By Josh Hall
CAMDENTON, Mo. – Ashlynn Vanatter has had plenty of success on the track throughout her high-school career.
But the Dora senior is hoping the best is yet to come.
After winning the 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes on Saturday at the Class 1 Sectional 2 meet at Bob Shore Stadium in Camdenton, Vanatter will once again look to sweep those same events at the state meet in Jefferson City next week.
SEE PICTURES FROM SATURDAY’S CLASS 1 SECTIONAL 2 MEET
“I’ve been there,” Vanatter said. “I know what it feels like. I know what the nerves feel like. I’m going to try not to let them get to me, go out there and have fun.”
Vanatter, a Missouri Southern signee, has been on the stage – three times.
She swept the 100, 200 and 400 as a sophomore, before earning golds in the 200 and 400 last year. She took home a bronze in the 100 as a junior.
“I just want to go out there and run a personal best in all my races,” Vanatter said shortly after a dominating performance in the 400.
While she didn’t run her best time, Vanatter feels like she is right where she needs to be, time-wise, in the 400 – her strongest event.
Vanatter finished the race in 59.94, while the second-place finisher came in at 1:04.35. Vanatter ran a 13.01 in the 100 and a 26.22 in the 200.
“I felt really good about (the 400),” she said. “The whole time I was running it, I felt really strong. I thought it was a really good race all-around. Going into state, I’m really comfortable running that time. I think it’s going to continue to improve.”
Vanatter wants to enjoy her final meet of her prep career, but she is also eyeing a Class 1 state record in the 400. Heather Jones set the mark of 56.70 in 1988.
Vanatter isn’t ruling anything out.
“I feel like if I can go into the first day running a 58, 57, I’m in reach,” she said.
Vanatter wasn’t the only athlete that earned golds in three events.
Liberal senior Alexys Barton accomplished the feat in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200. Like Vanatter, Barton won the races in deciding fashion.
The Kansas commit went 2:26 in the 800, 5:27 in the 1,600 and 12:38.66 in the 3,200.
Barton, who has earned five silver medals at the state meet throughout her high-school career, will go into the contest without some familiar competition. New Covenant and its senior standout Clare Workman are moving up a Class this season. Barton has finished as a runner up-to Workman in the three distance races on five occasions.
“I was excited, but I was also a little sad to see her go,” Barton said after running the 1,600. “We’ve raced since middle school.”
Barton said she hopes to run a sub-five minute mile next week in Jefferson City.
“I’d like to see what I could do with that five,” she said.
OTHER STRONG PERFORMANCES
Lockwood senior Brady Waters took golds in the high jump (6-foot-4), and triple jump (42-01.00). He was fourth in the long jump.
Waters was especially excited about his performance in the high jump.
“I haven’t been able to clear 6’4 since my sophomore year,” Waters said “In the past two meets, I’ve got it.”
Humansville senior Dustin Shoemaker earned first-place finishes in the 1,600 (4:38.91) and 3,200 (10:29.57), while Dexel senior Joey Jacobs was also a double winner in the discus (154’11) and shot put (44-00.50).
Rich Hill’s 1×100 and 1×200-meter relay teams consisting of Jordan Bolser, Jacob Querry, Jason Courter and Aadin Humble earned two golds.
The School of the Ozarks Lady Patriots also had successful relay teams. Their squads in the 4×100, 4×200 and 4×400 all earned first-place finishes.
