Jackson Goodale finished first in the opening heat of the 4x400 relay, but it didn’t alter the team’s dissatisfaction with the 4x100 mishap.
An obvious look of complete disappointment was on the face of Platte County senior Jackson Goodale as he crossed the finish line in the 4x400 boys relay on May 30 at the Class 5 State Track and Field Championships.
Despite finishing first in the relay’s opening heat, Goodale was clearly still lingering on the disappointment earlier in the afternoon, when he did not get the opportunity to anchor the 4x100 relay. While Platte County entered the state meet as the favorites to win the 4x100, a dropped baton in lane four harshly concluded those hopes for Goodale, Adam Gisler, Ty Christopher and Adeboye Akande.
The senior quartet had expectations of winning the 4x100 for the first time in school history, running with the top-seeded time of 40.86 seconds. Ultimately, Platte County’s mid-race mistake in the second heat gave No. 3-seeded Jackson the opportunity in lane five to run for the state title with a team record time of 41.18 — a time the Pirates had beaten in four of their previous five races this season.
Ty Christopher completes a clean baton handoff to Elijah Jackson after the opening leg of the 4x400 relay.
In response to the devastation, Goodale and Christopher busted through the 4x400 relay later in the afternoon to earn a sixth-place medal. As two of the four returning members of last year’s state championship quartet in the 4x400, they finish their careers with three state medals in the event.
Seeded No. 11 in the 4x400, Christopher came off the blocks hot as Platte County led the heat from start to finish, with senior Elijah Jackson and sophomore Cassius Guillory keeping the pace up in the middle two legs before Goodale finished it strong to earn a new team record of 3:18.95. After watching the second heat, Platte County’s 4x400 relay remained among the top eight to finish its season on a high with a state medal.
Christopher opened Platte County’s state meet with an eighth-place medal in the 100-yard dash in 10.78 seconds, finishing two-tenths of a second out of sixth place. Gisler also competed in the 100, finishing in 10.84 for an 11th overall finish, the same place Christopher finished in the 200 with a time of 21.76.
Cale Buntz concluded his high school career as a state runner-up in javelin with a throw of 57.06.
Platte County’s greatest standout performer was senior Cale Buntz, who finished as the state runner-up in the javelin. Buntz became a two-time state medalist after finishing fifth last year.
Buntz, who competed in the second heat, laid down an early marker with a toss of 55.32 meters to announce his arrival. After third-round tosses from competitors pulled him down to third place, he saved his best for last with a fourth-round launch of 57.06, settling for second place behind Fox’s Gavin Pecoraro.
Breakout freshman Jayden Horn made his state debut on May 29 in shot put for Platte County, finishing 14th when the event was completed on May 30. Horn’s top throw came on his second attempt, when he tossed the shot put 14.75 meters.
Platte County sent a light contingent from its girls squad to compete at the state meet, where hurdlers Adi Benninghoff and Maggie Wagner narrowly missed out on medals.
Adi Benninghoff just missed the medal stand in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing ninth overall.
Benninghoff concluded her career as a Pirate with a ninth-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing the second heat in 15.24, just two-tenths of a second from a state medal. Wagner hit the track later in the afternoon for the 300-meter hurdles, finishing third in the first heat with a time of 46.49, which eventually placed her ninth overall.
Pole vaulter Adilynn Kern concluded her junior campaign with a state appearance split between two days. She started it by clearing up to 3.15 meters, but was unable to clear 3.30 to place 15th overall.