By Lonnel Cole, Argus Sports
Although the host school, Lutheran North from North County produced big winners in both the girls and boys division with sprinters Genesis Garner and Michael Clark, it was the Midtown schools and individuals who produced a bountiful amount of winners and high finishers in the district championships in Class 2 and Class 3 last weekend, as the postseason of state-qualifying meets officially got underway.
“It’s an outstanding day when you can sweep all of the field events and have Lucy (Luetkemeyer) win her two distance races in the girls division ,” beamed Metro’s head coach Keith Custis. “It was a great day. It’s actually kind of surreal.”
Luetkemeyer won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, in fact, with teammates taking second place in both instances, as Ella Berg secured second in the 1,600 meters and Rowan Erhard finished second in the 3,200 meters. But Luetkemeyer’s time of just over 5 minutes 44 seconds in the 1,600 meters more than 17 whole seconds ahead of Berg and her time of 12:05 was more than 50 seconds ahead of Erhard and the rest of the field in the 3,200. Befitting a distance runner’s strategy, though, Luetkemeyer indicated she just tries to run the best splits, or laps, she can to keep the edge.
By contrast, the sprinters at meets, are on a whole different fast and furious mindset. Garner of Lutheran North won her 100 meters heat in 11.95, comfortably ahead of Natavia Woods of McKinley Classical (12.71) and Ashton Brooks (12.79) of Rosati Kain. She came back to double her pleasure by winning the 200 meters in 24.41, ahead of Brooks (26.79), Gabrielle Williams of Whitfield and Danielle Warren also of Rosati Kain, a Midtown school. All four finishers from that event and every event advanced to the sectional rounds in Dexter, Missouri this weekend. In assessing her 200 meters victory, Garner said getting aggressive at the curve is also a key.
“The key was to get out and eat up the curve as fast as I could,” explained Garner. “From there I just had to power my arms down the straight-away.”
‘Power’ is an aspect her classmate and boys sprint sensation Michael Clark has been exhibiting for four years now, during his state medal-winning career. In fact, one of his biggest concerns is merely staying injury-free during the postseason. He captured both the 200 meters (21.46 ) and 400 meters (48.92) with teammate Cameron Oliver grabbing second place in the races. For good measure , Clark has ran in the relays, where Lutheran North’s boys team took second in the 4×200 and won the 4×400 meter relays.
“It’s all about getting through and training right,” said Clark after his 200-meter victory. “I know I have the speed. I just have to do the best to execute my race and be a dog.”
The other high-profile boys sprint race of the day, the 100-meter dash went to Cardinal Ritter’s Manny Ellis, a prolific running back in football headed for Indiana State to play. But before then he has his sights set on a state championship, or two, in track and field. To that end, Ellis won the 100 meters in 10.6, ahead of a field, which included teammate Ryan McDavis who took third place behind Ellis and Elijah Freeman of Bayless . Cardinal Ritter’s boys won the 4×200 meter relay. Cardinal Ritter’s girls were at a separate meet at Ladue.
Meanwhile back at Lutheran North, Metro’s girls team had a veritable roll call of winners alongside Luetkemeyer :Jersey Douglass in the long jump and triple jump, Kenley Bohler in the high jump, Lucy Divis and Tessa Link in throwing events and the 4×800 meter relay unit. Divis won the discus and javelin throws, with Link finishing second, while Link won the shot put with Divis grabbing second place.
For up-and-coming Rosati Kain, under veteran coach Symantha Betts in her first season with the program, second place or advancing marks some semblance of progress from the earlier part of the season. At a Cardinal Ritter invitational a few weeks ago, both Brooks and Warren had experienced such cramping and pain, they didn’t look like candidates to advance in the postseason. Fast forward to the postseason: Brooks has qualified in the 200 and 400, while Warren has advanced with her in the 400 meters.
“I told you we would be much better,” said Betts, who’s been coaching since 1999 because of her “love of the sport.” Betts acknowledged that next season will be much better in terms of advancing more athletes and she will do it with girls who are already in the building, not someone else she will have to lure to the all-girls school on Lindell Boulevard.
“I don’t recruit talent. I make it,” she said proudly.
Photos left to right: Lutheran North sprinter Genesis Garner won the 100 and 200 meters and finished second to Ellen Hunigan of Whitfield in the 400 meters. Ashton Brooks and Danelle Warren (center ) of Rosati Kain advanced to the next round in that same 400 meters race in Class 2 girls, while Brooks finished second to Garner in the 200 to qualify for the next round of that race also, this weekend in Dexter, Missouri. Likewise, Lutheran North’s Michael Clark will also be in the sectionals at Dexter, as a district champion in the 200 and 400 meters and as a member of the Crusaders’ relay teams. Photos courtesy of Lutheran North and Rosati Kain coaches.
