The Frontenac girls and the Girard boys won Class 3A regional track and field team titles in slightly different ways last Friday at Fredonia.

Behind two outstanding individuals who earned a combined seven regional titles between them, Frontenac tallied 118.5 points and finished 36.5 points better than second-place Riverton and 46.5 better than third-place Girard.

On the boys side, Girard won five regional titles but the Trojans’ depth paid off with 119.5 points, beating out runner-up Caney Valley by 20.5. Frontenac ended in fourth at 58.

The top-three finishers in each event qualify for the state meet Friday in Wichita. The four next-best finishers in each event from all regionals earn the right to go to state.

FRONTENAC

On the girls side, Reece Franklin won regional titles in the high jump (5 feet, 6 inches), long jump (16-10 1/2), triple jump (36-11 1/4) and the 300-meter hurdles (47.88 seconds).

In only her sophomore year, Franklin reached the 500-career point milestone.

Emerson Albright won the 800 (2:25), 1,600 (5:27) and 3,200 (13:07).

Nora Anderson finished second in the 3,200 (13:07) and third in the 1,600 (5.59).

The 4x800 of Cera Schenck, Albright, Abby Albright and Anderson won in 10:15.

Ella Blythe finished third in the pole vault (8-6). Ava Lilly and Macie Payne were third (117-9) and fourth (117-2) in the javelin.

On the boys side, Kruz Pickle won the pole vault (13-0), recording one of the top-50 marks in Kansas.

Ethan Merrick finished second in the discus (145-7) and the shot put (55-3 1/4) with a top-25 mark in Kansas in the latter.

The 4x100 of Kaden Merando, Hunter Ehling, Drake Clayton and Luke Sneed finished third (45.48).

GIRARD

On the boys side, the 4x400 just recently broke a school record dating back to 1988 and held by Tom Bradshaw, Chris Chips, Chad Erickson and Jason George.

The 4x400 recorded a 3:28.98 during the CNC League meet May 15 at Girard.

One week later, the 4x400 did it again in dramatic fashion, subbing alternate Sammy Blair for Gavin Huber just before the starting gun.

Zeb Poland, Mason Adolph, Blair and Seth Wilson recorded a 3:28.90 to earn the regional title and set a new school record.

Gannon Clark and Easton Clark both punched their ticket to state with top-three regional performances in the javelin.

Gannon Clark won at 186-3 (one of the top-25 marks in Kansas) and Easton Clark finished third (158-6).

William Bishop won the shot put at 61-6 1/4, one of the top-10 marks in Kansas.

Adairrius Valley finished second in the pole vault (12-6). Perrin Stevens finished third in the high jump (5-10).

Blair won the 110 hurdles (15.25) and 300 hurdles (41.98). Fletcher Ulbrich finished third in the 3,200 (10:20).

On the girls side, August Mooneyham won the pole vault at 9-0, reaching the mark on her first attempt whereas it took her third attempt for Baxter Springs junior Allie Hall to hit 9-0.

The 4x100 of Karsyn O’Rand, Macy Mahnken, Regan Oplotnik and Addison Bowman finished second (50.24). The 4x400 of Oplotnik, Kennedy Keller, O’Rand and Mahnken also finished second (4:09). The 4x800 of Mooneyham, Karilee Kimrey, Skylar Kramer and Brook Stafford finished second (10:37).

Oplotnik won the 200 (26.54), Mahnken was second in the 400 (1:00) and Keller also took second in the 800 (2:28).

This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/