The Hillcrest Invitational is known as a meet for big schools, but Class 3 Reeds Spring proved it will be a force in the sprint events this season.
Seniors Ransom Allphin and Korey Robinette won the 110-meter hurdles and 100-meter dash back-to-back on Friday.
Allphin started off finals with a too-close-to call win in a time of 15.05 seconds.
“I thought my lean was a little bit better, but I was not sure at all,” Allphin said.
It was just enough to edge out Blue Springs South’s Evan Fitzmaurice, Houston’s Trenton Best and Kickapoo’s Adrian Davis. The three crossed the line in times of 15.07, 15.10 and 15.11 to put the top four runners all within six one-hundreths of a second of each other.
Even with the win, Allphin knows there is room for improvement in his time.
“There is a lot in my race that I need to work on, but it gives me some confidence that I am doing well,” Allphin said.
In the next event, Robinette got into the blocks and took the drama out of the race as he won in a time of 10.73. Waynesville’s Xavier Taylor was second in 10.82 followed closely by Carl Junction’s Sam Repsher (10.87) and Camdenton’s Jacob Hill (10.89). Republic’s Destin Owen also broke the 11-second barrier with a 10.99 making the race one of the fastest that will be run in Southwest Missouri all season.
Robinette has gotten off to a strong start thanks to a change in his offseason program.
“It has just been starting early. My freshman through my junior year we had offseason football so I couldn’t get out of the weight room and run a lot,” Robinette said. “This year they don’t let seniors do it. Me (and my teammates) as soon as winter hit we started our preseason workouts and we would run every day and that is what has really helped me.”
Allphin and Robinette combined with Colter Whitten and Kenan Haynes to finish fifth in the 400-meter relay.
The team atmosphere only helps to push each runner to new heights.
“I have been blessed with the greatest athletes on my team. Practice every day is a competition. We aren’t supposed to, but we always compete at practice,” Robinette said.
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Riddle continues strong start
Webb City’s Ryan Riddle picked up two more statement wins on Friday by sweeping the 1600 and 3200-meter runs.
It wasn’t only that he won the 1600, but he led wire-to-wire in a race featuring a deep field.
“That was the plan to take out hard. I like leading from the front and that is what I tried to do,” Riddle said. “It is definitely hard (to run from the front) because you can never see anybody, but I have done it a lot throughout the year so that is just what I am just used to.”
He crossed the line in a time of 4:18.40. Glendale’s Luke Miller was just behind with a 4:19.22.
“It was a decent time. I thought I went a little slow through 800. I decided to switch it up and just try to win it this time,” Riddle said.
The win added to a big head-to-head victory over multi-time Springfield Catholic state champion Stephen Kielhofner a week prior.
“It definitely makes (my confidence) go up even higher,” Riddle said. “It all started last week when I beat (Catholic’s) Stephen Kielhofner. (He is) elite competition. I tried to carry that over to this race.”
Riddle’s strong day continued in the 3200 where he beat the aforementioned Kielhofner by four seconds in a time of 9:23.07. Kielhofner finished with a 9:27.28.
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Berry sets personal best to win shot put
Lebanon junior John Berry is not your typical thrower. It is not uncommon for linemen to cross over for the football field to the throwing circles, but Berry, a running back, is showing that skill position players can compete too.
Berry was sitting outside of first place going into his third throw. He then he unleashed a personal-best throw of 52’06.5.
“I wasn’t throwing my elbow as much on my first two throws, so my coach said just to throw my elbow with it. I did on my third one and (it went) 52’6,” Berry said.
The things that make him one of the area’s best running backs also make him one of the area’s best throwers: his legs.
“I have really strong legs. The more explosive you are will translate to any sport,” Berry said.
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Other notable performances
– Carl Junction’s sprint relays swept the 400 and 800-meter relays. The quartet of Joe Kenned, Weston Wendt, Sam Repsher and Lucas Berliew posted a 42.60 in the 400-meter relay and a 1:29.35 in the 800-meter relay. Wendt, the area’s fastest returning 200-meter runner, capped off his night with win in the event with a time of 22.38
– West Plains’ Ben Stasney was one of two runners to break the two-minute barrier in the 800, as he won the event with a time of 1:58.25.
– Parkview’s Marcus Walton cleared 6’6 and won the high jump on his home track.
