O'Neill Area Junior High Athletes Compete At State Meet

Photos courtesy of Micheal Peterson

Junior high athletes from O'Neill competed in the 2016 Nebraska Championship Meet in Gothenburg Saturday.

Students from both O'Neill Junior High and O'Neill St. Mary's had strong showings. A total of 11 competitors performed in the all-class meet. The event is a relatively new event, being only seven years old.

Of the top performers on the girls side, the 4x100 meter relay team from O'Neill was as impressive as any. The team of Blair Gutshall, Meg Schluns, Alyssa Eichelberger, and Taya Rainforth earned gold, besting 17 other teams with a time of 53.08.

On the boys side, Kolby Dean had the best individual performance for O'Neill, finishing sixth in the pole vault. Dean was also a member of the 4x400 meter relay team that broke the previous school record with a time of 3:56.04. Other members of the relay team were Turner Jussel, Michael Poese, and Juan Zapata.

If the performances Saturday were any indication, the future of track in Holt County is set to be an exciting one.

Girls Team Results
T10. O'Neill, 20

Girls Individual Results
Girls 100 Meter Dash
10. Blair Gutshall, O'Neill, 13.53

Girls 800 Meter Run
15. Faith Williamson, O'Neill St. Mary's, 2:38.21

Girls 100 Meter Hurdles
6. Taya Rainforth, O'Neill, 16.94
13. Blair Gutshall, O'Neill, 17.85

Girls 200 Meter Hurdles
6. Taya Rainforth, O'Neill, 31.51

Girls 4x100 Meter Relay
1. O'Neill, Blair Gusthall, Meg Schluns, Alyssa Eichelberger, Taya Rainforth, 53.08 

Girls High Jump
T15. Abby Everitt, O'Neill St. Mary's, 4'7"

Boys Team Results
​T46. O'Neill, 3

Boys Individual Results
Boys 400 Meter Dash
13. Michael Poese, O'Neill, 56.70

Boys 4x400 Meter Relay
12. O'Neill, Kolby Dean, Turner Jussel, Michael Poese, Juan Zapata, 3:56.04 *New School Record

Boys Pole Vault
6. Kolby Dean, O'Neill, 10'4"
T9. Michael Poese, O'Neill, 9'10"

Boys Discus Throw
13. Riley Davis, O'Neill, 127'2"