The South Callaway Lady Bulldogs track and field team possesses the numbers again to pursue a top finish in Class 2.
South Callaway collectively qualified in 15 events - eight in the girls' division and seven on the boys' side - for the Class 2 state championships, while both squads produced second-place finishes in Saturday's Sectional 2 championships at Jefferson City High School.
The top four sectional finishers in each event will move on to Friday and Saturday's Class 2 state championships at Lincoln University's Dwight T. Reed Stadium in Jefferson City.
The South Callaway teams made the state meet in a remarkable 23 events combined in 2014, with the Lady Bulldogs emerging with a fourth-place finish in Class 2. Both squads qualified in 17 total events in 2013 as the Lady Bulldogs took sixth in the state.
Senior Hannah Oberdiek will get the chance to defend her state title in the girls' long jump after prevailing in Saturday's sectional with a distance of 17 feet, 7 3/4 inches. Oberdiek will be joined in the event at state by fellow senior Sarah Jennings, who advanced with her second-place finish (16-4 1/2).
Jennings qualified for state in four events and Oberdiek in three. The pair teamed with freshman Adrian Mann and senior Alexis Wetherell to win the 400-meter relay in 51.18 seconds. Oberdiek was also part of the 800 relay - along with Mann, Wetherell and freshman Ashley Potter - that was victorious in 1:50.11.
Jennings triumphed in the triple jump at 34-11 1/2 and finished fourth in the high jump (4-10).
Senior Kailey Brooks was a dual qualifier, advancing with her victory in the 100 hurdles (:17.12) and third-place finish in the 300 hurdles (:50.99). Mann also qualified by coming in third in the 800 (2:31.61).
The Lady Bulldogs finished second with 86 points. Father Tolton clinched the girls' sectional team title with 119 points.
Senior Mason Shoemaker topped the Bulldogs by making the state championships in four events. Shoemaker won the boys' 100 in :11.19 and finished second in the 200 (:22.85).
He joined junior Ajay Cave, freshman Kaden Helsel and senior Cory Hanger in taking second in the 400 relay (:45.21). Shoemaker was also a member of the 800 relay - along with Cave, Hanger and senior Dylan Hare - that placed second (1:34.66).
South Callaway's 1,600 relay of senior Terry Miles, junior Brandon Ward, freshman Austin Meyer and Hanger moved on to state by winning in 3:37.57. Hanger and Miles both qualified with respective second-place finishes in the 400 (:52.13) and 800 (2:06.63).
The Bulldogs tallied 73 points to take second. Bourbon secured the boys' sectional team championship with 99 points.
Sophomore Zain Culwell was New Bloomfield's only state qualifier, finishing third in the boys' long jump (19-0 1/2). The Wildcats were 14th as a team with 16 points, while the Lady Wildcats came in 19th with eight.