Tuesday, June 17, 2025
St. John’s Blujays qualifiers competed at the 2025 KSHSAA State Track and Field Championships on May 30-31, at the Cessna Stadium in Wichita.
The girls 4x800m relay team of Christiana Niewald, Myla Holdren, Olivia Tighe, and Lynelle Gengler placed themselves on the State podium with a seventh place time of 10:22.21. Surrounding county Osborne team of Ryah Bertuccelli, Kate Kendig, Leavie Riner, and Addison Poore, won the Championship with a time of 9:49.98. Rock Hills team of Bethany Simmelink, Halle Mizner, Alivia Lindberg and Meili Ost, placed sixth with a time of 10:20.66.
Other girls placings were:
Junior, Lynelle Gengler, placed 10th in the 800m run with a time of 2:28.44. Senior, Kylie Stapleton of South Gray, won the Championship with a time of 2:16.44.
Sophomore Christiana Niewald placed 13th in the 1600m run with a time of 5:49.17. Junior, Avery Boydston of Ellis, won the Championship with a time of 1:13.69.
On the boys side, the St. John’s boys team placed fifth overall as a team with 25 points.
Junior, Edward Horinek, took the State Championship in the triple jump with a distance of 45’ 9.50”
Horinek placed seventh in the long jump for a place on the State podium with a distance of 20’ 0.25. Senior Brandon Schmelzie of Axtell won the event at 22’ 3.75”.
Senior, Tyson Gates placed fifth in the 110m hurdles with a time of 15.91. Junior, Landon Schmitz won the championship at 15.11. Gates placed eighth in the 300m hurdles with a time of 43.72. Schmitz also won the championship with a time of 39.36.
Other boys placings were:
The boys 4 x 400m Relay of Nicholas Niewald, Edward Horinek, Cadyn Brummer, and Henry Holdren, placed third with a time of 3:32.06. Axtell team won the championship at 3:27.33.
The boys 4 x 100m Relay of Tyson Gates, Henry Holdren, Cadyn Brummer, and Edward Horinek placed 10th with a time of 45.47. Axtell won the championship at 43.79. Rock Hills team of Isaiah Ridgeway, Camden Ward, Cooper McDill, and Nate Meyers placed ninth at 45.38.
The boys 4 x 800m Relay of Henry Holdren, Jonas Letourneau, Gabriel Roderick, and Nicholas Niewald placed ninth with a time of 8:33.12. Axtell team won the championship at 8:11.23.
