MOKANE - The New Bloomfield Wildcats track and field team won six events and qualified for state in 13 overall while securing its first-ever Class 2, Sectional 2 title Saturday.
Senior Clay Walker triumphed in both the 100 and 200 meters, and was also part of the victorious 800 and 1,600 relays as the New Bloomfield boys easily collected the Sectional 2 championship with 118 points. Crocker was a distant second with 83 points.
South Callaway advanced to state in eight events, tying for third place with Licking.
In the girls' division, South Callaway moved on to state in seven events and took fourth place overall. New Bloomfield qualified for state in four events and came in 10th as a team.
The top four sectional finishers in each event advanced to the Class 2 state championships, set for Friday and Saturday at Jefferson City High School's Adkins Stadium.
Walker won the 100 and 200 on Saturday with respective times of 11.32 and 22.71 seconds. He teamed with fellow seniors Jak Kitchens and Cole Hazelhorst, and junior Bailey Crane to finish first in the 800 relay in 1:33.03.
Walker, Kitchens, Crane and senior Payton Culwell prevailed in the 1,600 relay in 3:30.84.
Culwell was first in the 400 in :51.01 and came in second in the javelin (144 feet, 8 inches). Freshman Kaleb Brandt was victorious in the shot put at 42-5 1/2 and took third in the discus (127-10).
Sophomore Easton Ambler was second in the 110 hurdles (:16.71) and fourth in the 300 hurdles (:44.73) for New Bloomfield, while freshman Caleb Distler took second in the 3,200 (10:52.49). Junior Aliczander Nikonowicz finished third in the 300 hurdles (:44.43).
Crane, Distler and Culwell joined with senior Kyle Emerson to place second in the 3,200 relay (8:44.44). The Wildcats' 400 relay of Kitchens, Nikonowicz, Hazelhorst and senior Austin Carrier came in fourth (:46.50).
Senior Kaden Helsel triumphed in the long jump at 21-4 1/2 and junior Wyatt Hager won the pole vault at 13-6 as the South Callaway boys logged 68 points. Hager also finished fourth in the javelin (138-10).
Helsel collaborated with seniors Logan Brewer and Austin Meyer, and sophomore Noah Reece to take second in the 400 relay (:45.55). Senior Landon Horstman was second in the triple jump (42-3/4), while senior Hunter Schroer came in fourth in the discus (122-0) and senior Logan Jacobs placed fourth in the shot (39-3 1/2).
The Bulldogs' 800 relay of Reece, Brewer and freshmen Hunter Martin-Hay and Hayden Vaught finished third (1:34.52).
Senior Adrian Mann took second in the 300 hurdles (:49.05) and was third in the 100 hurdles (:16.77) as the South Callaway girls tallied 57.5 points. Mann teamed with seniors Ashley Potter and Kaci Jordan, and freshman Paige Clubb to come in third in the 800 relay (1:54.96).
Clubb placed second in the 200 (:27.39), freshman DeLaney Horstman finished second in the pole vault (8-6), and Jordan was fourth in the triple jump (32-9 3/4). The Lady Bulldogs' 400 relay of Potter, Jordan, junior Hannah Benningfield and Clubb took third (:53.36).
Freshman Makenna Branch came in second in the high jump (5-0) as the New Bloomfield girls recorded 33 points. Branch joined with senior Mckenna Rackers and juniors Parker Pitzen and Mackenzie Garrett to finish third in the 1,600 relay (4:26.86).
Branch, Garrett, senior Kassi O'Dowd and sophomore Abbie Schattgen took third in the 3,200 relay (11:14.22). The Lady Wildcats' quartet of Pitzen, Garrett, Rackers and junior Samantha Haas placed fourth in the 800 relay (1:55.06).
Licking locked up the Sectional 2 girls' team championship with 94.5 points.