Performing the best when it counts the most
H-M-S girls have big day at state qualifying meet
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MIKE PETERSEN/SENTINEL-NEWS
Abigail Otto passes the baton to Lydia Harders during the sprint medley relay at Lawton. The Hawks' time qualified them to compete at the state meet.
The Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn girls' track and field team qualified for state in four events by virtue of their performances at the Class 1A state qualifying meet May 13 at Lawton.
Junior Jasmine Lux is part of four events that will run on the blue oval at Drake University this weekend. Lux was the champion in the 400 meter dash, setting a new school record (1:00.40); was second in the 200 meter dash (:27.95); and was part of the runner-up sprint medley team (1:54.12) and third-place 4x100 relay team (1:55.49), which all qualified for state on basis of their times.
"That was quite a day for Jasmine," said Hawk coach Nicole Dorhout. "She not only broke her own school record that she recently set in the 400 meter dash, but she was part of three other performances that also advance to state."
Other members of both relays are junior Lydia Harders, sophomore Emily Mutombo and freshman Abigail Otto. Alternates are juniors Anna Vander Veen and Emily Otto.
The sprint medley team had been one of the better H-M-S relays throughout the year, but the team knew they would need to improve even more to qualify for state.
"I thought we would need to be at least a second or two faster," Dorhout said. "As it turned out, the girls ran 4.5 seconds faster than their previous best. It was fantastic. They all got healthy at the right time and then had outstanding performances."
The same scenario played out in the 4x100, in which the team ran a huge personal-best for the year.
"Again, all the chips fell in the right places and we had a great night," Dorhout said.
Junior Madison Otto was the runner-up in the 3,000 meter run (12:18.68), although she did not qualify for state.
"Madison ran a great race," Dorhout said. "It was her best time of the year. We're really proud of what she did."
Other place winners were Vander Veen, third in the 400 meter hurdles (1:15.78); Mutombo, fourth in the 100 meter dash (:13.60); Harders, fifth in the 200 (:28.65); Emily Otto, eighth in the 100 (:14.54); and Madison Otto, eighth in the 1,500 (5:57.13).
The 4x200 relay team of Vander Veen, Harders, Emily Otto and Abigail Otto finished third (1:55.49).
The Hawks finished fourth out of 13 teams, a result of which Dorhout and assistant coach Jim Thomas were proud.
"We had a lot of struggles this year, between COVID and injuries and other things, but we are really happy with the way the girls performed at this meet," Dorhout said. "We had eight or nine personal-best performances, and that's what we want from every competitor. We want all our athletes to have their best times and distances at their last meet, whenever that is."
South O'Brien claimed the qualifying meet team title with 135 points, Gehlen Catholic was second with 120 and Lawton-Bronson was right behind in third with 118.
Finishing behind H-M-S were Remsen St. Mary's 61, Westwood 54, MMCRU 49, George-Little Rock 41, Akron-Westfield 35, River Valley 26, Siouxland Christian 13, Trinity Christian 5 and Whiting 3.
