Unified track and field athletes left Blair High School through a tunnel of supportive classmates Thursday and ended an afternoon of competition on the NSAA State Track and Field Championships podium.
“Even during finals they made time for that,” coach Monica Maly said of the send off, which also included a police and fire department escort out of town.
The Bears and their fellow Unified athletes from Fort Calhoun secured top finishes across the shot put, long jump, 100-meter dash and 400 relay events at Omaha Burke Stadium on Thursday. BHS' Riley Yanak and Keenan Wyman produced the best combined state result, earning second in the 100 meter dash. Wyman set a personal record in 11.87 seconds, while Yanak clocked in at 12.52.
“I was so proud of them,” Maly said. “They gave it their all.”
Jaden Rogge (35 feet, 8 inches) and Cornez Tucker Jr. (40-6.75) combined for third in the boys' shot put, too, while the Bears' 400 relay team of Wyman, Caden Finken, AJ Damme and Yanak clocked in at 50.58 seconds for fourth.
Blair's Jess Hineman and Elizabeth Bray produced shot put attempts of 23-2 and 23-3, respectively, for fifth in the girls' event, while Fort Calhoun throwers Will Maxon and Colton Miles secured a sixth-place boys finish. The Pioneers' best efforts were 29-10.5 and 40-7.
Maxon also earned a sixth-place finish with Gavin Welchert in the long jump. He jumped 12 feet, 11 inches, while Welchert covered 19-3 with his best attempt.
Lastly, in girls' shot put, FCHS' Reilly Rauterkus and Samantha Thomas earned seventh. Thomas' best attempt covered 24-10.75, while Rauterkus' traveled 19-11.5.
“It was an awesome day,” said Maly, BHS' coach. “How they set it up for the Unified kids was great.”
