Leach, Evans break records in 2-mile, mile

By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com

School record-holders for the Cassville boys and girls track and field teams are on notice this spring, as two records have already fallen and more may as the squads race to the postseason.

Senior Caleb Leach started the party, running a 10:04.69 in the 3200-meter run at the Ice Box Relays in Aurora on April 6. The time was more than 15 seconds faster than the 1987 record set by Shane Paul, who ran a 10:20.5.

Senior Jolie Evans joined the record-breaker’s club on Thursday in East Newton, running the 1600-meter only for the second time ever and posting a time of 5:27.09, besting Jordyn Stafford’s 5:29 set in 2019 (ONLINE NOTE: Evans broke the record again on Tuesday at the Cassville Relays; more on that to come later).

Erin Flehmer, Cassville girls track and field coach, said more records are in play for the Lady Wildcats this season.

“The 4×400 relay team is running really well and is under 10 seconds off the school record,” she said.

Clay Weldy, boys track and field coach, said the Wildcats are in a similar situation.

“Caleb already broke the 3200, and he also has a chance in the 1600,” he said. “The 4×400 relay team also has a chance to break that record.”

Both coaches said Leach’s and Evans’ successes already have become motivators for the teams.

“It is building excitement, and the girls can see all the hard work I have put them through is paying off by watching their times go down,” Flehmer said.

“Once you have one of those, it helps get everyone to work a little harder,” Weldy said. “It’s also really cool to see over four years how a kid gets better and better, to the point of getting a school record as a senior. That work is paying off, and it’s creating excitement in our younger kids to get on the record board. There’s a lot of motivation right now.”

Motivation is what the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats will need as districts and state approach. Both teams aim to qualify multiple relays and individuals in a mix of events.

“Our sophomore shot putter Aaliyah Franklin is consistently getting us points and throwing well in meets, and Evelyn Elliot is doing a good job getting points on the long jump,” Flehmer said. “Marianne McCrackin is consistently third in the 300-meter hurdles, and the 4×800 team (Marianne McCrackin, Tori Mitchell, Jadyn Williams and Jolie Evans) is still doing awesome, consistently decreasing their time.”

That relay team, Flehmer said, took second on Thursday in Clever, marking the first time this season they did not win the distance relay.

“Our 4×800 and 4×400 relays, Jolie in the mile, two-mile and 800 all look to qualify for state for sure. We are hoping our 4×100 relay team makes it out, too. If they get a bit faster, they have a chance. Jadyn Williams is also running the 400 well right now and has a chance to get out.”

Weldy said all the relays have a shot at state qualification for the boys, as do Leach, Charles Elliot and Forsyth Hayse in multiple events. Ashton Wheeler may qualify in the long jump and 100-meter dash, and Peter Littlefield has a shot at the high jump.

“This is a very good group of seniors this year, kids who have been really successful and are really driven,” Weldy said. “A lot of times, seniors come to spring sports and are checked out mentally, but this group has come in working hard and showing how self-motivated they are to succeed.”

With senior leadership driving the boys, the girls are driven by the goal set in pre-season to win districts.

“Their goal of winning districts has been the driving force to get better,” Flehmer said. “They try to beat Clever and Aurora at any event at any meet we see them. They go in looking for teams to beat and knowing how fast they have to run to do it. They are driven by the want to win.”

Cassville hosted the Cassville Relays on Tuesday, with results not available at presstime. The next meet for both teams is on Tuesday at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar.

