Gallatin R-5 sophomore Donovan Stout saved his best effort of the season for Saturday’s Class 2 sectional track and field event at Richmond High School, and it paid off with a qualifying spot in this weekend’s state meet.
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]
Stout cut nearly two-and-a-half seconds off his previous best time in the 800-meter run and finished first in Saturday’s race to earn a berth in this weekend’s MSHSAA Track and Field Championships held at Lincoln University in Jefferson City. His time of 2:03.71 beat runnerup Conor Krause of Knob Noster by over two seconds.
Stout, whose time was also eight seconds better than his efforts early in the 2010 season, had to weather some controversy at the end of the race. West Platte runner Will Wilson tripped and stumbled during the race and Stout was at first disqualified by the games committee, which ruled he had tried to make an inside pass and initiated contact with Wilson.
GHS boys track coach Jeff White later received a phone call from a member of the games committee telling him that the decision to disqualify Stout was wrong and had been overturned.
On another day of tough weather conditions for field event athletes, GHS senior Colton Selby placed seventh in the long jump with a leap of 18’1/2". After qualifying at the district meet, classmate Tyler Brackett did not participate in the long jump due to a bad hamstring.
Stout’s race at state will take place at 4:50 p.m. on Friday, and will be run as a final, with one section of 16 runners.
Area HDC Conference athletes ran into tough competition Saturday in the Class 1 sectional held at Albany High School.
Winston’s Lady Redbird 4×100-meter relay team of Courtney Riggs, Chandler Newman, Emily McFee and Amber Mullen finished fourth in 55.60 to earn a berth in this weekend’s Class 1 state meet. Their preliminary will run at 2:55 p.m. on Friday. The final will run at 1:55 on Saturday. Stephanie Giguere and Baylea Martin are alternates.
Mullen’s effort in the 100-meter hurdles fell short with a fifth place finish, just .12 seconds off the state qualifying time.
Winston’s Jordan Davis failed to qualify in both the 1600- and 3200-meter runs. Gilman City’s Saige Johnson failed to qualify in the 100-meter dash after a seventh place finish. Pattonsburg’s Sarah Emerson was shut out of the high jump with an eighth place finish.