Hett, Boone qualify for KU Relays
Sports editor
Julia Zeiner led a host of successful Marion athletes in the school’s first track meet of the season.
The junior took first in all three of her events April 7 at the Centre Central Kansas Track League (CKTL) in Marion, breaking a school record in the process.
Her long jump of 17 feet, 10 inches has never been accomplished by another Warrior.
She said breaking a record isn’t something she thinks about before taking off.
“It just kind of happened,” Zeiner said of her jump. “I just try to think about my technique and try to get better every jump.”
Whatever she was thinking worked, and while she didn’t know the actual distance, it was easy to tell the jump was a good one.
“I knew by the reaction of the crowd,” she said.
Head coach Grant Thierolf said Zeiner is a great competitor.
“The first thing about Julia is that she does not like to get beat,” he said. “And if she does get beat, she does something about it.”
She didn’t get beat on her home track in the opener, jumping 37-1 to take first in the triple jump, and earning a first-place finish in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.3 seconds.
“She is very competitive and mixed with her God-given ability that is a great blend for an athlete,” Thierolf said. “She works hard and that is something that many people do not see because they do not see practice every night. She is just a very gifted athlete who knows how to work.”
As great of a day as Zeiner had, she wasn’t the only Warrior making waves.
Senior Elliot Hett led the boys’ team with three first-place finishes.
He won both the 110 and 300m hurdles events as well as the long jump.
“Elliot ran the hurdles well,” Thierolf said.
Other Warrior first-place finishers included Nick Klenda (shot put, discus), Sheldon Boone (javelin), Tylor Neil (triple jump), Dillon Richmond (pole vault), Adam Regnier (800m run), Ryan Jones (1600m run), Louis Holt (3200m run), and all three relay teams.
Hett, in the hurdles, and Boone, in the javelin, had times and distances respectfully that qualified the duo for the April 17-18 KU Relays.
Thierolf was happy with the overall performance.
“We won most of the events on the track so we have to be pleased, but we need to get the times down as the season progresses,” he said.
The Warriors competed Tuesday at home in the Herington CKTL, which only was the second meet of the season because of poor weather at Friday’s home meet.
Marion’s largest meet, and first on the road, is Friday at Lindsborg.
Thierolf said he is looking forward to continuing the season.
“We have the makings of a very good track team,” he said. “We all just have to keep working hard and getting the most out of practice.
“We will look to peak at the end of the season, and it looks like it could be a lot of fun this year.”