Nebraska’s favorite weekend for high school is upon us and I’m not talking about prom or graduation. Linda and I were at the first day of Track & Field Champs at Burke and more on that to come.
State Championships in track, soccer, baseball and tennis. People pouring into Omaha from all over the state, extended families from out of state, alum, friends and fans from everywhere. A great sporting week in the Big O.
We got to see Sam Runde race. Anchor leg for the Burke 3200 meter relay. He gave it his all running a new pr of 1:59.08. Passed 4 teams to put the Bulldogs at 7th, putting medals around his mates’ necks. Fell out at the finish line, I expected exactly that. Puked for a half hour afterwards, not surprised there either.
Sam got screwed out of running the state mile champs. His 4:24 and trajectory had him as a solid top 3 in my professional opinion. The most important race of the year for those lined up. How Sam was able to run the 3200 Relay but not his specialty will forever be my greatest disappointment in Nebraska, and that is saying something!
Fremont showed they are the class of Nebraska’s distance relays. Utterly dominated the 3200 relay, boys and girls in 9:19.73/7:53.03 respectively.
Gabe Hinrichs (8:59.66) of Elkhorn South outlasted Lincoln Northstar’s Liem Chot (9:03.66) and Daniel Romary (9:04.37) of Northeast for the 3200 title.
Fremont’s Elli Dahl (10:47.65) ran the perfect tactical race trailing state leader, Pl South’s Kaylie Crews (10:50.61) until the last lap before making her decisive move. Hannah Godwin of Kearney took bronze in 11:03.41. Finishing 8th overall was Elli’s younger sister Maris Dahl (11:36.01).
Kat Beachler had the performance of the day in my opinion. Representing Millard North Mustangs, the freshman made a big statement on the future of the shot put. I watched as she threw her warm ups, noted to Linda she may have been the only one to not have a foul during those. Perfect form too but only tossing in the 33′ range, a full 6-7′ behind the others. But when it mattered her first throw of 41′ 6″ would stand up to the competition for Silver. Striking to me was her relative size status, her competitors towering over her. Kat’s mom Lisa Charles with a special connection to Linda and me.
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