Track season may have been best in area history

By Yourwellness Last updated Jul 30, 2014 12

It was a season to remember.

Despite an unseasonable and windy spring season, this goes down as the greatest track and field campaign in area high school history.

Team-wise, Blue Springs rolled to the Class 4 state boys title with 83 points, or 39 better than second-place Lafayette-Wildwood. Lee’s Summit West placed second and Lee’s Summit North fifth in Class 4 girls.

Individually, 16 new entries were recorded on The Examiner’s All-Time Area Honor Rolls, including three all-time firsts.

With the help of Lee’s Summit West girls coach Jesse Griffin, these are the events and placement of the boys changes:

• 1,600 meters: 3. Stephen Mugeche, Blue Springs, 4:12.87.

• 3,200: 2. Mugeche, 8:58.87.

• High jump: 4 (tie). Jalen Ford, Lee’s Summit North, 6 feet, 11 inches.

• Shot put: 3. Avery Carter, Lee’s Summit North, 60-4 1/2.

• Discus: 1. Carlos Davis, Blue Springs, 212-5 (that is also an all-time state record); 3. Khalil Davis, Blue Springs, 198-5.

Switching to the girls:

• 400 meters: 2. Jamie Newsome, Lee’s Summit West, 56.11

• 400 relay: 5. Raytown South, 48.15.

• 800 relay: 4. Lee’s Summit North, 1:41.17.

• 1,600 relay: 1. Lee’s Summit West, 3:53.18; 2. Lee’s Summit North, 3:4.14.

• 3,200 relay: 1. Lee’s Summit West, 9:12.31.

• Shot put: 5. Asia Cole, Fort Osage, 45-5 1/2 (she also stands second and fourth in the event on the all-time list).

• Triple jump: 3. Lexi Hart, Truman, 39-3; 5. Newsome, 39-0.

• Pole vault: 2 (tie). Nicole Kallenberger, Lee’s Summit West, 12-0.

William Chrisman senior Chrisha Riley missed by an inch, at 5 feet, 8 inches, of moving into a six-way tie for third in the high jump.

At the time of the performance, Carlos Davis’ discus throw of 212-5 rated No. 1 in the United States this year and was the 19th-best in U.S. history. Ford’s 6-11 high jump was 14th-best in the country and the 198-5 discus throw by Khalil Davis was fifth-best this year.

“Our area has really done well on the national level, and there are so many changes in the top five all-time list that it is a great year for Eastern Jackson County,” Griffin said.

Blue Springs could be favored to repeat its state title next season. The Wildcats return, among others, Mugeche, both Davis twins in the shot put and discus, pole vaulter Kai Miller, sprinters Taysean Goodwin and Tamarick Quinney and triple jumper Jacob Peister.