DES MOINES — Third last season in the Class 2A girls state track meet with 40 total points, Panorama has started the 2019 meet in first place after scoring 15 points Thursday.
Senior Bailey Beckman led the way after flying to third place, and six team points, in the long jump. She was joined in the event by fellow senior Kassidy Bremer, who finished ninth, missing a state medal for eighth place by one-quarter inch.
Beckman was 12th at 16 feet, one-quarter inch last year, with Bremer 15th at 15 feet, 8-3/4 inches. Bremer finished with a best leap of 16’6 to place ninth. Beckman jumped 16’11-1/4 for third, admitting afterward she was pleased with third place but had hoped to reach 17 feet after qualifying at 17’1.
Sophomore Ella Waddle competed in a highly-competitive 3000. Mid-Prairie’s Marie Hostetler won in 10:12.89, with AC/GC’s Kate Crawford second in 10:37.51 and Tri-Center’s Peyton Pogge third at 10:46.55.
Waddle had qualified fifth, in 11:02.28, and had placed fifth, in 10:55.73, last season. Thursday she improved her time and her place, crossing fourth in 10:51.5, her second-best time in the event.
Panorama received four points for fifth place in the 4×800, resetting a school record in the process.
The event is held in two 12-team timed heats, with times — not heat placings — deciding the final position.
Olivia and Gwen Steffen, Lydia Lindstrom and Brianna Hoffman were 11th last year in 10:07.36. Hoffman was a senior, so freshman Payton Beckman replaced her, running the second leg.
Sophomore Olivia Steffen’s opening leg was blistering, creating a sizable lead Beckman maintained. Junior Lindstrom kept the margin in place, with sophomore Gwen Steffen adding to the gap, Panorama winning the first heat by an impressive 16 seconds over Crestwood in a new school record of 9:51.17. The Panthers had qualified 13th in 10:04.51.
Olivia Steffen also ran in teh 400, improving from the 23rd seed to place 16th in 1 minute, 2 seconds.
The shuttle hurdle relay team was second last year, but will not be returning to the finals this year. Seeded 16th in 1:11.26, the Panthers finished 13th 1:10.73. Shey Storesund, Abbi Brown, Lindstrom and Morgan Johnk ran the relay for Panorama.
Also in action was Bremer in the 200 preliminaries. She crossed in 27.25, placing 18th.
FRIDAY, MAY 17
PANORAMA boys
9 a.m. — High Jump: Gracen Welberg, 8th jumper (15th seed, 6’2)
9:40 a.m. — 110 Hurdles preliminaries: Luke South Heat 1, Lane 2 (13th seed, 15.67)
PANORAMA girls
9 a.m. — Discus: Lydia Knapp, Group 2, 8th thrower (5th seed, 127’2)
9 a.m. — Distance Medley timed final: PAN Heat 3, Lane 2 Hope Arganbright, Kassidy Bremer, Bailey Beckman, Gwen Steffen (alt Ella Waddle, Olivia Steffen) (5th seed, 4:21.45)
10 a.m. — 100 Hurdles preliminaries: Morgan Johnk Heat 2, Lane 3 (8th seed, 15.8)
11:30 a.m. — High Jump: Morgan Johnk, 22nd jumper (3rd seed, 5’5)
12:40 p.m. — 4×100 preliminaries: PAN Heat 3, Lane 3 Bailey Beckman, Morgan Johnk, Hope Arganbright, Kassidy Bremer (alt. Shey Storesund, Abbi Brown (9th seed, 51.47)
1:20 p.m. — 4×400 preliminaries: PAN Heat 1, Lane 3 Bailey Beckman, Olivia Steffen, Lydia Lindstrom, Gwen Steffen (alt. Payton Beckman, Abbi Brown) (7th seed, 4:12.03)
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SATURDAY, MAY 18
10:30 a.m. — 800 timed finals: Emma Drake, W-G, Heat 1 (14th seed, 2:27.11) and Gwen Steffen, Heat 1 (15th seed, 2:27.48)
1:05 p.m. — 100 Hurdles finals: Morgan Johnk, PAN (if advanced)
1:15 p.m. — 110 Hurdles finals: Luke South, PAN (if advanced)
2:45 p.m. — 1500 Run: Ella Waddle (7th seed, 5:08.42)
3:25 p.m. — 4×100 finals: PAN (if advanced)
3:55 p.m. — 4×400 finals: PAN (if advanced)
