By Rich Brown
rbrown@joplinglobe.com
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Kylie Jones was in a hurry to get out of Dwight T. Reed Stadium on Friday.
The Webb City junior had just received her second-place state medal in the Class 3 discus throw and was overcome by emotion. However, the tears flowing down her face were not those of joy.
“I came out and did my best but I know I could have done better,” said Jones, who was making her second appearance at the MSHSAA Track and Field Championships, where she finished seventh in the event last year.
Jones hurled the discus 132 feet 2 inches, which was second to Brittany Borman of Festus with 135-9. The difference for Jones, though, was that she had a measuring stick from a past performance and she knew her potential.
“My best this year is 150 feet,” she explained.
Jones’ throw garnered eight points, which is what the Webb City girls team had at the end of the day, good for a ninth-place team tie with McCluer-South Berkeley.
Just as Jones provided the Cardinals’ only points Friday, sophomore Ashlee Shimmin did the same for Joplin in Class 4 with her fifth-place finish in the shot put. Shimmin’s heave was good for four points and bettered her eighth-place position last year. However, at 40 feet, her throw was 1 1/2 feet shorter than last year.
“I’m happy,” she said. “This was my best throw this year.”
Asked if she thought she could one day equal the winning throw of 46-9.25, Shimmin replied, “I don’t know about that but I am going to work hard this summer and get really serious.”
Joplin failed to qualify in the 100-meter dash (Gates Sanders), 300-meter hurdles (Logan Simon) and 4x200 relay (Sanders, Simon, Sanquez Moss and Mike Honeywell).
“Our kids competed all right, though,” said Eagle coach Paul Chambers. “On Saturday (today) our vaulters have a chance of placing.”
Joplin pole vaulters going at it today are junior Colbie Snyder, who has cleared a high of 14 feet; senior Ashley Davidson; and sophomore Mackensee Roberts.
Kord Stancell, junior from McDonald County, claimed the highest individual honors for area boys with his second-place finish in the Class 3 discus. His throw of 160 feet was 5 feet 4 inches short of Willard’s Zach Thompson and boosted the Mustangs into a ninth-place team tie with O’Hara.
“I did a lot better than last year when I scratched on all four tries at sectionals,” said Stancell, who operates at fullback on the Mustang football team.
Billy Wright, a senior from Cassville, was the only other area Class 3 athlete to get a medal in the discus, with a throw of 145-2 for seventh place.
Neosho was the only other area Class 4 team to get medals. Freshman Courtney Wood took seventh in the 1600 run (5:10.86), junior Amanda Thogmartin tied for seventh in the high jump (5-0) and junior Cody Hollland placed eighth in the shot put (55-2).
Wood admitted she had to fight back a little nervous tension in her first state meet.
“I was pretty nervous but I love the competition, said Wood, who showed remarkable composure for first-time participant.
Holland said his throw of 55-2 bettered his previous best of 54-1.
“Last year I took 11th and I intend to get the school record before it’s over, he said. The school mark at Neosho is 60-3.
Other area medalists were Monett’s D.J. Dunmire and Nevada’s Tyler Werner, who tied with St. Clair’s Richard York for second in the Class 3 pole vault at 13-6. The winning height was six inches higher.
Senior Ritchie Carson had Carl Junction’s top finish of the day with 11th place in the triple jump.
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