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By Pat Dailey (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Brianna Utecht established a legacy for herself Thursday as the premier sprinter in the history of the Glendale Girls Night Out Meet.
Utecht set meet records while winning the 100 in 11.99, the 100 hurdles in 14.22 and the 200 in 24.35. The previous record of 12.09 in the 100 had stood since 2009.
“I did not expect that,” Utecht said of her trifecta. “I’m so happy about it. You never know what you can do at a meet.”
Utecht beat a star-studded field in the 100 that included Ozark’s Sydney Johnson and Branson’s Cali Essick, despite having only 10 minutes in between the finish of the 100 hurdles and the start of the 100.
Utecht wouldn’t want it any other way.
“I did that for all of the indoor season, when I did the 60-meter dash and 60 hurdles back to back. So, I’m used to it,” Utecht said. “It doesn’t affect me. It’s a good warmup for me to actually get a good race in before the 100.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE TRACK EVENTS
Utecht, Johnson and Essick finished 1-2-3 in both the 100 and 200. The three train together in the off-season under the tutelage of former Missouri State coach Ron Boyce.
“We’re all best friends,” Utecht said.
“During COVID last year, we trained together every day,” Essick said. “We get along so well that it’s made track more fun.”
“Obviously we want to compete and each of us wants to win,” Johnson said. “But we get along so great. (Utecht) has natural athletic ability and has a long stride. She also works so hard. She works all the time.”
Utecht and Johnson have been friendly rivals for six years, but will be college teammates at Wichita State. Both signed with the Shockers earlier this school year.
“One day I told Sydney, ‘I think I’m going to Wichita,’ and she said, ‘Are they good at track?’ I told her they are and that she should talk to the coach and she did,” Utecht said. “I’m so excited how it worked out. I remember sitting with my parents when she shot me a text and said she was going there. We all started screaming because we wanted her to go, too.
“We’ve been racing each other since the seventh grade,” she added. “We’ve always been each other’s biggest competition, she’d win a race and then I’d win a race. We’ve gone back and forth.”
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE FIELD EVENTS
By signing with Wichita State Utecht nearly followed the lead of her father, Brian. He was recruited to play football for the Shockers, before eventually signing with Northwest Missouri State.
“Wichita State was an in-school visit for him and an in-school visit for me. That’s a cool daddy-daughter bond for us,” Briana said. “My Dad has always been my inspiration. He’s helped me and told me what I can be. He has such a hard work ethic and I’ve learned that from him. I’ve learned that when you lose a race, you have to work even harder.”
Utecht is trying to provide the same inspiration to younger Jays and Lady Jays.
“I’ve been able to help younger athletes in Marshfield set goals for themselves and get out and work hard,” she said. “I’ve been able to help mentor them. I’m doing a track clinic next weekend for second- through sixth-graders. I’m going to help them learn about track.”
Utecht will be back at it Friday at the Pitt State Relays. She will run the 100, 100 hurdles and 400 and take part in the long jump.
Johnson breaks Ozark record
Johnson was able to take great consolation in finishing runner-up due to the fact she shattered what had been a 15-year-old Ozark record in the 100. Johnson’s 12.07 easily bettered the previous standard of 12.32, held by Callie Widel.
“I honestly didn’t expect to beat the record by that much,” Johnson said. “I’m grateful to beat it by that much and I’m excited to see how much faster I can get.”
Johnson’s personal record in the 100 was 12.45.
“All the hard work I put in in the off-season is paying off,” she said.
Johnson posted a 24.86 while placing second in the 200. She ran a leg on the Lady Tigers’ 4 x 400 relay that was first (4:13.53) and their 4 x 200 relay that was second (1:47.95).
Ozark’s Anna Hitt defended her 400 championship from two years ago by winning the 400 again in 1:00.97.
Essick gains gold in long jump
Essick was a foot short of her personal record, but still an inch better than Capital City’s Kiara Strayhorn while winning the long jump. Essick recorded an 18-3, while Strayhorn had an 18-2.
“I had a 19-3 last year and hopefully I can get 20 this year,” Essick said. “That’s a big goal. But I can get there. It will take work and time.”
Yellowjacket a mighty mite
One of the more intriguing events proved to be the high jump, where Lebanon’s Mariah Mebruer battled a field of finalists who towered over her. The 5-foot-5 Mebruer held her own by clearing 5-2 and finishing third.
Mebruer’s personal record is 5-4.
“I’ve always liked jumping,” she said. “When I play basketball everyone says, ‘Do you have springs in your calves?’”
Mebruer and the rest of the high jumpers ran and jumped directly into the wind.
“Coach says people jump better outside than inside, just like when a plane flies it has to have wind coming at it, or else it’s going to go down,” Mebruer said. “So, he thinks it helps you when the wind is coming at you.”
Ozark Conference has four winners
Rolla’s Abby Hobbs was perfect on her way to clearing what proved to a winning height of 11-0 in the pole vault.
Kickapoo’s two champions were Isabella Williams and Taylor Mayo. Williams won the shot put (36-9), while Mayo won the triple jump (36-1).
Camdenton’s Nora Powers bettered her seeded distance by nearly 17 feet en route to winning the javelin. Powers’ winning throw was 124-3. Her seeded throw was 107-9.
