the boys 4×100 and 4×200 meter relays competed in finals following preliminaries the previous day. Their 4×100 meter relay, ran by Beach, Foster, Kays, and Moore earned their medals at state placing 8th overall with a time of 45.79 seconds. Additionally, the boys 4×200 meter relay, also ran by Beach, Foster, Kays, and Moore earned their medals at state placing 7th overall with a time of 1:34.21. All in all, this years track state team turned out to be a great turnout for the Fair Grove Eagles, by earning medals, breaking school records, and setting personal bests.