Perhaps the only drawback to the Goessel High School boys’ track team’s second-place tie Saturday in Class 1A competition at the state track and field championships at Cessna Stadium was co-runner up South Gray’s unwillingness to allow the Bluebirds to be photographed with the second-place trophy.
Cunningham won the title with 64 points, followed by Goessel and South Gray with 35 each. Chase was fourth with 26 points, followed by Fowler at 24.
Burrton finished 39th with 3.5 points.
In the girls’ competition, South Barber won with 59 points, followed by Minneola with 37. Quivira Heights and Greensburg tied for third with 32 points. Pike Valley was fifth with 29 points. The Burrton girls tied for 43rd with two points.
If its any consolation for the Bluebird faithful, the Kansas State High School Activities Association traditionally mails a trophy to one of the schools in case of a tie.
It’s the second straight year Goessel took second, claiming two individual titles, a relay title and a third-place medal.
“It’s been wonderful,” Goessel coach Curtis Guhr said. “We had a great year. We brought six guys with us. To finish in the top two in the state. Craig (Banman) got three firsts and a third, so he really carried us.”
The team of John Berkholz, Grady Stultz, Weston Hiebert and Banman won the 4x400-meter relay in 3:29.09, which vaulted the Bluebirds into a tie for second.
Banman won the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 40.34 and the 200-meter dash in 23.06.
Banman opened the day with a tie for third in the pole vault at 13-6.
“(The 300 hurdles) didn’t feel fast, but it was good enough to win,” Banman said. “I was happy with it. The 200 was the same thing. I didn’t run my best time, but I won it. My times were pretty good.”
Banman’s height in the pole vault was a season best. He was close on his second try at 14-0. He broke the crossbar on his final try.
“It felt good to go that high,” Banman said. “That’s the best I’ve vaulted all year. It’s a good place to do that. I got fourth in that last year. I got second in the 4x1 last year and third in the 4x4. This was a good year. Next year, I just need to try and get better — get faster times.”
“We lose one senior — Grady Stultz,” Guhr said. “He ran the second leg of the 4x4. We’ve got some good kids coming up. We’ll hopefully bring the rest of these guys back. We have a guy in the 100 and a guy in the 400 who almost made it to the finals. We look forward to competing for this next year.”
