Orrick’s Samantha Fulte wins another state track title
Samantha Fulte of Orrick had one simple goal as she competed Saturday in the Missouri Class 1 girls state track meet this weekend. Simple, and, as she herself admitted, unrealistic.
“I really wanted to win everything, but I knew that was a little much,” Fulte said.
So Fulte will gladly settle for winning two of her four events in the Class 1-2 meet at Lincoln University. Fulte capped off her stellar high-school career by repeating as the state champion in the Class 1 girls long jump, giving her another gold medal to go along with the one she claimed Friday in the triple jump.
Sandwiched in between those two victories were a second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles and a fifth in the 300 hurdles.
Fulte won the long jump with a personal best leap of 17 feet 2 1/4 inches that came on her second attempt. That was unusual, she said, because she normally lands a long one on her last try when she’s feeling the pressure.
“That definitely took the pressure off, but I’ve had a girl come from behind and beat me on the last jump so I was nervous the whole time,” Fulte said.
Fulte’s busy Saturday began with a loss at the tape to Emily Wedlock of Mound City in the 100 hurdles despite a personal-best time of 15.73 seconds by Fulte. She placed fifth in the 300 hurdles, but she set a personal mark in that, too, and matched her placing in that event from last year.
But her day, and her senior season, ended just as she wanted, even if not on a four-for-four note.
“Being able to win that for a second year in a row that’s just the perfect way to end the high school career,” Fulte said.
Ailing Queen repeats
Summit Christian Academy sophomore Carlie Queen overcame the rest of the Class 2 girls high jump field, just as she did last season.
The only thing she couldn’t overcome was herself.
A strained right quad that kept her out of the Class 2 girls pole vault Friday didn’t keep Queen from clearing 5 feet 6 inches and successfully defending her title, but the injury denied her a shot at two goals she had treasured all season: the 5-7 3/4 Class 2 mark she set when she won state last season, and the all-Class mark of 5-9 which she had exceeded earlier this year.
Queen cleared 5-6 on her first attempt, which was only the third jump she attempted as she tried to rest the quad. She missed three attempts at 5-8 and slapped the pit in dejection after her last try.
“I’m happy that I won,” Queen said. “It’s a big accomplishment. I want to come back next year and hopefully be healed and do better.”
Big day for Breitkreutz
Zac Breitkreutz of Kansas City Lutheran completed an impressive Class 1 boys sprinter’s triple by winning the 100 and placing second in the 200 and 400. Breitkreutz, a junior, won the 100 in 11.41 seconds. He had a 23.24 time in the 200 and barely lost a three-man battle for the 400.
“I’m real happy,” said Breitkreutz, who also ran a leg on Lutheran’s third-place 400 relay team. “I worked hard all season, and it’s good to see it pay off.”
Worth noting
▪ Jeff Hollis of Barstow took second in the Class 2 boys high jump to Lath Kisling of Sarcoxie, who won with a leap of 6 feet, 8 inches. Kisling barely missed three tries at 6-10.
▪ Kelsey Herring of Lone Jack placed second in the Class 2 girls 300 hurdles and third in the 100 hurdles.
▪ Shuce Wang of Summit Christian Academy placed second in the Class 2 boys 200.
This story was originally published May 23, 2015 at 6:07 PM with the headline "Orrick’s Samantha Fulte wins another state track title."