Five HHS girls advance to state track meet in eight events

When the Class 1-3 State Championships track and field meet takes place this Friday and Saturday (May 22-23) in Jefferson City, there will be five girls from Houston High School competing in eight events.

That’s because the Lady Tigers continued what has been a historic season by producing numerous fine results at the Class 3 Sectional 3 meet last Saturday at Buffalo.

The sectionals meet featured the top-4 finishers in each event from the District 5 and District 6 championships meets, and the top-4 finishers in each event advanced to state.

Two Lady Tigers qualified for state in multiple events, and three school records were set in the process. Junior Adyson Dailing advanced with a runner-up finish in the 300-meter hurdles, a third-place in the 100-meter dash and a fourth in the 200 (in school record time), while freshman Lyla Huffman took second in the 800-meter run and third in the 1,600 (in school record time).

Dailing’s qualification in three events is the most in at least 40 years, according to 8^th-year head coach Mike Tottinghham.

“I have only had one other athlete take more than one event to state in the same season so Lyla and Ady both did something pretty special,” Tottingham said. 

Also qualifying for state were senior Kayla Wagner with a runner-up run in the 400-meter dash (in school record time), junior Hally Scheets with a fourth-place leap in high jump and senior Kynlee Weaver with a fourth-place throw in javelin.

The HHS girls had seven different athletes competing at the sectionals meet in 11 events, including sophomore Jessyn Allen in the 3,200-meter run, freshman Millie Manier in pole vault and Dailing in the 100-meter hurdles.

“The girls have done a great job of performing to their abilities all season, so I was confident that they would rise to the challenge at sectionals,” Tottingham said. “However, if I am being 100% truthful, I would not have guessed that it would go this well. The top-4 advance in each event and we were seeded fourth or better in seven events. Hally was actually able to outperform the district seedings to advance in high jump.

“It is a testament to all of these athletes that they were able to meet or exceed all expectations when the stakes were literally win or go home. It has been a lot of fun being around these girls this season and I am glad that I get to be their coach for one more week!” 

In boys competition, HHS junior Kane Crawford placed seventh in the 400-meter dash and the Tigers’ 4X800-meter relay team finished eighth (the foursome included senior Jack Sawyer, sophomore Christopher Meier II, Crawford and junior Dillon Shelton).

HHS results

Girls

• 100-meter dash: Adyson Dailing, 3^rd, 12.86*
• 200-meter dash: Adyson Dailing, 4^th, 26.00*
• 400-meter dash: Kayla Wagner, 2^nd, 59.54*
• 800-meter run: Lyla Huffman, 2^nd, 2:27.88*
• 1,600-meter run: Lyla Huffman, 3^rd, 5:24.95*
• 3,200-meter run: Jessyn Allen, 7^th, 13:49.33
• 100-meter hurdles: Adyson Dailing, 7^th, 17.29
• 300-meter hurdles: Adyson Dailing, 2^nd, 47.05*
• Javelin: Kynlee Weaver, 4^th, 115’4”*
• High jump: Hally Scheets, 4^th, 5’0.25”*
• Pole Vault: Millie Manier, T7, NH

Boys

• 400-meter dash, Kane Crawford, 7th, 53.67
• 4X800 relay: Houston, 8^th (Sawyer, Meier II, Crawford, Shelton)

*Qualified for state meet

The state championships will once again be contested at Jefferson City High School’s Adkins Stadium.