Longhorn girls tie for Class C runners up

    The Chase County girls track team has made winning state titles look easy.
    This year’s squad showed just how difficult it is to win state. Despite things not falling into place as they have in the last two years, the Longhorn still brought home a trophy from Omaha proclaiming them Class C state runners up after tying for second with Kearney Catholic.
    Nothing is guaranteed in the post season, Head Coach Troy Hauxwell said. The stars would surely agree after seeing freshman Hazel Haarberg go down with an injury. With her healthy, KC would most likely have cruised to a state title and left CCS to duke it out with 2023 state champion Bishop Neumann for runner up. Or would KC take away enough points for the Longhorns to take sole possession of second place?
    Hauxwell said he’s analyzed everything that went into this year’s state meet, thinking about the what ifs and what could have beens.
    But with a large group of young athletes on the team, CCS will enjoy its new trophy.
    Senior Bryn McNair closed out her track career with four more state medals. She finished in a three way tie for second place in the high jump and placed second in the 400-meter dash behind Sutherland’s Story Rasby.
    After finishing as state runner up in the 800 for the last two years, B. McNair ran her best time ever, set a new school record in the race and finished fifth. Wakefield’s Jordan Metzler set a new Class C state record with a time of 2:14.35, while B. McNair’s new record is 2:16.33.
    The Longhorns 1,600-meter relay, run by Peyton Owens, Olivia Spady, Riley Rusher and anchored by B. McNair, finished second for the second year in a row behind Hartington Cedar Catholic and set a new school record with a time of 4:03.79.
    CCS entered the race with a shot to secure the team title if the Longhorns could win and Bishop Neumann finished fourth at best. While Chase County placed second in the relay, Bishop Neumann was third clinching BN the Class C team title.
    The 3,200-meter relay team, O. Spady, Miranda Spady, Landree McNair and Ashlyn Heermann, surprised everyone with a win to start off running events.
    Hauxwell said he wouldn’t have believed heading into state that the 3,200-meter relay would be his teams only first place finish and other schools were shocked by the win.
    Coaches commented on the Longhorns’ win while noting the team’s best 800 runner, B. McNair, was “still in the bullpen,” Hauxwell said.
    O. Spady held her own from the start, Hauxwell said, and, despite a funky handoff, M. Spady took the lead. L. McNair was able to increase that lead and Heermann had more than enough in her tank to easily hold off Hastings St. Cecilia.
    Other team points came from Kaylie Lotspeich who placed sixth in the discus and Ali McNair’s eighth place finish in the pole vault.
    The SPVA conference placed three in the top six of discus. Despite throwing in the second flight, Lotspeich was fifth going into finals with a throw of 132’1” on her second attempt in prelims, which was also a personal best.
    A. McNair cleared her first two heights with no misses and missed once at 9’6” to secure team points for the Longhorns.
    In other events, Riley Rusher finished with a time of 13.16 in the 100-meter dash prelims, Owens ran 49.66 in the prelims of the 300-meter hurdles, Landree McNair cleared 4’10” in the high jump and had a personal best time of 5:45.91 in the 1,600, and Katelyn Stamm jumped 32’10.25 in the triple jump.
    The 400-meter relay team of Hayley Rusher, Ella Colson, A. McNair and R. Rusher, were disqualified on a questionable ruling for one of their handoffs.
    Hauxwell said the relay knew they’d have to be aggressive if they wanted to place from the slow heat. With three first time state participants running, the group was quick to take off for each of their handoffs.
    Overall, Hauxwell said his team has a lot to be thankful for.
    Class C, with 87 teams, is the toughest class to compete in, he added, and it will be interesting to see where the Longhorns fall next year.
    For now, Hauxwell said the boys’ championship and girls runner up finish are good for the community, as is the character and integrity he sees from his athletes on a daily basis.