MANSON - Out of the 16 athletes that were brought to Quincy for the District 5 and 6 Track Championships meet held on Friday, May 19, nine Trojans are heading to the State Track competition in Cheney later this week. “This is the best district finish by

MANSON - Out of the 16 athletes that were brought to Quincy for the District 5 and 6 Track Championships meet held on Friday, May 19, nine Trojans are heading to the State Track competition in Cheney later this week.

“This is the best district finish by a Manson track team in many years,” head coach Kurt Toolson said after the meet in his report. “Even those competitors who did not place in the top four had great days, with most achieving personal best (pr) to finish the season.”

It is important to point out that unlike the 1A qualifications, the top four in each event make it to state, rather than just the top qualifiers or athletes that surpass a standard time or length.

Mason Cameron finished as the district champion in the discus with a pr of 134’. Cameron also qualified for state in the shot put by placing fourth with a personal best of 41’ 5’’.

Mason Walters equaled his pr in the high jump at 6’ and captured the district championship in the event.

Spencer Ward broke his own school record in the 400 with a time of 51.8 to win the district title and will also compete in the 100 meter after finishing in third for the event.

Ward will also be apart of the boys 4x400 relay team (Cody McClanahan, Eduardo Escalera and Walters) that won their race to end the meet and broke a school record in the process with a final time of 3:37. The same boys will compete in the 4x100 relay as well after placing in second with a new school record time of 45.38.

Freshman Connor Torgesen placed fourth in the 800 meter with a pr of 2:09, punching his ticked to the state meet as well.

A few Trojans (Bailey Cameron, 1600 meter and 3200 meter, Cole Beazley, 300 meter hurdles and Escalera, high jump) just missed out on qualifying for state after placing in fifth in their respective event. Toolson said each one of them hit pr’s in their events though which will at least soften the pain of not qualifying.

The girls had both of their relay teams entered in the meet, but a dropped baton in the 4x200 and a fifth place finish in the 4x100 squashed any state hopes.

“Shout out to Daicy, Maddee, Baylee, Julia and Jessica for finishing the season strong,” coach Toolson concluded in his report. “Thank you to all the coaches, students, administrators, family and friends for their support at the meet and throughout the whole season.”

The State track meet will get underway on Thursday, May 25 at the Eastern Washington University track. The boys team will be going for the best overall team finish in Manson history.

Zach Johnson can be reached at lcmeditor@gmail.com or (509) 682-2213