Molly Born of Shawnee Mission Northwest wins second straight Kansas 6A championship in 3,200 meters
Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Molly Born didn’t just have a second state title in mind. She had her eyes on a 37-year-old state record, too.
Born, a sophomore, accomplished both in the 3,200 meters at Friday’s Kansas 6A track and field championships.
She finished in 10 minutes 20.22 seconds. That shattered the previous state record of 10:32.40, which had stood since 1979.
This time around, with confidence guiding her, Born dealt with fewer nerves on her way to a second straight state championship.
“Just coming in as a freshman last year, it was really intimidating to be around all these great runners in this huge stadium,” she said. “This year, I knew the record beforehand, but I was just trying to go out and PR. … It was easier to deal with the nerves.”
Spring Hill junior breaks 4A record in 3,200
Dylan Brenneman felt someone breathing down his neck in the 4A boys 3,200 meters.
He knew a state title was at stake, but didn’t know he’d break a state record as well.
Brenneman, a Spring Hill junior, won in 9:25.19, breaking the previous standard of 9:26.71.
“With 300 to go, I was hurting pretty bad, but I told myself I’d try one more time,” he said. “I have a pretty good kick at the end of races. It’s kind of my thing.”
BV Southwest senior wins her first state meet
For the past two years, Blue Valley Southwest senior Piper Misse failed to qualify for the Kansas 5A state track and field meet. Now she’s a state champion.
Misse won the 5A girls 3,200 meters in 11:12.35.
“I did a better job of really starting to pick it up at the 800-mark because normally that’s when I start to slow down and the fatigue sets in,” she said. “But I tried to push through since this is my last one.”
Worth noting
▪ Noah Green set a state record in the preliminaries of the 5A 110-meter hurdles. The Blue Valley Southwest sophomore will compete in the finals Saturday at 10 a.m.
▪ St. Thomas Aquinas runners took first and second place in the boys 5A 3,200 meters. Junior William Cole won in 9:34.04, followed by senior teammate Michael Shanahan (9:37.43).
▪ Two Shawnee Mission North brothers finished in the top three of the 6A 3,200-meter race. Belesti Akalu, a senior, won in 9:21.06. Brother Alex, a junior, was third in 9:44.36.
▪ Callie Hicks from Lawrence Free State won her second straight 6A state title in girls’ pole vault. The future University of Kansas vaulter cleared 11 feet, 6 inches.
▪ Dana Baker of Olathe North won the 6A javelin throw at 140 feet, 5 inches.
▪ Eric Scott of Basehor-Linwood won the 4A boys triple jump at 47 feet, 6 1/2 inches.
This story was originally published May 27, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Molly Born of Shawnee Mission Northwest wins second straight Kansas 6A championship in 3,200 meters."