Lady Cats earn regional runner-up, qualifies for state in 11 events

Louisburg’s Suzanna Dansel takes the handoff from Mackenzie Rooney in the 4×100-meter relay Friday during the Class 4A regional meet at Shawnee Mission North. The relay broke their own school record for the third straight week.

SHAWNEE MISSION — It may be small in numbers, but the Louisburg girls track and field team showed out in a big way Friday during the Class 4A regional meet.

The Lady Cats won five individual regional titles on their way to a regional runner-up finish with 90 points and qualified for state in 11 events. Eudora won the regional crown with 132 points at Shawnee Mission North.

“Not going to lie, I expected us to be runner-up as we were positioned to accomplish it, and I knew that we would perform well, as we have done that all year,” Louisburg girls coach John Reece said. “But, it is still an awesome thing to have our school called to receive the plaque at the end of the meet. Always get goosebumps.”

Senior Emma Lohse led the charge as she ran her way to three regional titles — including one in a relay that broke their own school record for the third straight week.

Lohse won the 100-meter dash in 12.48 seconds as she pulled away from the competition. She did the same in the 200 dash as she won in a season-best time of 26.16 seconds.

“Going into the 100 and 200, I knew it was going to be a very competitive race, but I was ready for it,” Lohse said. “Getting first in both events, was once again, something I had to put in the effort and work for to compete well.”

Lohse, along with Mackenzie Rooney, Suzanna Dansel and Kendall Crossley, made history for the third straight week. The quartet breezed to a regional title in a new school record time of 49.64 seconds, which was the third consecutive week they broke their own record.

“We have a very strong 4×1, and as the season has gone on, we have progressed almost every time,” Lohse said. “I’d have to say that our chemistry as a team is the main part in this race. Going into state this weekend we will have a good competition with Andale and McPherson and we are hoping to come back with a state title.”

The Louisburg senior qualified for state in her fourth event as the 4×400-meter relay of Lohse, Rooney, Emma Vohs and Crossley finished fourth in a new season-best time of 4 minutes and 14 seconds to take the last spot.

“I would not say the 4×4 snuck in as they ran a great race from number 1 runner to number 4,” Reece said. “I knew we had a good relay in place, it just took a bit for them to really run their race and they did. I am looking to see them improve more and get to the finals at state.”

The Lady Cats also won regional titles in a pair of individual events.

Louisburg senior Emma Prettyman won the regional discus crown and did so in dramatic fashion. Prettyman, who was sitting fifth in her final throw, needed a throw good enough to earn a top four spot to get to state.

Prettyman did more than that. She delivered a toss of 119 feet, 8 inches to win the competition and punched her ticket to state in the process.

The Lady Cats will have a state competitor in each of the throwing events as junior Katie Elpers qualified in the javelin as she took third at 115-7. Freshman Kenna Lohse followed suit in the shot put as she finished fourth with a toss of 35-9.75.

“Coach G (Gentges) and I have always said it only takes one, and for Emma P., it was her last throw of finals and it was a PR to boot,” Reece said. “Kenna really came into her own at the end of the season and made her way to state as a freshman. We expect great things out of her over the next three years and to experience state as a freshman will help her in the future. 

“Katie continues to perform well in the javelin and we look for her to go and place well again at state. This has been a great group of throwers to work with this year.”

In the pole vault, junior Maddy Carpenter-Ross picked a good time to earn a personal best herself. Carpenter-Ross cleared 11 feet in the pole vault to win the regional title and looks to earn her second consecutive state medal.

“Winning the regional title this year, it meant a lot to me,” Carpenter-Ross said. “I have been working really hard this season to get to 11 feet, which was the goal I set for myself this season, so when I achieved my goal, it felt great to have made my 1 foot progress from last year. The fact that it was achieved at the regional meet made it perfect timing again for the second season in a row.”

In the 300-meter hurdles, Rooney ran a personal-best to qualify for state in the event for the second year in a row. The Louisburg sophomore finished as the regional runner-up in 48.40 seconds.

“Mack ran a great race,” Reece said. “I was able to watch her run the curve and head down the home stretch. Her face was determined to say the least and finished great. I am really excited for her race at state. She is setting herself up for a great performance.”

Vohs also had a big day for the Lady Cats as she qualified for state in a pair of individual events — one sprint and one distance race.

In the 1,600-meter run, Vohs finished fourth in 5:48 and later ran a season best 1:02.78 in the 400-meter dash to take third overall.

“Emma Vohs is a jack of all trades,” Reece said. “She showed her versatility by qualifying in the 1600, 400, and the 4×4. She has run multiple races throughout the season and we look for her to do even more next year. It was an awesome performance at regionals and well deserved outcome for her hard work this year.”

Louisburg will now compete against the best beginning this Friday at the Kansas State Track and Field Championships held at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium. Events will begin Friday afternoon and run through Saturday.

Other results are: 

200 dash: Suzanna Dansel, 7th, 27.59

400 dash: Kendall Crossley, 6th, 1:03

800 run: Erin Apple, 7th, 2:42

1,600 run: Nova Ptacek, 8th, 6:18; Delanie Tally, 11th, 6:35

3,200 run: Maddy Rhamy, 6th

100 hurdles: Mackenzie Rooney, 6th, 17.55; Kate Frederick, 7th, 17.58

300 hurdles: Frederick, 10th, 54.31

4×800 Relay: 5th, 10:34

Pole Vault: Stella Bohnenstiehl, 7th, 8-1

Discus: Kenna Lohse, 10th, 94-10

Javelin: Emma Prettyman, 6th, 109-10; Lohse, 14th, 84-3

Shot Put: Prettyman 5th, 35-4