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Bison girls start better at opening UNK Indoor invite
KEARNEY, Neb. — Good news! There weren’t any downers or drop-offs for the dozen McCook High girls competing at Friday’s UNK Indoor Invitational.
In fact, several Bison hit career bests with junior Emma Cappel blazing to second place among all Class A/B 1600-meter runners.
Senior Paige Bortner took third in the 400 meters while dropping a second off her 2024 time at this same season-opening invite.
“That’s very good on an indoor track,” coach Brent May confirmed.
Senior sprinter Lacyn Keller dashed to top five places in both the 60 and 200 meters.
Coach May provided more details about the McCook girls’ 2025 debut.
“UNK was a good meet for us, we took 12 girls and everyone performed as well as they did a year ago around this time or better.
Highlights were Paige Bortner getting third in the 400 and running a second faster than UNK last year.
Lacyn Keller getting fifth in the 60 meters and then coming back in the 200 to get third. Emma Cappel had an amazing race in the 1600 to get second and run within seven seconds of her best ever 1600 outdoor.
Rounding out the meet with Jaylea Walgren fifth in the 60 hurdles and Leni Henderson sixth n the pole vault.
Our long jumper and high jumpers had very good marks just out of the medals, as well as our running events.”
The McCook girls and boys now get ready for their first outdoor competition in 2025.
Both will travel to the Aurora Invitational on Friday where temperatures are expected to climb comfortably above 70 degrees — though expect some not-so-gentle early-spring Nebraska breeeeeze.
Opening events are set for 1 p.m.
Looking forward to a great day at Aurora Friday,” May concluded. The weather looks windy but the best temperature we have had there.”
KEARNEY, Neb. — All the McCook High girls top placers from UNK on Friday.
60 meters: 6. Lacyn Keller, 8.24 (PR); 16. Malia Hilker 8.67; 1. M. Kociemba, Kearney, 8.0. 200: 3. Lacyn Keller 28.38; 1. M. Trausch, Adams Central, 27.23. 400: 3. Paige Bortner 1:01.28; 1. S. Rasby, Ogallala, 59.5; 800: 8. Brecken Gale, 2:35. 47 (PR); 10. Cali Crawford 2:43.21 (PR); 1. S. Reynolds, Hastings, 2:22.42; 1600: 2. Emma Cappel 5:32.54; 1. 1. A. Burger, Kearney, 5:23.16.
60-hurdles: 5. Jaylea Walgren 10.05 (PR); 1. A. Krafka, Northwest, 9.14.
High jump: 8. Haleigha Beavers 4’10” (PR); 13. Jaylea Walgren 4’8”; 1. K. Land, Minden, 5’4”. Pole vault: 6. Leni Henderson 9’6”; 12. Maryann Kassner-Macfee 8’; 1. A. Krafka, Northwest, 11’6”.
Long jump: 7. Aspen Hazlitt 16’2 1/2” (PR); 9. Malia Hilker 15’11 1/2” (PR); 1. K. Ray, Northwest, 18’1”. Triple jump: 14. Kenzie Michaelis 28’11” (PR); 1. S. Glandt, Kearney, 35’4”.