2016 J-W All-Area Track Team

Boys

Athlete of the Year

Travis Hodge, De Soto

In his final high school meet, Hodge etched his name into the record books by breaking Class 4A state-meet records in the 800 (1:53.06) and 1,600 meters (4:16.34), posting the 15th-fastest time in state history in the 800. Hodge, who won his second state title in the 800, set school records in both events and was seventh in the 400. He will run for Kansas State next year.

Coach of the Year

Jack Hood, Lawrence

After placing second in the Sunflower League, the Lions were runner-up at the Class 6A state meet, their best placing since 2006.

photo by: John Young

The 2016 Journal-World All-Area Track team: Top row, from left, boys athlete of the year Travis Hodge, De Soto; Amani Bledsoe, Lawrence; Ethan Donley, Free State; Dillion Grother, Oskaloosa; Tanner Hockenbury, Free State; and Trey Moore, Lawrence; middle row, from left, Dylan Staatz, Tonganoxie; Zach Strawn, Wellsville; JD Woods, Lawrence; girls coach of the year Ted Zuzzio, Baldwin; girls athlete of the year Kelsey Kehl, Baldwin; and Addie Dick, Baldwin; bottom row, from left, Megan Eckman, Mill Valley; Gabby Hopkins, Mill Valley; Madeline Neufeld, Baldwin; Evann Seratte, Lawrence; Kyleigh Severa, Lawrence; and Emily Venters, Free State.

First team

Amani Bledsoe, Lawrence — Headed to Oklahoma to play football, Bledsoe won a Class 6A state title in the shot put with a throw of 52 feet, 6 inches. Bledsoe swept regional titles in the shot put and discus and won a Sunflower League championship in the shot. He was 10th in the discus at state.

Ethan Donley, Free State — Donley defended his Class 6A state championship in the 800 meters and added a title in the 1,600 (4:15.64). Donley’s best run in the 800 (1:53.53) was the 23rd-fastest time in state history. Signed to run at Kansas University, Donley won regional titles in the 800 and 1,600.

Dillion Grother, Oskaloosa — Grother capped his prep career with a Class 3A state title in the 300 hurdles (39.67). He also finished eighth in the 4×100 relay, 10th in the triple jump and 12th in the 110 hurdles. Grother won Northeast Kansas League titles in the 300 hurdles, 110 hurdles and triple jump.

Tanner Hockenbury, Free State — Saving his best runs for the end of the season, Hockenbury placed second in the 3,200 meters (9:36.07) at the Class 6A state meet and was fourth in the 1,600 (4:21.24). Hockenbury, who will run for Washburn University, won a regional title in the 3,200 and was runner-up at his regional in the 1,600.

Trey Moore, Lawrence — Moore posted two second-place finishes in the 110 and 300 hurdles at Class 6A state, along with placing third in the 4×100 relay and fifth in the 4×400. The LHS junior won a regional title in the 4×100 and was third in the 300 hurdles at his regional and the Sunflower League meet.

Brock Reed, Ottawa — Reed won a Frontier League title in the shot put and took fourth place at the Class 4A state meet. A junior, Reed’s best throw of the season (52-10) was the 10th-best in the state this year. Reed also placed third at league in the discus and finished 10th at state.

Dylan Staatz, Tonganoxie — Staatz placed fifth in the long jump, fifth in the triple jump and eighth in the high jump at Class 4A state. The Chieftains’ senior won a Kaw Valley League title in the long jump and was runner-up in the high jump.

Zach Strawn, Wellsville — A running back in football, Strawn showed off his speed by winning a Class 3A state championship in the 400 meters (49.07), the third-fastest time in the state this season. Strawn placed third in the 100 and ninth in the 200 at state after winning regional titles in both events. He will run track and play football at Dodge City CC.

JD Woods, Lawrence — For the second straight year, Woods was runner-up in the 100-meter dash at the 6A state meet. He was fourth in the 200, third in the 4×100 and fifth in the 4×400. Woods, who will play football at Missouri Western, won Sunflower League and regional titles in the 100, and he clocked the fastest time in the state at 10.66.

