Manhattan High track and field delivered dominance on its home track Friday, sweeping both team titles at its invitational at Bishop Stadium.<\/p>\n
The Indians\u2019 girls ran away with the meet, scoring 247 points, while the boys followed with 209.5 in another decisive victory.<\/p>\n
Competing in familiar conditions, Manhattan showed its depth across event groups to separate from the field early.<\/p>\n
Record breaker<\/p>\n
Manhattan\u2019s girls were led by another record-setting performance from junior Gabby Converse, who won the 800 meters in 2:13.88 to break a 48-year-old school record.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been coaching here for 19 years, so to see that record go off the board is awesome,\u201d head coach Kory Cool said. \u201cI\u2019m super proud of her for that. She wanted the pressure, she wanted the announcements, she wanted the crowd, so she knew even maybe on not her best day, and she did it by herself.<\/p>\n
Converse, who also anchored Manhattan\u2019s distance group throughout the meet, said the moment was one she won\u2019t forget.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was very happy. I saw the time and was like, \u2018Yes, let\u2019s go.\u2019 I could hear all my teammates cheering, and it was such a good feeling,\u201d Converse said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I could have done that without them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard going out there alone, but hearing them means a lot. Just having them there and knowing they\u2019re supporting me \u2014 it\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
The junior credited her strong cross country season for helping carry momentum into the spring.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a very good cross country season, so I think that kind of boosted me,\u201d Converse said. \u201cI\u2019m excited to see how the rest of the season goes and how far I can go. I\u2019m just going to keep working.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her confidence showed before the race even began.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis entire week, I had my mind set that this was going to be the day,\u201d she said. \u201cI think I was just ready. I wasn\u2019t nervous; I was just like, \u2018Let\u2019s go out there and do this.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Converse was part of a distance group that continued to set the tone for Manhattan, with Isla Spreer winning both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters and Zara Koehn, Valeria Villoria and Alli Knopp adding depth behind her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re doing things right,\u201d Cool said. \u201cThey don\u2019t miss anything. Times and winning are great, but it\u2019s the way they carry themselves day to day \u2014 that\u2019s what you\u2019re seeing here. This is what they do every day, all day, and I\u2019m just super proud.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sophomore sprinter<\/p>\n
The Indians also found success in the sprints, led by sophomore Michelle Jeje, who won the 200 meters with a personal best at 25.48 and placed second in the 100.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe could have had an excuse after the 100. Maybe have a negative mindset. She didn\u2019t,\u201d Cool said. \u201cShe practiced positive self-talk and stayed confident in her abilities, and she came back in the 200. She went out hard coming off the curve, built a big lead and held on for a great finish. I\u2019m just super proud of her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeje said she wasn\u2019t expecting a breakthrough performance, but welcomed it when it came.<\/p>\n
\u201cComing into this meet, I was just trying to build off last week, so I wasn\u2019t expecting to PR at all today, but that was a pleasant surprise,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The sophomore\u2019s growth has been shaped by the program\u2019s recent sprint standouts in now-collegiate athletes Harli Omli and Hanna Pellant.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing around elite athletes makes you better,\u201d Cool said. \u201cJust watching how they do things \u2014 the routines they get into, how they act, behave and focus \u2014 is huge for her. I hope Michelle carries that on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jeje echoed that mindset.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe work you put in is the work you get out,\u201d she said. \u201cIn practice, I try my best, and I pray that it\u2019ll come back when I go to meets.