One of the goals for Northwest girls track and field team every year is to win the Dave Gee Invite at Northwest High School.
The Vikings accomplished that goal Thursday in winning five events with 12 other medalists to help them win the meet with 112 points, just 10 ahead of second-place Waverly.
Aizlynn Krafka, who won three events, said that’s always one of the goal.
“That’s just so exciting because it’s not just one of us, it’s a team effort,” she said. “I’m happy to share that success with the team.”
Krafka and Ray powered the Vikings with the five wins. The two went 1-2 in the pole vault with both going 11-3, which were both personal bests, in the event, but Krafka was declared the winner for having less misses in the event.
Krafka won the 100 hurdles with a Class B state best 14.49 and the 300 hurdles at 47.93.
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There was mixed emotions for Krafka in the 100 hurdles as it would be a Class B state record if wind wasn’t a factor in the race but the time was something she said was proud of.
“I was so excited. It’s something I’ve been working towards,” Krafka said. “I’m just happy that I was able to get another PR in that race. Hopefully I can get it down again and it can become a state record.”
Northwest coach Brandon Harrington said he was impressed with Krafka in not only the 100 hurdles but in her other events.
“That would have been a state record if it wasn’t wind aided,” Harrington said. “She just keeps getting better and better in not only that event but her other events as well. She runs a great 300 hurdles and vaulted very well today.”
Ray’s day was just as impressive. She set personal records in taking both the long jump at 17-8 1/2 and the 100 at 12.38.
“That’s three weeks in a row she has set a personal best in the long jump and she hasn’t even done for that long,” Harrington said. “Just like Aizlynn, Kyra just keeps improving in everything she does. She had a big day for us as well.”
Harrington said he was proud of how the girls competed overall in a stacked meet that featured 15 schools.
“We want it that way. We want to bring the schools that wanted to be here and that’s what makes it fun for everybody,” Harrington said. “What can you say overall about the girls, they just keep getting better and better. We have a lot of girls on our team that are working hard and competing well in every meet and it’s showing.”
The Viking boys did not win any events but finished second in four events, which helped them finish third with 69.5 points with 11 medalists. Chris Medlock was second in the 400 at 51.38, while Chase Weigert was second in the long jump at 21-10, while the two joined Owen Wiese and Dawson Urbanski on the 400 relay at 43.89 and Zane Harb and Alex Portillo on the 1,600 relay at 3:26.74.
Harrington said it was a good day for the boys. He said he was also impressed with what freshman Ethan Smith did in the 1,600. He was ahead of Omaha Skutt Catholic’s Tommy Rice, the Class B state record holder, on the final lap. But Rice took off to win the race at 4:26.53, while Waverly’s Jared Schoreder was second at 4:27.10. Smith finished third at 4:33.39.
“That was a breakout performance in a great field,” Harrington said. “He’s been training the right way and is figuring out how to run that race.
“We’ve got so many kids like Chase and Alex (third in the 300 hurdles at 41.88) who have been workhorses for us. We had a ton of kids get personal bests today.”
Grand Island Central Catholic girls had one winner with five medalists. Maddie Schneider captured the discus with a personal-best 131-10. The boys had only one medalist in Graham Stava, who finished fifth in the 400 at 53.12.
Dave Gee Invite
Boys
Team Standings
Waverly 110, Omaha Skutt 88, Northwest 69.5, Cozad 66.5, Broken Bow 52, Boone Central 46.5, Aurora 44, Milford 37.5, Minden 36, Holdrege 35.5, Central City 33, O’Neill 24.5, Sandy Creek 8, Adams Central 7, Grand Island CC 4.
Individual results
Shot put — 1, Denson, BB, 52-1; 2, Witcofski, OSC, 52-11 1/2; 3, Patzel, BC, 50-7.
Discus — 1, Shoemaker, COZ, 16-3; 2, Englund, HOL, 159-5; 3, Lutkemeier, HOL, 156-8.
Long jump — 1, Juzyk, AUR, 21-10 3/4; 2, Wiegert, NW, 21-10; 3, Hoffmaster, COZ, 21-1 1/4.
Triple jump — 1, Juzyk, AUR, 44-6 1/2; 2, Ryan, CC, 44-0; 3, Coble, BB, 41-10 3/4.
High jump — Lipker, BC, 6-6; 2, Ramaekers, AUR, 6-5; 3 Brooks-Follmer, COZ, 5-11.
Pole Vault — 1, Irish, COZ, 13-9; 2, Wardyn, BB, 13-3; 3, Moore, HOL, 13-3.
