Smith, Frost, Roe head to Jefferson City on Thursday for Class 2 meet

Southwest seniors Tobias Smith and Dylan Frost, as well as sophomore Sidney Roe, have each qualified for the MSHSAA Class 2 Track and Field Championships following their performances on Saturday at the Class 2 Sectional at Buffalo High School.

“Tobi has run two stellar races the last two weeks, and he saved his best for his two most important races,” said Steve Voyak, Southwest track and field coach. “He was an underdog both weeks and somehow advanced.”

Smith ran a 9-second personal record in 10:54.39 qualifying fourth in the 3200 meters. He ranks 14th of the 16 state qualifiers but is 5 seconds from 10th and 13 seconds from 8th. He has improved his time by 22 seconds in the last two races.

After finishing 6th in the long jump and failing to qualify, Frost jumped 1.88 meters and qualified with a second-place finish in the high jump. Frost is tied for 6th with two other athletes of the 16 who qualified.

“Dylan has been incredibly consistent all year,” Voyak said. “He did not have his best performance at the sectional, but he still finished second. That’s how good he can be. He will need his best at Jeff City to earn All-State.”

Roe qualified in both the 1600 and 3200 for the second straight year, finishing third in both races (5:35.78 in the mile and 12:41.38 in the two-mile). She was .25 seconds from second in the 3200 and .53 from second in the 1600. Among the qualifiers, she ranks 10th in the mile and 12th in the two-mile. The top 8 earn All-State status.

“Sid is healthy and improving each week,” Voyak said. “We have exhausted her with the speed workouts recently but she has responded with personal records in consecutive races.”

Freshman Race Pippin was the fourth Southwest sectional qualifier from Southwest, finishing seventh in the high jump. 

“For Race to advance to sectional in high jump as a freshman is amazing,” Voyak said. “He is way ahead of schedule and with his work ethic and basketball cross training, I expect him to pick up for Dylan next season.”

The Southwest trio heads to Jefferson City Thursday. Roe runs the mile and Smith in the two-mile Friday afternoon. Roe runs the two-mile and Frost competes in the high jump Saturday afternoon.