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also pointed to the support system around her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love my teammates. I love this team, and knowing they support me \u2014 whether I win or lose \u2014 is a wonderful feeling,\u201d Jeje said. \u201cI\u2019m always grateful for them being there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking ahead, her goals are clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cMake it to state and do something big at state,\u201d she said. \u201cLast year, I wasn\u2019t in the best mental state, so now I\u2019m just staying ready for whatever happens and knowing I can depend on my team.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the field events, sisters starred as Jorryn Hall led the way with wins in the shot put and javelin, while Joss Hall added a runner-up finish in the shot. The Peabody sisters contributed in the high jump, as Alexis took first and Sophia placed third.<\/p>\n
Mortensen moves<\/p>\n
On the boys\u2019 side, Manhattan\u2019s sprint group helped set the tone early, led by junior Joseph Mortensen winning the 100 meters in a personal-best 10.81.<\/p>\n
Leo Kane added a win in the 200 and Damien Gonzales contributed key points across both events. The quartet of Caleb Brumbaugh, Kane, Gonzales and Mortensen also claimed the 4×100 relay.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is very fast,\u201d Cool said of Mortensen. \u201cThe 4×100 was awesome \u2014 that was great competition. They\u2019re flying, they\u2019ve got it going on, and I\u2019m really excited to see how much faster they can get as a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mortensen said competing at home provided an added boost.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt always makes you feel some type of way, because you run on this track every day,\u201d he said. \u201cIt makes you feel comfortable and nice, and it makes you feel like you can run faster.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also relied on a competitive mindset throughout the meet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt nice. Some of the races I felt like I could\u2019ve done better in, but I got to a mindset where I didn\u2019t want to lose,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Mortensen has also stayed consistent in his preparation, continuing to train throughout the football offseason after a standout fall on both sides of the ball as the Indians won the 6A state title.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was nice,\u201d he said of anchoring the relay. \u201cWe PR\u2019d pretty well, and the feeling of hawking somebody down is always nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Indians also got strong performances in the distance events from Wilson Wesch, who won the 800, and Jaxon Wheeler, who claimed the 3200, while Kyler Grogg added a third-place finish.<\/p>\n
Senior standouts<\/p>\n
In the field, senior Evan Middleton continued his strong season in the throws, winning the shot put at 54-5.5, while fellow seniors Brady Durtschi and Derrick Amos went 1-2 in the triple jump. Junior Caleb Brumbaugh added a win in the long jump.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust great leadership,\u201d Cool said of his senior group. \u201cThey know what this team\u2019s about. They know the expectations, and I want them to keep those expectations high for the kids underneath them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Middleton continues to provide leadership in the field events while preparing for his next step at Northwest Missouri State.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been pretty great,\u201d Middleton said of his senior season. \u201cThis is good for football and what comes in the future, but it\u2019s also been great getting to know my team more. There are a lot of younger people on the team, so it\u2019s nice to be able to give them that last stepping stone before I leave.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTrying to win state,\u201d he added on his goals. \u201cObviously, I have to make it there first, and then hopefully just keep PR\u2019ing each week and see where I can go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Middleton, the home performance was one of the last times he\u2019ll take the field at Bishop Stadium, which he described as, \u201ckind of surreal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manhattan will now shift its focus toward the postseason as the schedule progresses, with a meet at Lawrence Free State on Friday. .<\/p>\n
