By NICHOLAS KIMBALL and DELBERT PETERS

Staff writers

Marion County athletes earned 25 medals Friday and Saturday at the prestigious state championship track and field meet in Wichita.

Athletes had to qualify to be included in this track meet. The top eight performances in each event received a medal.

Marion

The Warriors ran away with 11 medals in various events over the weekend in Wichita.

The team was led by Dylan Kraus, who placed second place in the 400-meter dash, and Luke Wessel, who placed second in the 800-meter run.

Kraus also placed fourth in the 800 and tied for eighth in pole vault.

Wessel was seventh in the 1600 as well as being a part of Marion’s 800-meter relay team, which finished third, and its 400-meter relay team, which finished seventh.

The Warrior girls’ 400 relay team consisted of Brylee Smith, Erin Regnier, Taryn Kraus, and Dylan Kraus.

Taryn Kraus also placed sixth in the 300-meter hurdles, and Caileigh Johnson tied for sixth in pole vault.

Four different boys relays teams medaled — the 800 placing third, the 400 seventh, and 100 eighth.

The teams consisted of Logan Amos, Zayden Janzen, Eli Klenda, Luke Wessel, Wyatt Soyez, Jesse Snyder, Tripp Peterson, and Sam Loomis.

“We do say thank you to our seniors who finished their careers at the state meet — Kenna Wesner, Sophia Dye, Erin Regnier, Brian Nguyen, and Kellen Waner,” coach Grant Thierolf said. “Kellen Waner completed a remarkable comeback from shoulder surgery by tying a personal record in the pole vault for a ninth-place finish.

“A great finish to a great season for the Marion Warriors.”

Hillsboro

The Trojans came home with nine medals in various events for boys and girls.

“I am immensely proud of how our athletes performed at the state competition,” coach Demetrius Cox said. “Their dedication and teamwork shone through in every event, and bringing home medals is a clear reflection of their hard work throughout the season.”

Emily Gilke led the girls with a fourth place finish in high jump.

Addison Jost placed sixth for the 800, and along with Kaidyn Frantz, Quinlyn Funk, and Riley Richert placed sixth in the 800 relay.

Abbigail Williams placed eighth in shot put, and Quinlyn Funk placed eighth in the 3200.

Jost, Richert, Gilke, and Daisy Klein placed eighth for the 400 relay.

“We were thrilled to see that every athlete who competed at the state level returned with a medal,” Cox said.

For the boys, Anders Weisbeck placed fourth in discus. Seth Driggers was seventh in the 200.

Driggers, Aaron Hein, Jesiah Gooch, and Preston D’Albini were seventh in the 100 relay.

“To our graduating seniors: thank you for an amazing four years. We’ll miss you, but we’re excited to see the great things you’ll accomplish next. Thank you for everything you’ve contributed to our program,” Cox said.

Goessel

The girls relay team at Goessel — seniors Aimee Funk, Abbigail Funk, Logan Bryant and Brooklyn Wuest— finished fifth place in the 4x100.

“Our track kids competed well,” coach Curtis Guhr said. “It is always great when you can bring medals home from the state track meet, and we came home with four.”

Delaney Duerksen placed sixth for the 300 hurdles, and for the boys, Eli Gaeddert ran fourth place in the 3200.

“This senior group is an amazing group,” Guhr said. “They have been a lot of fun, and we really enjoyed them and they will be missed.

“Our younger kids gained some great experience and look forward to many more years of Goessel kids competing at the state track meet.”

Centre

Lone Centre runner Kaitlynn Bina placed eighth in the 3200 early Friday morning in Wichita.

“With the eighth-place medal in the 3200 and last year’s eighth-place medal in the 1600, she becomes Centre’s first girl medalist in consecutive years at the state track meet since 2016-2017,” Alan Stahlecker said.

Kate Basore accomplished that feat in javelin.

“Kaitlyn concludes her Centre career with four state medals, two in track and two in cross-country,” Stahlecker said.