Stephanie Croston

    It's not a complicated math problem, at least for the Seward girls' track team.
     Six champions plus nine qualifiers plus 18 medals (add nine more if the relays count four) equals one District B-3 championship.
     The Seward girls scored 119.5 points, overtaking Beatrice in the final two relays, two win the title, their first since 1985.
     "The girls had a good day," Coach Brent Jackman said. "Everyone seemed to step up well. There were very few disappointments."
     The meet came down to the 4x400-meter relay, in which the Bluejays placed second in 4:10.3. Team members and their splits were Liz Damman 1:02.4, Lisa Kozisek 1:02.6, Kinzi Roth 1:03.3 and Natasha Mueller 1:02.1. Mueller had to lean at the tape to edge the team from Fairbury, which was clocked in 4:30.31.
     "We were looking to qualify and beat Beatrice," Jackman said. "Beatrice was disqualified because one of their girls was wearing a wristband."
     Seward's distance runners again had a good day. Anna Meyer won the 3,200 meter run with a time of 11:47.4, with Kelsey Christensen placing third in 12:07.2.
     In the 1,600-meter run, Christensen outkicked her teammates for second place in 5:29.3. Meyer was third in 5:29.9, with Mueller placing fourth in 5:30.6.
     "Anna has such great leadership," Jackman said. "She has a calming effect on the younger runners. She knows how to prepare herself and she knows what the other girls are thinking."
     Damman scored the win in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:23.5, with Mueller finishing third in 2:24.5.
     "I can't say enough about our distance corps," Jackman said.
     Seward's other two relays also earned places in the state Class B field.
     The 4x100-meter team of Zoie Smetter, Kozisek, Damman and Kinzi Roth won the event in 50.7 seconds.
     "They ran an exceptional time," Jackman said, adding that Assistant Coach Jeff Luebbe has worked with the team on its technique.
     The 4x800-meter team of Christensen (2:25.4), Meyer (2:27.4), Damman (2:26.3) and Mueller (2:23.6) won with a combined time of 9:43.1.
     Seward's other qualifier on the track was Kozisek in the 200-meter dash. She placed second in 26.51 seconds, 1/100th of a second behind Gemma Pretzer of Beatrice.
     "She also ran the best leg on our 4x1," Jackman said. "She's feeling good and confident."
     The Jays finished with two champions in the field events. Keri Volnek won the pole vault, clearing 9-8. Alyssa Kamphaus was the shot put champ with a throw of 39-11.5. She was also second in the discus with a toss of 122-6.
     Jackman said Kamphaus is using a full spin in the discus ring but is still wild. She's been focusing on her first throw, trying to set a good mark "and then try to rip one off," he said.
    Boys send nine, too
     The boys' team is not without its share of state qualifiers, although the Jays were fourth in the team standings.
     Nick Bogenreif was the lone champion, winning the pole vault at 14-4.
     "We were just trying to get him to state," Jackman said.
     Bogenreif has been nursing a sore hamstring for the last couple weeks and had not competed since April.
     One of the day's surprises came in the discus, where Ryan Haskin landed a toss of 145-5, a 16-foot improvement over his previous best, and finished second. Taylor Majerus was third with a throw of 140-4.
     The 4x800-meter relay team of Grant Vlasin (2:05.0), Jacob Imig (2:07.8), Daniel Buss (2:09.5) and Tyler Hackbart (2:03.1) placed second in 8:25.1 and will compete at the state meet.
     Vlasin also earned a place in the open 800-meter run with his third-place finish in 2:04.7.
     Blaze Novak will also race at state in the 200-meter dash. He was third with a time of 22.7 and placed behind Josh Wohl and John Levorson of Crete and edged Garrett Reckling of Crete.
     Novak was the fastest qualifier in the 100-meter dash, as well, but got off to a bad start in the finals, Jackman said. He placed fifth in 11.4.
     Seward's final qualifier was Jake Suhr in the 110-meter high hurdles. Suhr was fourth in 16.0 seconds.
     "He's Coach Luebbe's pride and joy," Jackman said. "He was a clear fourth and drawing on third."
    Jackman honored
     To cap the day, Jackman was named the District B-3 Girls' Coach of the Year.
     "It's kind of nice," he said, but added that his assistant coaches deserved credit, too.
    Upcoming action
     The Jays will compete at the state meet Friday and Saturday, May 16 and 17, at Omaha Burke High School. Events start at 9 a.m. Friday with the 4x800-meter relay.