\u201c(We want to) maximize potential as they continue to come out here and work hard and do well, this is not the goal \u2014 winning this meet is not the goal,\u201d Cool said. \u201cOur postseason starts in 29 days with league. We want to win league again \u2014 girls, seven straight; boys, six straight \u2014 and build from there. Get as many through to state as we can and place as high as we can. We want to maximize potential and peak at the right time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manhattan results<\/p>\n
Girls<\/p>\n
100 \u2014 1. Gill 12.44; 2. Jeje 12.46; 4. Oberreuter 12.79; 5. Jackson 13.24<\/p>\n
200 \u2014 1. Jeje 25.48; 2. Oberreuter 25.89; 5. Gill 26.76<\/p>\n
400 \u2014 1. Perry 1:00.77; 3. McKinley 1:03.06; 5. Billinger 1:05.96; 7. Hanschu 1:06.49; 8. Blanck 1:07.12<\/p>\n
800 \u2014 1. Converse 2:13.88; 2. Knopp 2:27.04; 5. Tindall 2:30.46; 6. Stitt 2:31.86<\/p>\n
1600 \u2014 1. Spreer 5:22.10; 2. Koehn 5:25.23; 5. Knopp 5:29.46; 10. Keeley 6:13.60<\/p>\n
3200 \u2014 1. Spreer 11:45.26; 3. Villoria 12:27.73; 4. Koehn 12:39.31; 6. Gurgel 12:43.39<\/p>\n
100 hurdles \u2014 7. Selby 20.22<\/p>\n
High jump \u2014 1. A. Peabody 5-4; 3. S. Peabody 5-4; 8. Robinson 4-8<\/p>\n
Long jump \u2014 4. A. Peabody 16-4.5; 7. Minnich 15-4<\/p>\n
Triple jump \u2014 4. Porter 34-6.25; 5. Robinson 34-0; 7. Ingram 33-2.25<\/p>\n
Pole vault \u2014 3. Cramer 9-0; 4. Gish 8-6; 8. Brown 6-6<\/p>\n
Discus \u2014 3. Jor. Hall 116-2; 4. Uher 112-0; 8. Joss Hall 90-4<\/p>\n
Javelin \u2014 1. Jor. Hall 120-2; 2. Curtis 107-11; 3. Clark 99-5<\/p>\n
Shot put \u2014 1. Jor. Hall 41-9; 2. Joss Hall 33-11; 3. Tuna 33-2.5; 7. Branch 31-1.25<\/p>\n
4×100 relay \u2014 1. Gill, Oberreuter, Hanschu, Jeje 49.62<\/p>\n
4×400 relay \u2014 1. Converse, Perry, Knopp, Tindall 4:14.55<\/p>\n
4×800 relay \u2014 1. Perry, Stitt, Villoria, Billinger 10:26.30<\/p>\n
Boys<\/p>\n
100 \u2014 1. Mortensen 10.81; 2. Gonzales 10.90; 3. Kane 10.94; 6. Jebril 11.02<\/p>\n
200 \u2014 1. Kane 21.93; 2. Gonzales 22.03; 5. Fogle 22.76; 7. Schmidt 23.20<\/p>\n
400 \u2014 3. Jebril 52.93; 6. Brighton 54.10<\/p>\n
800 \u2014 1. Wesch 1:57.14; 6. B. Huser 2:07.88<\/p>\n
1600 \u2014 5. Richards 4:40.05<\/p>\n
3200 \u2014 1. Wheeler 9:55.91; 3. Grogg 10:25.76; 6. Herzog 11:00.39<\/p>\n
110 hurdles \u2014 2. O\u2019Donnell 16.84; 5. Saucier 18.69<\/p>\n
300 hurdles \u2014 3. Saucier 43.50; 5. O\u2019Donnell 45.39<\/p>\n
High jump \u2014 2. Herzog 6-2; 6. Strawn 5-10; 7. Amos 5-10<\/p>\n
Long jump \u2014 1. Brumbaugh 22-4; 6. Herzog 19-6<\/p>\n
Triple jump \u2014 1. Durtschi 45-2; 2. Amos 44-10.5; 3. Herzog 41-6.25<\/p>\n
Pole vault \u2014 1. Strawn 12-6; 5. Miller 10-6; 8. McGee 9-6<\/p>\n
Discus \u2014 3. Middleton 148-5<\/p>\n
Javelin \u2014 2. Kruse 159-3<\/p>\n
Shot put \u2014 1. Middleton 54-5.5; 5. Staley 44-6<\/p>\n
4×100 relay \u2014 1. Brumbaugh, Kane, Gonzales, Mortensen 42.67<\/p>\n
4×400 relay \u2014 2. Brighton, Wesch, Robinson, Kane 3:34.65<\/p>\n
4×800 relay \u2014 1. B. Huser, P. Huser, Overturf, Wheeler 8:48.32<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Manhattan High track and field delivered dominance on its home track Friday, sweeping both team titles at its…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":201405,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[32555,73238,67415,67414,26041,26039,75,84,83,9,24,63,73241,67413,168,32553,67412,71216,319,73240,73242,14269],"class_list":{"0":"post-201404","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-manhattan","8":"tag-athletic-sports","9":"tag-athletics-at-the-summer-olympics","10":"tag-disciplines-in-the-sport-of-athletics","11":"tag-events-in-track-and-field","12":"tag-games-of-physical-skill","13":"tag-individual-sports","14":"tag-manhattan","15":"tag-manhattan-headlines","16":"tag-manhattan-news","17":"tag-new-york","18":"tag-new-york-city","19":"tag-nyc","20":"tag-olympic-sports","21":"tag-physical-exercise","22":"tag-running","23":"tag-solo-activities","24":"tag-sport-of-athletics","25":"tag-sport-of-athletics-competitions","26":"tag-sports","27":"tag-summer-olympic-games","28":"tag-summer-olympic-sports","29":"tag-track-and-field"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=201404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/201404\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201405"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=201404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=201404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=201404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}