Chase County’s 3200m relay team relishes their gold medal finish in the first event of the state track meet Friday morning, from left, Kora Weiss, Lucy Spady, Madison Brown and Malli McNair. (Johnson Publications photo)
The Lady Longhorn 1600m relay team clinched the runner-up team title for Chase County when it took gold in the state meet’s final event. Team members pose on the awards stand Saturday, clockwise from bottom left, Taylor Williams, Adelaide Maxwell, Mallie McNair and Jordan Jablonski. (Johnson Publications photo)
Freshman Lucy Spady went home with three medals, two of them in the open 3200 and 1600, finishing sixth and eighth, respectively. (Johnson Publications photo)
Mallie McNair is cheered on by teammates Caelyn Long, far right, and Lucy Spady in the 800. McNair took the silver and also improved on the CCS school record she holds in the event. (Johnson Publications photo)
Chloe Dillan hands off to sister Kamrie in the 400m relay, en route to a bronze medal finish with teammates Taylor Williams and Adelaide Maxwell who ran the first two legs. (Johnson Publications photo)
Adelaide Maxwell rounds the curve in the 200 meter. She finished in fifth place. (Johnson Publications photo)
Not expected to be in mix, Lady Longhorns tie for state runner-up
None of the statewide sportswriters had Chase County’s girls finishing in the top five at the Class C state track meet.
But another team effort was on display Friday and Saturday in Omaha as the Lady Longhorns finished with a tie for the runner-up trophy.
As it often does, title chances came down to the final relay of the meet, the 1600.
Chase County’s team of Taylor Williams, Adelaide Maxwell, Jordan Jablonski and Mallie McNair, by hundredths of a second, outpaced Wood River and Kearney Catholic to win.
That gave Chase County a big 10 points, pushing them into a tie for second in team standings with Kearney Catholic.
Finishing even one spot lower would have meant third place.
“There’s always a lot of drama in that last event,” said Coach Troy Hauxwell.
But that was just one of a number of close ones for Chase County in Omaha last week, said Hauxwell.
“I’m just proud of the whole team. We work hard and it’s always been a truly team effort,” he said.
While some may take that for granted, he said, “We have some resilient kids who leave it all on the track.”
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