By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com
SPRINGTOWN (April 19, 2017) — Stephenville has 18 athletes headed to the Region I-4A Track & Field Meet.
Ten qualified in the field events and the 3,200 meter run (Complete coverage here) – five boys and five girls – before eight more punched their tickets during the main running session in the evening hours at Porcupine Stadium Wednesday. The regional meet at Lowery Field in Lubbock is next Friday and Saturday, April 28-29.
Sprinters highlighted Stephenville’s showing on the track with seniors Kylee Ponder and Rett Dittfurth each placing second in the 100 meter dash. Ponder was second by a stride ahead of third, while Dittfurth had an even tougher challenge, leaning in at the last instant to hold off a bevy of challengers alongside him for his silver medal.
“I’ve never been (to regionals) before. I got a real good start in the 100 and it just feels good to get my (personal record) at area,” said Ditfurth. “I had to lean hard at the end because it was such a close race.”
While Dittfurth makes his regional meet debut, Ponder will be there a fourth time.
“This will be my fourth time to make it, and it’s fun to do it with my teammates and also to do it in the 100 with Rett, another senior,” said Ponder. “This was very nerve-wrecking, probably the most nervous I’ve ever been. It’s a lot of pressure trying to be the senior leader for my younger teammates, but it’s been great watching them grow and knowing they support me.
Both seniors also advanced in relay events, with Ponder anchoring the girls 4×100 meter squad to fourth-place finish before Dittfurth ran down two teams on the anchor leg to lift the boys to the same place. Other runners in the girls race for Stephenville were Bailey McBee, Amber Walker and Hailey Martin. Joining Dittfurth for the boys were Krece Nowak, Cole Pettit and Pacen Parker.
The Honeybees also advanced in the 4×200 relay, placing third with Ponder again on the anchor leg and running with McBee, Martin and Kristen Pettit.
The hurdles remain kind to the Honeybees as McBee won bronze for finishing third in the 100s and Payton Wall earned a fourth-place finish and the final regional berth in the 300s. Kristen Pettit was close to advancing in both races, but placed fifth each time.
Lane Rust of the Jackets qualified by placing second in the 3,200 meter run to begin the day, and added a berth in the 1,600 to end it. Emily Kirbo claimed the last regional spot for the Stephenville girls with a fourth-place finish in the 1,600.
Savannah Ivey just missed qualifying in the 800 meter run, placing fifth.
Honeybee regional qualifiers:
Kylee Ponder – 100, 4×100, 4×200
Hailey Martin – TJ, 4×100, 4×200
Bailey McBee – 100 hurdles, 4×100, 4×200
Payton Wall – 300 hurdles
Emily Kirbo – 1,600
Amber Walker – 4×100
Kristen Pettit – 4×200
Nadine Arredondo – Disc, SP
Vicki Dahl – Disc, SP
Alyssa Northcutt – Disc
Jordan Carter – HJ
Yellow Jacket regional qualifiers:
Rett Dittfurth – 100, 4×100
Krece Nowak – TJ, 4×100
Cole Pettit – 4×100
Kyle Lindsey – 4×100
Lane Rust – 1,600, 3,200
Blake Aragon – HJ
Gage Graham – TJ
Zane Walker – Disc
Results of Stephenville athletes:
GIRLS
100 meter dash
2. Kylee Ponder, 12.36
7. Chloe Goodman, 12.81
400 meter dash
7. Amber Walker, 1:04.32
800 meter run
5. Savannah Ivey, 2:30.70
1,600 meter run
4. Emily Kirbo, 5:44.95
100 meter hurdles
3. Bailey McBee, 15.56
5. Kristen Pettit, 16.65
300 hurdles
4. Payton Wall, 47.49
5. Kristen Pettit, 47.54
4×100 meter relay
4. Stephenville (Amber Walker, Hailey Martin, Bailey McBee, Kylee Ponder), 50.29op
4×200 meter relay
3. Stephenville (Kristen Pettit, Bailey McBee, Hailey Martin, Kylee Ponder), 1:46.59
4×400 meter relay
6. Stephenville (Amber Walker, Chloe Goodman, Kassidy Nowak, Payton Wall), 4:17.59
Shot put
3. Nadine Arredondo, 38-01.5
4. Vicki Dahl, 36-01.25
Discus
1. Nadine Arredondo, 129-04
2. Vicki Dahl, 125-05
4. Alyssa Northcutt, 109-10
High jump
2. Jordan Carter, 5-02
Long jump
5. Hailey Martin, 16-08.75
Triple jump
2. Hailey Martin, 35-07.5
BOYS:
100 meter dash
2. Rett Dittfurth, 11.10
200 meter dash
6. Krece Nowak, Stephenville, 22.96
1,600 meter run
2. Lane Rust, 4:47.13
3,200 meter run
2. Lane Rust, 10:45.35
4×100 meter relay
4. Stephenville (Krece Nowak, Kyle Lindsey, Cole Pettit, Rett Dittfurth), 43.50
4×200 meter relay
6. Stephenville (Kyle Lindsey, Krece Nowak, Cole Pettit, Rett Dittfurth), 1:33.05
4×400 meter relay
5. Kyle Lindsey, Cassidy Smith, Gage Graham, Cole Pettit, 3:31.00
Shot put
5. Ragan Wood, 43-01.25
Discus
4. Zane Walker, 130-11
High jump
1. Blake Aragon, 6-04
Pole vault
6. Mark Smith, 10-06
Long jump
5. Krece Nowak, 21-01.5
Triple jump
3. Gage Graham, 42-07
4. Krece Nowak, 42-01
Photos by DR. CHET MARTIN
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