Colby, Goodland, and Oakley Stand Tall at the 88th Scott City Relays

by Derek White

The 88th Scott City Relays held on April 22 were a showcase of talent, grit, and depth from northwest Kansas, as Colby, Goodland, and Oakley track and field athletes delivered standout performances on one of the region’s biggest stages. With a mix of seasoned upperclassmen and promising underclassmen, these three schools made their presence felt in nearly every discipline—from sprints and hurdles to jumps and throws.

Colby Eagles Soar in Sprints, Jumps, and Throws

Colby’s girls squad finished an impressive second in team scoring with 73 points, led by dominance in the jumps and throws. Brittany Swartz continued her high jump excellence by clearing 5’0” for third place, while teammates Natalie Wederski and Tatum Odell each reached 4’10”, tying for fourth and fifth. Freshman Bailey McCorkle earned third in the long jump (16’1”), and Shaylee Holzmeister also landed in the top 10 of the triple jump.

In the throws, senior Brenn Stanley took home gold in the discus with a throw of 104’9”, and added a fourth-place finish in the shot put (34’7.5”). Kalyssa Bandy followed closely with a runner-up toss of 35’8” in shot, and Lily McKinney and Harper Vaughn each contributed solid discus throws in the top 10. Colby also impressed in javelin, where Allison Zimmerman (116’0”) took silver and Ali Flanagin (101’9”) and Lily McKinney (101’7”) rounded out the top six.

On the boys’ side, Colby finished fourth in team scoring (44 points). Guy Tubbs led the field in the javelin with a throw of 173’3”, while also placing fourth in high jump (5’8”). In pole vault, Eric Schroeder tied for fourth (12’0”), and the 4x100 relay team sprinted to third place in a time of 43.82. Hurdler Jordan Jones placed fourth in the 300m hurdles (41.31), and sprinter Cody Wright finished sixth in the 100 meters (11.24).

Goodland’s Speed and Strength Deliver Top Performances

Goodland athletes showed impressive balance between speed and strength. On the girls’ side, the Lady Cowboys earned 18 team points behind contributions from several underclassmen. Freshman Makenna Schick had a busy day, placing sixth in the 200m (27.77), ninth in long jump (14’5.75”), and helping the 4x100 relay to a fifth-place finish (52.97). Anica Jordan added a fifth-place finish in the 800m (2:39.56), and Lauren Linton (high jump) and Libby Cure (300m hurdles) contributed top-10 finishes.

Cure also starred in the javelin, taking fourth place with a throw of 102’3”. In the field, Marie Martin cleared 8’0” in pole vault and jumped 4’6” in high jump, while teammate Danica Dautel added depth in both events.

The Goodland boys had a strong day as well, totaling 40 team points to finish fifth overall. Junior Chayton Goodwin was among the top sprinters of the meet, placing third in the 100m (10.93) and second in the 200m (22.20). Linkon Cure was a force in the hurdles, winning the 300m (38.93) and placing second in the 110m (14.60). In the field, Rhett Ihrig threw 47’1” to take third in the shot put and 133’10” in the javelin for 11th, while Mason Berls tossed 113’1” in discus for 11th. Goodland also claimed first in the boys' throwers 4x100 relay (49.17).

Oakley’s Depth and Versatility Stand Out

Oakley made their mark in both the girls and boys competitions with multiple top-five finishes. The Lady Plainsmen totaled 35 team points, powered by freshman Alexa Weiser, who had one of the top all-around performances of the day. Weiser placed second in the 400m (1:02.58), qualified for finals in the 200m, and leapt 34’8” for fourth in triple jump. Senior Bella Hudson was strong in the 100m and long jump, finishing in the top 10 of both. Taylor Sammons threw 34’4.25” in shot put for fifth, and Grace Pfeifer threw 102’8” in the discus to take third.

In relays, Oakley’s 4x400 girls finished mid-pack, and the team had strong participation across field events with Brynn Johnson and Reagan Franz also placing in jumps and throws.

For the Oakley boys, the team finished sixth with 34 points. Jonah Kuhlman led the sprint crew with a fourth-place finish in the 400m (53.21), while Carter Krier added a point in the same race. Aaron Samuelson was fourth in the 3200m (11:39.18) and sixth in the 1600m (5:12.44), while the 4x400 relay team took third (3:41.39). In field events, Levi Kuhlman tied for third in high jump (5’10”), and Mason Jackson dominated in the discus with a second-place toss of 155’11” and placed sixth in shot put (42’10.5”).

Looking Ahead

With postseason meets approaching, Colby, Goodland, and Oakley are clearly rounding into form. Each school showcased talent across every discipline, and their athletes are positioned to make deep runs in league and regional competition. If the Scott City Relays were any indication, northwest Kansas will be well represented as the track season hits its peak.