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Belton, Mo. —
For Blue Springs senior Erron Holley, the future is now.
For Wildcats freshman Gabby Hall, the future is filled with so much promise, it’s hard to comprehend.
Holley was just one of the many stars on the Wildcats’ Class 4 district championship team that ran at Belton High School Saturday.
He won the 100 meters, was third in the 300 and helped the 400 and 1,600 relay teams bring home gold medals.
But the one event that got Holley pumped – really, really pumped – was a fourth-place run-off between Blue Springs’ DaShaughn Terry and Raymore-Peculiar’s Aaron Russell in the 100.
Terry and Russell tied for fourth place – with the top four runners from each event advancing to next Saturday’s sectional meet at Raymore-Peculiar High School. The two runners had to compete in a run-off, in what proved to the last event of a thrill-filled afternoon.
Terry edged Russell by a 10th of a second and advanced to sectionals as he was cheered on by Holley and every member of the Wildcats track and field team.
“He’s my protégé, he’s my protégé!” proclaimed Holley, as he hugged his victorious teammate. “What a day – what a great way to finish the day.”
Holley was a man on a mission Saturday as he has yet to claim a state medal despite turning in three previous solid years.
“I’m a senior, this is it,” Holley said. “I want to help our team go as far as we can go. I ran six races today (preliminary and final events in the 100 and 200 and the two relays) and I’m tired. But it feels good to be tired when you know you helped your team win a district title.”
Hall’s first-place effort in the 200 and her performance on the winning 400 and 800 relay teams left her with a warm glow.
“It feels good to help the team have success, especially on the relays, where a lot of girls have the chance to go to sectionals,” Hall said. “I don’t really care about my individual success, I just want the team to do well.”
n One of the happiest individuals on the track Saturday didn’t even compete. Blue Springs South’s Ben Harvel, who will run track at Notre Dame in the fall, is out of the running to defend his state championship in the 300 hurdles.
But stellar performances by a crew of newcomers helped the Jaguars place third in the 400 and 800 relays. If Harvel can heal from a hamstring injury, he can become a member of those relay teams.
“I’m disappointed I can’t compete in the hurdles, but I can’t say enough good things about the guys on the relay teams. They really came through big today.
n Blue Springs’ Tyra Bickham and Deiondre Hall also came through big, as Bickham won the shot put and discus and Hall was first in the long and triple jump events.
“When I won the shot and discus at the conference meet, I wanted to come here and prove to everyone that that wasn’t a fluke,” Bickham said. “It felt good to win both events at district.”
For Blue Springs senior Erron Holley, the future is now.
For Wildcats freshman Gabby Hall, the future is filled with so much promise, it’s hard to comprehend.
Holley was just one of the many stars on the Wildcats’ Class 4 district championship team that ran at Belton High School Saturday.
He won the 100 meters, was third in the 300 and helped the 400 and 1,600 relay teams bring home gold medals.
But the one event that got Holley pumped – really, really pumped – was a fourth-place run-off between Blue Springs’ DaShaughn Terry and Raymore-Peculiar’s Aaron Russell in the 100.
Terry and Russell tied for fourth place – with the top four runners from each event advancing to next Saturday’s sectional meet at Raymore-Peculiar High School. The two runners had to compete in a run-off, in what proved to the last event of a thrill-filled afternoon.
Terry edged Russell by a 10th of a second and advanced to sectionals as he was cheered on by Holley and every member of the Wildcats track and field team.
“He’s my protégé, he’s my protégé!” proclaimed Holley, as he hugged his victorious teammate. “What a day – what a great way to finish the day.”
Holley was a man on a mission Saturday as he has yet to claim a state medal despite turning in three previous solid years.
“I’m a senior, this is it,” Holley said. “I want to help our team go as far as we can go. I ran six races today (preliminary and final events in the 100 and 200 and the two relays) and I’m tired. But it feels good to be tired when you know you helped your team win a district title.”
Hall’s first-place effort in the 200 and her performance on the winning 400 and 800 relay teams left her with a warm glow.
“It feels good to help the team have success, especially on the relays, where a lot of girls have the chance to go to sectionals,” Hall said. “I don’t really care about my individual success, I just want the team to do well.”
n One of the happiest individuals on the track Saturday didn’t even compete. Blue Springs South’s Ben Harvel, who will run track at Notre Dame in the fall, is out of the running to defend his state championship in the 300 hurdles.
But stellar performances by a crew of newcomers helped the Jaguars place third in the 400 and 800 relays. If Harvel can heal from a hamstring injury, he can become a member of those relay teams.
“I’m disappointed I can’t compete in the hurdles, but I can’t say enough good things about the guys on the relay teams. They really came through big today.
n Blue Springs’ Tyra Bickham and Deiondre Hall also came through big, as Bickham won the shot put and discus and Hall was first in the long and triple jump events.
“When I won the shot and discus at the conference meet, I wanted to come here and prove to everyone that that wasn’t a fluke,” Bickham said. “It felt good to win both events at district.”