Full girls results from Clever, where the Lady Wildcats took second as a team, include:

1st Place

4×800 Relay: Marianne McCrackin, Tori Mitchell, Jadyn Williams, Jolie Evans,

10:22

2nd Place

4×400 Relay: Marianne McCrackin, Jolie Evans, Tori Mitchell, Jadyn Williams, 4:23

800m: Jolie Evans, 2:27

Long Jump: Evelyn Elliott, 4.45m

Shot Put: Aaliyah Franklin, 32’1 1/2”

Pole Vault: Annie Moore, 9’

3rd Place

300m hurdles: Marianne McCrackin, 51.58

4th Place

800m: Tori Mitchell, 2:43

4×100 Relay: Grace Yocum, Evelyn Elliott, Makaiden Boles, Jadyn Williams,

54.83

Discus: Aaliyah Franklin, 26.63m

Javelin: Lauren Sparkman, 27.41m

5th Place

4×200 Relay: Grace Yocum, Annie Moore, Makaiden Boles, Evelyn Elliott, 1:57

Discus: Maci Barton, 24.62m

7th Place

100m hurdles: Pazlee Burbridge, 19.9

400m: Jadyn Williams, 1:07

Full boys results from Clever, where the Wildcats also finished second as a team, include:

1st Place

1600m: Caleb Leach, 4:33.01

300m: Hurdles Charles Elliott, 42.19

4×800 Relay: Jacob Martinez, Forsyth Hayse, Caleb Leach, Charles Elliott, 8:42.8

4×400 Relay: Jacob Martinez, Forsyth Hayse, Caleb Leach, Charles Elliott, 3:37.07

4×200 Relay: Kyle Bailey, Jake Anthonysz, Hernan Hernandez, Ashton Wheeler, 1:36.93

2nd Place

200m: Charles Elliott, 23.93

Long Jump: Ashton Wheeler, 19’6.75

4×100 Relay: Kyle Bailey, Jake Anthonysz, Hernan Hernandez, Ashton Wheeler, 46.45

3rd Place

High Jump: Peter Littlefield, 5’9.5

Javelin: Jake Anthonysz, 138’9.5

Pole Vault: Corbin Rhoads, 8’6

110 Hurdles: Tyler Rattigan, 18.52

1600m: Forsyth Hayse, 4:43.21

3200m: Forsyth Hayse, 10:36.29

4th Place

100m: Ashton Wheeler, 12.00

300m Hurdles: Tyler Rattigan, 47.03

7th Place

300m Hurdles: Peter Littlefield, 47.88

8th Place

400m: Jacob Martinez, 55.68

Boys results from East Newton, where Cassville placed third as a team, include:

1st Place

4×800 Relay-Charles Elliott, Jacob Martinez, Forsyth Hayse, Caleb Leach, 8:22.85

4×400 Relay-Charles Elliott, Jacob Martinez, Forsyth Hayse, Peter Littlefield, 3:34.34

2nd Place

Long Jump-Ashton Wheeler, 6.05m

800m: Caleb Leach, 2:00.38

1600m: Caleb Leach, 4:50.88

3200m: Forsyth Hayse, 10:33.65

200m: Charles Elliott, 24.06

3rd Place

1600m: Forsyth Hayse, 4:53.11

300 Hurdles: Charles Elliott, 43.29

4th Place

110 Hurdles: Tyler Rattigan, 18.40

High Jump: Peter Littlefield, 1.77m

6th Place

100m: Ashton Wheeler, 11.97

400m: Jacob Martinez, 56.15

Full girls results from East Newton include:

1st Place

Pole Vault: Annie Moore, 9’7”

2nd Place

1600,: Jolie Evans, 5:27.09

4×800 Relay: 10:28.57

3rd Place

400m: Jadyn Williams, 1:05.40

300m Hurdles: Marianne McCrackin, 51.85

4×400 Relay: 4:29.57

4th Place

800m: Tori Mitchell, 2:40.51

100m Hurdles: Marianne McCrackin, 17.21

Long Jump: Evelyn Elliot, 4.49m

5th Place

Discus: Maci Barton, 27.34m

6th Place

4×100 Relay: 54.24

Javelin: Lauren Sparkman, 24.9m

7th Place

4×200 Relay: 1:58.72

3200m: Kayli Anderson, 13:55.24

4×200 Relay: 1:58.72 3200m: Kayli Anderson, 13:55.24