Honorable mention

Daniel Courtwright, Santa Fe Trail; Dakota Helm, Baldwin; LeeRoi Johnson, Tonganoxie; George Letner, Baldwin; Braden Manley, Eudora; Derek Meeks, Mill Valley; Rayneal Mitchell, De Soto; Tayvien Robinson, Lawrence; Bryce Smith, Wellsville; Michael Turner, Mill Valley; Ronald White, Free State; Simeon Windibiziri, Free State.

Girls

Athlete of the Year

Kelsey Kehl, Baldwin

Kehl ended her prep career with Class 4A state titles in the javelin and discus. In the javelin, she won with a throw of 160 feet, 8 inches, which ranks ninth in state history. Kehl added a runner-up finish in the shot put after winning regional titles in all three events. She has signed to throw for Washington State.

Coach of the Year

Ted Zuzzio, Baldwin

The Bulldogs won their fourth straight Class 4A state championship, finishing with a school-record 95.5 points.

First team

Taylor Ball, Santa Fe Trail — Ball placed fourth at the Class 4A state meet in the shot put and was seventh in the discus, leading the Chargers to 18th in the team standings. A junior, Ball won a Pioneer League title in the shot put and a regional title in the discus.

Addie Dick, Baldwin — After sweeping Frontier League and regional titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, Dick placed third at the Class 4A state meet in both events. The BHS senior helped the Bulldogs win their third straight title in the 4×800 relay.

Megan Eckman, Mill Valley — Eckman won a Class 5A state championship in the high jump, clearing 5 feet, 6 inches on her third jump to catapult past two other competitors. The junior captured Kaw Valley League and regional titles in the event.

Callie Hicks, Free State — Hicks ended her career with back-to-back Class 6A state titles in the pole vault, clearing 11 feet, 6 inches at state. Signed to compete at Kansas University, Hicks won Sunflower League and regional titles with a season-best mark of 12 feet.

Gabby Hopkins, Mill Valley — After winning KVL and regional titles in the shot put, Hopkins finished runner-up at Class 5A state. Her best throw of the season (45 feet, 2.5 inches) ranks 24th in state history.

Madeline Neufeld, Baldwin — A key member of the Bulldogs’ relays, Neufeld won state titles in the 4×400 and 4×800 running the anchor leg. The senior helped the 4×100 finish third, and she took second in the 400 meters (58.85). Neufeld won Frontier League and regional titles in the 400, 4×400 and 4×800.

Evann Seratte, Lawrence — Only a freshman, Seratte helped the Lions to a state title in the 4×400 relay (3:57.07). She placed third in the 400 meters (57.52) and was eighth in the 4×800. Seratte won a Sunflower League title in the 400 and was runner-up at her regional.

Kyleigh Severa, Lawrence — For the fourth straight season, Severa helped LHS win a state title in the 4×400 relay, running anchor at state. The Wichita State signee finished fourth at state in the 200 and seventh in the long jump. Severa was runner-up in the 200 at regionals.

Emily Venters, Free State — Venters took second at 6A state in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. The FSHS junior ran the ninth-best time in state history in the 3,200 (10:35.31) and 13th-best time (4:56.34) in the 1,600. She placed seventh at state in the 800.

Honorable mention

Alexi Adams, Oskaloosa; Alexia Anglin, Lawrence; Mia Bond, Tonganoxie; Jannell Clampitt, De Soto; Carlyn Cole, Baldwin; Gabby Collins, De Soto; Taylor Corbitt, Mill Valley; Hannah Honeyman, Santa Fe Trail; Paige McDaniel, Wellsville; Kayla Maples, Eudora; Anna Moore, McLouth; Grace Newhouse, Wellsville; Fayth Peterson, Baldwin; Sierra Staatz, Tonganoxie; Morgan Thomas, Mill Valley; Hannah Walter, Free State.