JEFFERSON CITY — Qualifying in 10 events for the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) State Track and Field Championships for Classes 1-3 over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Owensville High School track athletes under head coach Matt Candrl looked to post top-eight finishes on the Dennis and Roberta Licklider Track Complex inside Jefferson City High School’s Adkins Stadium.

Day one saw senior Emma-Lee Wehmeyer first up on the track in the Class 3 Girls 100-meter hurdles looking for a top-eight preliminary time to advance to Saturday’s finals.

Posting a season-best time of 15.25 in one of two preliminary heats, Wehmeyer advanced to Saturday’s finals with the third-fastest time.

Nearly hurdling her way to a state championship, Wehmeyer was edged by Boonville senior Effe Morris (14.39) after posting a second-place time of 15.13 which tied the OHS school record held by former All-State Dutchgirl athlete Katie Candrl.

“It felt great to tie the school record as that is what I was chasing after all season,” Wehmeyer said. “I can’t thank my coaches enough for pushing me throughout my senior season to accomplish everything I did.”

Barely an hour later, fellow senior Ariana Katsov took her turn on the track for the Dutchgirls in the Class 3 Girls 100m dash.

Snagging the eighth-and final qualifying spots for the 100m dash finals with a time of 12.64, Katsov edged the duo of St. James junior Adalee Richardson and St. Michael the Archangel freshman Wytnee Herrman who both posted times of 12.65.

During the finals Saturday morning, Katsov ended her OHS track and field career with a new personal record (PR) time of 12.60 in the Class 3 Girls 100m dash good for seventh place.

“I can’t thank everyone enough for their support from my teammates to my coaches throughout my senior season in a sport that I grew to love,” Katsov said. “I’m thankful I was able to end my career with my fastest time of the season.”

Joining Katsov on the podium in the Class 3 Girls 100m dash were Central (New Madrid County) junior (12.04), Central (NMC) sophomore Orangie Jackson (12.18), Strafford sophomore Ava Lane (12.25), STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley senior Demea Hubbard (12.30), Strafford senior Payten Coulter (12.30) and Bowling Green junior Alli Hustedde (12.58).

OHS junior Lilly Sample was the first orange and black athlete up in field events during day one competing in the Class 3 Girls High Jump.

Unable to make the opening height, Sample still finished among the top 16 girls in MSHSAA Class 3 Girls Track and Field.

“Lilly getting to state was a huge accomplishment in itself,” Candrl said. “Now knowing what the atmosphere is like, I look for her to come back stronger next spring as a senior.”

Before competing in the Class 3 Boys Pole Vault, Dutchmen senior Landon Valley was among the four orange and black athletes listed to compete in the Class 3 Boys 4x200m relay.

Running a preliminary time of 1:32.50 in the first of two heats, that time was good for 16th in the state by the Dutchmen foursome of Connor Wellman, Mason McDaniel, Charlie Katsov and Valley.

“Our guys gave it the best they could, the other teams were just faster that day,” Candrl said.

Next on the track for the Dutchgirls was the Class 3 Girls 4x100m relay.

Sprinting to a time of 51.74 in the first of two preliminary heats, that was good for 16th place in the state by the Dutchgirl foursome of Brianna Bodine, Violet Lavalle, Wehmeyer and Katsov.

“Those girls worked hard to get to the state meet, there was just a lot of teams faster than them that day,” Candrl said.

Even though he only cleared two bars, it was enough for Valley to earn All-State honors in the Class 3 Boys Pole Vault.

Clearing 3.65 and 3.80 meters on his first attempt, Valley then went out at 3.95 meters after missing all three attempts at that height.

Also going out at the height with Valley was Springfield Catholic senior Maximillian Clotfelter, Lawson sophomore Quinten Florea and Fair Grove sophomore Miller Bettis.

The difference between those three and Valley was that they had a miss at either of the first two heights while Valley was clean.

That gave the Dutchmen senior All-State honors placing eighth in the Class 3 Boys Pole Vault.

“Being clean early proved to be the difference for Valley being on the podium and not.” Candrl said. “It was great to see him end his career on the medal stand with all of the work he put in.”

Capping day one on the track for Owensville was junior Zach Holtmeyer in the Class 3 Boys 3200m run.

Hovering in the top eight for the first half of the race amongst a competitive field, Holtmeyer was caught in the second half of the 3200m run before settling for 10th place in a time of 9:42.19.

That time was good enough the break the OHS school record of 9:50.17 previously held by Carter Brocato from back at the 2017 MSHSAA Class 3 State Track and Field Championships.

Holtmeyer came back Saturday looking for redemption in the Class 3 Boys 1600m run after just missing the medal stand the day before.

Unable to get out of the top 10 throughout the race, Holtmeyer once again posted a 10th-place time of 4:24.30 in the Class 3 Boys 1600m run.

That time also broke Brocato’s previous school record of 4:24.30 from the 2016 MSHSAA State Track and Field Championships.

“Although Zach did not get on the medal stand, breaking two school record in two days was an awesome accomplishment,” Candrl said. “Those records he broke were previously held by a pretty solid distance runner in Carter Brocato.”