Kansas celebrates 100th track and field meet

By

Sports

May 27, 2010 - 12:00 AM

Iola, Humboldt, Marmaton Valley, Uniontown, Yates Center, Crest, SCC have champions through the years

A new group of state championship hopefuls from Iola High School, Humboldt High School, Marmaton Valley High School, Uniontown High School, Yates Center High School, Crest High School and Southern Coffey County High School prepare to head to the 2010 Kansas High School State Track and Field Championships.
Every year student athletes from the seven area school and from high schools across the state of Kansas go after state medals. The ultimate goal is to hear their name at the end of “gold medal champion” over the public address system.
There is something special about having all six classifications (sizes) of schools at the same two-day meet. But there’s something even more special about this year’s all-class state track meet at Wichita State University’s.
Kansas is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the state high school track and field meet. To commemorate the event, the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) compiled a book of track championships spanning from 1911 to 2009. “A century of Milestones” by Carol Swenson gives a history of Kansas high school track and field plus the listings of every state champion in each event in each classification throughout the years.
All seven of the area high schools have had at least one state event champion. The very first year of high school track and field in Kansas Humboldt’s George Sweatt was a double champion. In 1911, there were no divisions; it was competition against every size and Sweatt won the shot put with a throw of 39 feet, 3 inches and the 440-yard dash in 55.8 seconds. Fred Hartwig, Humboldt, was a double champion in 1912 in the long jump, 17’9”, and shot put, 41’0”.

Iola High’s first state track champion was Floyd Papin. Papin won the long jump, going against all schools, in 1932 and 1933.
Iola’s boys have won two state meet team championships, 1976 under Dale Stiles in Class 3A and in 1993 under Marvin Smith in Class 4A. The 1976 team was led by Terry Catron, who won the 440-yard dash, and anchored two relay teams to gold medals.
In 1993, the Mustangs won all three relay races — 4×100, 4×400 and 4×800. They defended their titles in the 4×400 and the 4×800 in 1994.
Molly Lonergan was Iola High’s first girls’ state champion. She won the Class 4A discus event back-to-back in 1999 and 2000. Lonergan set a Class 4A state meet record in 2000 at 150’7”, which still stands.
Kansas held its first girls’ outdoor state track meet in 1972.

Related
May 23, 2012
May 4, 2011
May 28, 2010
April 29, 2010