KEARNEY, Mo. — Nylo Clarke set another school record and turned in three impressive sprinting performances to lead Park Hill South to third place in the Kearney Invitational on Friday, April 7.
A winner in two individual events, the Panthers top senior first won the 100-meter dash in 10.93 seconds — just 0.14 of a second off his personal best from last year — and then posted a 21.95 in the 200. The win in the 200 set a school record, topping Dario Termini’s time of 21.96 set in 2009.
Termini still holds the school record in the 100 at 10.77.
Park Hill South finished third in both the girls and boys team standings, while Platte County was fourth in both. The meet featured 18 girls teams and 19 boys teams.
On the boys side, Clarke and freshman Chris Dupree helped account for a large portion of Park Hill South’s 100½ points. Dupree won the 400 (49.46 seconds) and he finished second to Clarke in the 200 (22.73), both times setting freshman records.
ROSS MARTIN/Citizen photo
Park Hill South’s Emma Roth, left, hands to Justine Aiello for the anchor leg of the 4x800-meter relay in the Kearney Invitational on Friday, April 7 in Kearney, Mo.
Clarke and Dupree were also on the 4x400 team with Michael Garrison and Ryan Rippy — both seniors — taking second behind Rock Bridge. Platte County’s team of Keegan Cordova, John Watts, TJ Guillory and Mac Leet teamed up for the first time this season and posted a 3:30.41 to finish third.
Platte County picked up big points in the field events with senior Leet again tying his season best in the high jump at 6 feet, 2 inches to win. Watts, back after missing time with a minor knee injury, took the long jump with an effort of 22-1½.
In the pole vault, Platte County went 2-3 with senior Bryce Bearden making it three school records in three meets. He’s set a new mark each time out this year, going over 14-6 on his second try to top the 14-0 vault he hit at Pirate Flight night a week earlier.
Jacob Laures, a sophomore, also bettered his personal best for Platte County. He cleared 13-0 on his first try to better the mark he set at 12-6 at Pirate Flight Night.
Platte County senior Okwar Jale lost a race for the first time this year but still finished second in both hurdle events. Rock Bridge sophomore Martez Manuel took both the 110s and 300s.
Park Hill South’s Grant Hudson came in third in both races.
On the girls side, Park Hill South’s distance runners — even without being at full strength — were dominant. The Panthers’ 4x800 team of Justine Aiello, Jasmine Crawford, Emma Roth and Marti Heit finished in 9:51.80 to win the race by more than 30 seconds over second-place Grain Valley.
Heit also won the 3,200 in 11:55.96 with Platte County junior Erin Straubel third — one spot in front of Park Hill South junior Keely Danielsen.
Platte County junior Rebekah Geddes entered the 800 and came up just about a second short of setting a school record. She already owns marks in the 4x800, 3,200 and 1,600 and just missed laying claim to another title, finishing in 2:17.97 with Park Hill South’s Roth second at 2:22.21.
The only other victory for Platte County came from freshman Isabelle Geddes in the 300 hurdles (47.15). Park Hill South’s runner-up finishes included sophomore Jasmine Case in the high jump (5-0) and freshman DeQuaria Guillory in the 200 (27.56).