Oxford High School sophomore Makhila Maupin was sad to be disqualified in the Class 1A 100-meter sprint finals Saturday at the KSHSAA All-Classes State Championships at Cessna Stadium on the Wichita State University campus.
She won the 200 state title instead.
Maupin won the race in 26.42 seconds, beating Hanover sophomore Anna Jueneman, who ran 26.8.
Maupin was proud and happy. “I gave up last year as a freshman in the 200 because I was so hurt and sore.”
Maupin won the Regional title last weekend with a 26.36-second 200. She beat that with a 26.26 in Friday’s prelims.
“I was kind of scared for the 200,” she added. I got that way. I decided to make up for the 100 with the 200.”
Her 12.3-second 100 seeded her second for the Big Show. She placed third in Friday’s preliminary with a 12.75 and qualified for Saturday’s finals.
Disaster struck.
“I jumped the gun,” Maupin remarked. “I was too anxious and focused on my start, because that’s what I’ve been struggling with.”
Macy Hammerschmidt of Victoria won the 1A State 100 in 12.44 seconds.
Maupin’s 100 missed start was the latest setback in her limited high school career.
Last season, she sustained a bizarre hip injury in the 200 prelims, which impacted her throughout the State competition. She missed the first few meets this season due to a knee ailment.
“I’m surprised I got this far,” she remarked. “I’ll exercise this summer. I’ll run offseason and return next year. I’ll do better.”
Oxford junior Mya Johnson placed fourth in the 1A girls triple jump Friday.
Johnson achieved a school record with a 36-foot, 4-inch jump. She enters the Show seeded second after clearing 35-6 previous weekend.
Johnson was ranked first in 1A long jump at Regionals with a season- and area-best 16-6 1/2, but she fell to 14th on Saturday with a 14-05 3/4 beat attempt.
She finished eighth in the 100 hurdles in 16.72 seconds, returning to the podium. Last weekend, her 16.41 seeded her sixth. Johnson finished Friday’s prelims ninth in 16.9.
Central of Burden junior Ben Long competed in three individual and one relay events.
Long tied last weekend’s Regional mark of 5-10 in the 1A boys high jump. He would have won silver with a season- and area-best 6-3. State champion Matthew Heckman of Burlingame cleared 6-10.
Long finished 10th in the 300 hurdles prelims in 42.95 seconds. Season best was 42.52.
Three local boys 1A 110 hurdlers participated Friday, but none advanced to the finals.
South Haven High School senior Cole Wiens placed 10th in 16.61 seconds. His season-best was 16.07 seconds at Regionals last weekend.
Long finished 13th in 17.08 seconds, faster than 17.45 last weekend.
Oxford junior Noel Gardea finished 14th in 17.51 seconds, down from 16.91 in Regionals.
Oxford sophomore Yasmin Gardea placed 11th in the 1A girls 300 hurdles preliminaries in 50.9 seconds, barely off her season best and second-place finish last weekend.
Central junior Katie Cook was 12th in the 1A girls discus, throwing the ball 91-1, well off her season-best of 106-5 that would have placed her sixth in the state and second in the region.
Central senior Guilherme Oliveira finished 13th in the 1A javelin, throwing 139-7. 143-7 was his season-best.
The 1A boys 4×400 relay included Long, Miles Easley, Boston Norris, and Broc Wilson. 16th in 3:45.25. Regionals saw the Raiders’ season-best 3:43.99.
Central junior Ana Voelker failed three times to clear 7 feet in the 1A ladies pole vault. Voelker was seeded fourth following a 5-6 weekend.