Kimball strikes Gold at CSC Indoor

The Kimball High Track Team opened the season this past Saturday at the Chadron State College Indoor Invite and had a pair of individual winners bring home gold.

With a reported 497 athletes, all competing in one class, Brady Kilgore and Hannah Biesecker took the top marks in their favorite events. Kilgore captured the winning time in the 55 meter hurdles, clocking 8:28 seconds after running 8:25 in the prelims. The talented junior also placed in the high jump finishing 6th at 5’10”, tied for 8th in the long jump at 18’10” and teamed up with Byron Rowley, Christian Allen-Van Pelt and Jake Jenkins to run 4th in the 4 x 160 relay with a time of 1:33.5. The returning state medalist got his season started in fine fashion.

Hannah Biesecker, also a returning state qualifier of multiple times, got her season off in the right way, also, winning the long jump at 16’4” and ran 5th in the 55 meter dash in 8:07 seconds. The versatile senior is looking to close out her Kimball High track career in a winning way.

Coach Gene Mohr took a team of 16 tracksters to the Indoor meet and was pleased with the effort of those who made the trip. The Horns will be strong in the boy’s pole vault this season and they showed it Saturday with senior Paycen Harroun placing 3rd with his vault of 12’0” and senior Jaden Mohr placing 6th at 11’0”. Ethan Ratzlaff, a freshman, was 8th at 10’6”.

The boys team has some sprint speed this year, as shown by their finish in the relay. Rowley, Jenkins and Allen-Van Pelt all ran good times in the 55 meter dash despite not finishing in the top 8 medal group Jaden Mohr will also be a point scorer in the hurdle events, along with his vaulting. Coach Mohr feels the Horns will score points in the weight events this season and Corey Travis and Blayne Rohde had some good marks in the shot put at Chadron. Rowley also finished just out of the medal group in the high jump with his leap of 5’6” and Allen-Van Pelt got out 17’7” in the long jump and for a freshman, he has lots of potential.

Megan Spicer, also a freshman, ran well in the 55 meter dash, clocking 8:30 in her prelim heat. Bailie Brower and Lila Moore both showed promise in the women’s shot put with best marks of 25’3” and 22’4.5”. In the pole vault, Kennedy Lewis cleared 7’6” and Raven Johnson 7’0”. Jenna Greenwood was 12th in the high jump at 4’4”.

The Kimball team, all 49 strong, will move outside this Saturday as they host their own Invitational with a field of 6 schools participating, including the hosting Longhorns, Banner County, Potter-Dix, Hemingford, Minatare and Pine Bluffs. The field events will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the track events.