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After running the 400-meter dash Thursday, Henry-Midland senior Nakeita Kessling knew she was close to the school record.
When she was told she ran a 57.27 seconds — breaking the mark of 57.72 set by Amanda Kereta in 2015 — Kessling had one response.
“Oh wow,” Kessling said.
Kessling had an all-around ‘wow’ worthy day in the Class 1A state preliminaries in Charleston.
Her 57.27 was the top preliminary time in the 400.
Kessling also turned in the top performance in the long jump with a leap of 5.44 meters while running a 12.58 seconds in the 100 — just shy of Kereta’s school record of 12.51 in 2015 — which was the sixth-best preliminary time to advance her to the finals.
“I just go out and run, that’s my philosophy,” Kessling said. “Just go out and run as hard as I can, do my best, and see what happens.”
Kessling will compete in the finals Saturday.
“I know where I’m at, and obviously I want to improve, so that’s what I’m looking for Saturday,” Kessling said.
Kessling is one of five area athletes who advanced to Saturday’s finals along with teammate Laney Lester, St. Bede’s Anna Lopez and the Amboy co-op’s Elly Jones and Lauren Althaus.
Lester is one of 12 finals qualifiers in the discus with a toss of 37.37 meters, which ranks her fifth.
She also competed in the shot put, placing 22nd with a toss of 9.96 meters.
Lopez advanced to the finals in one of her three events, moving on in the triple jump with a leap of 10.45 meters, which was the seventh-best preliminary jump.
Lopez finished 26th in the 100 in a personal best 12.94 seconds and finished 28th in the long jump at 4.63 meters.
“Long jump went OK,” Lopez said. “I’m not disappointed with my performance because I didn’t expect much more than that, but I think for how the season was progressing up to this point, it was pretty good , just consistent numbers.
“For the 100, I kind of expected a little bit more. I think I ran a hard race. In between sectional and now, I was working on my starts and trying to improve, so I’m not disappointed, and proud of that.”
Jones will compete in the finals in the 100 hurdles and triple jump, while Althaus advanced in the 400.
Jones ran a 15.87 seconds to grab the ninth and final spot in the 100 hurdles finals, while leaping 10.33 meters for the ninth-best preliminary performance in the triple jump.
“I feel like I have more chances because last year was just one and done. This year, I definitely get to take my time more and focus,” Jones said.
Jones placed 14th in the 300 hurdles in a season best 50.2 seconds and finished 15th in the long jump at 4.9 meters.
Althaus earned the last finals spot in the 400 with a 1:00.83, which broke the school record she shared with her older sister, Ashley. She finished 27th in the 200 in 27.85 seconds.
“It’s so great to break that record, and it’s funny because my sister and I share it,” Althaus said. “I wasn’t sure if I made the finals, but regardless of that, if that was my last race, I gave it everything I got. I’ve been doing this for the past seven years, running that race, putting my heart and soul into that race, and it’s a mental and physical challenge, that’s for sure. I know that I’m ending this season on a high note.”
BOYS TRACK & FIELD
At Erie
Bureau Valley’s Elijah House and Amboy co-op’s Brock Loftus each qualified for the IHSA Class 1A State Meet out of the Erie Sectional on Thursday.
House placed second in the 800 meters in a personal best 2:00.97, while Loftus was the runner-up in the 3,200 in 10:27.52.
MEN’S GOLF
At Joplin, Mo.
IVCC shot a 318 on the third day of the NJCAA Division II National Tournament at the Twin Hills Golf and Country Club.
It was the Eagles best of the three rounds so far.
Ian Roach recorded three birdies on his way to a 1-over-par 73 to lead IVCC, while Jack Lockard shot a 77, Ryan Dulin carded an 82 and Taylor Joyce added an 86.