100 — 1, Safranek, BB, 10.80; 2, Smith, WAV, 10.92; 3, Heithoff, OSC, 11.06.
200 — 1, Smith, WAV, 21.91; 2, A. Smith, WAV, 22.33; 3, Wiegert, NW, 22.37.
400 — 1, Smith, WAV, 48.71; 2, Medlock, NW, 51.38; 3, Oglesby, SC, 51.59.
800 — 1, Wade, OSC, 1:58.93; 2, Moser, WAV, 1:59.71; 3, Evans, AUR, 2:01.09.
1,600 — 1, Rice, OSC, 4:26.53; 2, Schroeder, WAV, 4:27.10; 3, Smith, NW, 4:33.39.
3,200 — 1, Rice, OSC, 9:59.53; 2, Wolfe, OSC, 10:20.60; 3, Cedarburg, MIN, 10:
110 hurdles — 1, Mathes, ON, 15.21; 2, Eckhardt, MIN, 15.53; 3, Roth, MIL, 15.68.
300 hurdles — 1, Roth, MIL, 41.16; 2, Benes, BC, 41.51; 3, Portillo, NW, 41.88.
400 relay — 1, Waverly (Sutter, A. Smith, Rose, B. Smith) 43.43; 2, Northwest 43.89; 3, Central City 44.00
1,600 relay — 1, Waverly (Mayfield, A. Smith, Moser, B. Smith) 3:23.07; 2, Northwest 3:26.74; 3, Skutt 3:32.92.
3,200 relay — 1, Skutt (Steenson, T. Rice, C. Rice, Wade) 8:02.85; 2, Waverly 8:09.33; 3, Northwest 8:27.66.
Girls
Team Standings
Northwest 112, Waverly 102, Omaha Skutt 90, Boone Central 49, Grand Island CC 44, Aurora 40, Holdrege 39, Milford 37, Minden 33, Adams Central 32, Broken Bow 32, Cozad 23, Central City 19, O’Neill 8, Sandy Creek 3.
Individual results
Shot put — 1, Paup, CC, 39-5; 2, Schneider, GICC, 38-0; 3, Mowinkel, MIL, 36-5 1/2.
Discus — 1, Schneider, GICC, 131-10; 2, Cargill, COZ, 130-2; 3, Rooks, HOL, 122-8.
Long jump — 1, Ray, NW, 17-8 1/2; 2, Harms, WAV, 16-7; 3, Fahrnbruch, AUR, 16-7.
Triple jump — 1, Fahrnbruch, AUR, 35-10; 2, Graves, NW, 35-0 1/2; 3, Harms, WAV, 34-8 1/2.
High jump — 1, Land, MIN, 5-3; 2, Spahr, MIL, 5-3; 3, West, OSC, 5-1
Pole Vault — 1. Ai. Krafka, NW, 11-3; 2, Ray, NW, 11-3; 3, Scott, WAV, 11-3.
100 — 1, Ray, NW, 12.38; 2, Baker, COZ, 12.64; 3, McGowan, OSC, 12.66.
200 —1, Depalma, WAV, 25.29; 2, West, OSC, 26.49; 3, Duerksen,BC, 26.57.
400 — 1 Depalma, WAV, 58.73; 2, Chapin, BB, 1:01.13; 3, Finley, OSC, 1:02.56.
800 — 1, Kenning, MILI, 2:18.68; 2, Stutzman, HOL,2:23.23: 3, Berger, OSC, 2:24.53.
1,600 — 1, Kenning, MIL, 5:20.70; 2, Benes, WAV, 5:40.36; 3, Westfall, 5:43.75.
3,200 — 1, Westfall, OSC, 11:53.73; 2, O’Boyle, GICC, 11:55.42; 3, Youell, OSC, 12:23.81.
100 hurdles — 1, Ai. Krafka, NW, 14.49; 2, Emery, MIN, 16.37; 3, Krohn, BC, 16.46.
300 hurdles — 1, Ai. Krafka, NW, 47.93; 2, Johnson, GICC, 49.09; 3, Dowdy, BB, 49;36.
400 relay — 1, Waverly (Hanke, Waldo, Read, Depalma) 50.63; 2, Boone Central 50.76; 3, Skutt 51.48.
1,600 relay — 1, Waverly (Meyers, Harms, Waldo, Depalma) 4:02.22; 32, Skutt 4:10.82; 3, Adams Central 4:15.02.
3,200 relay — 1, Waverly (Waldo, Meyers, Benes, Steffense) 9:55.09; 2, Skutt 10:06.88; 3, Northwest 10:18.57.