By ERIC MEYER
and DELBERT PETERS

Staff writers

Marion County students captured nine medals Friday and Saturday at the state track meet in Wichita.

Campbell Winter of Marion was the highest finisher, capturing a tie for fourth place in pole vault after a disappointing finish in the 300-meter hurdles preliminaries, when he caught his trail leg and fell.

The opening height was set at 11 feet, and seven of 16 competitors were unable to clear that height.

With a successful vault on his first attempt at 11 feet 6 inches, Winter secured a medal as four more vaulters were unable to clear that height.

Heidi Grimmett of Marion was a double medalist, finishing fifth in the 1,600-meter run and sixth in the 800-meter run.

“Class 2A had some great runners in the distance races this year, and Heidi proved to be one of the top,” Marion coach Grant Thierolf said. “A great way to end a stellar career, fighting to the finish like the Warrior she is.”

Thierolf also praised Winter for finishing his preliminary race despite falling.

“That just shows the character of a great young man,” he said.

Cheyenne Sawyer paced the girls’ team for Goessel, picking up three medals — eighth in the 100-meter hurdles and sixth in the 300-meter hurdles plus being part of Goessel’s fifth-place team in the 4x100-meter relay team.

Other relay members were Aimee Funk, Abbigail Funk, and Logan Bryant. The relay team had shaky hand-off in qualifiers Friday, barely making it to finals, but moved up three spots after improving hand-offs Saturday.

For the Goessel boys, Grant Bryant medaled by finishing sixth in the 110-meter hurdles.

He also was the lead runner in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays for the Bluebirds. In the 4x400 relay, including Jacob Schrag, Skyler Wuest, and Dylan Riley, finished fifth. The 4x100, with Wuest, Joey Lapp and Kacen Smith, finished seventh.

“It was a great weekend,” Goessel coach Curtis Guhr said. “The kids competed well, and it was awesome to take the most kids to state that I can remember.”

Hillsboro celebrated two medals for senior Emersyn Funk, who placed fifth in the 3,200-meter run and seventh in the 1,600-meter run.

Wenxi Funk earned sixth in both the 100-meter and 400-meter wheelchair races.