Cassville Democrat: High School Sports: CHS athletes compete at state track meet (06/01/11)

Clean exchange Democrat Photo/Lee Stubblefield Trevor Shumaker hands off the baton to Devin Linenbrink during the preliminaries of the 4x100 relay at the Class 3 state track meet. The Cassville team, which also included Josh Lewright and Cody Frana, finished 16th in the prelims. [Order this photo]

The MSHSAA Class 3 and 4 State Track & Field Championships went off without a hitch over the weekend in stark contrast to the weather delay that plagued the small school championships a week earlier.

Samantha Levin, of Ladue High School, clearly provided the signature performance of the weekend. She set a new Class 4 girls state record in the 800 meter run of 2:08.55 in Friday's prelims, breaking the 1992 record of 2:09.78 set by Hazelwood Central's Ann Hefner.

Levin then shattered her own mark with a 2:06.74 clocking in the finals on Saturday.

Westminster Christian's Daniel Everett won the Class 3 boys 1,600 meter race in 4:08.43, the fastest high school metric mile at the championships since Adam Perkins, of Liberty High School, established the Class 4 mark of 4:08.14 in 2002. Everett's feat was still well short of the overall and Class 3 record of 4:03.54 set by Willard's Jason Pyrah back in 1987.

David Everett, Daniel's twin brother, placed second in 4:12.85.

The greatest applause of the meet was for Joplin pole vaulter, Mariah Sanders. After the devastating tornado ripped her high school facilities apart, Sanders conducted her final practice before state at Carl Junction's track and was coached at Jefferson City by the McDonald County staff since her own coach was unable to make the trip.

Despite the emotional stress of the week, Sanders equaled her best vault ever, clearing the bar at 10' even for a 10th place finish.

Monett's Jennifer Frazier earned an All-State medal in the Class 3 girls shot. Frazier recorded a throw of 37'5" for eighth place.

That was it for the area athletes in terms of medals.

Tough competition Democrat Photo/Lee Stubblefield Cassville's Josh Lewright, pictured far left, placed 15th in the 100-meter dash prelims at the state track meet with a time of 11.6. [Order this photo]

Cassville's Josh Lewright placed 15th in the 100-meter dash prelims, in 11.6, and Cody Frana was 16th in the 300-meter hurdle prelims in 42.94.

Cassville's 4x200 meter relay team of Frana, Lewright, Devin Linenbrink, and Trevor Shumaker finished 16th in Friday's prelims, turning a 1:32.75.

The Cassville Lady Wildcats were represented in the 4x100 meter relay prelims by Calisia Brookes, Risa Darveaux, Reba Dupont and Danielle Pianalto. They finished 16th in 52.78.

Monett's Raigan Ratliff was 16th in the 800-meter dash prelims, running 2:35.81.