Following a runner-up finish in both the boys and girls divisions at districts, the Nixa track and field team qualified in 14 girls events and eight boys events for the Class 5 Sectional 3 meet on May 20 at Parkview High School, vying to extend its season an additional week at the elusive state championships.

The top-four individuals would punch their tickets to the Class 5 state meet on May 26-27 in Jefferson City, Mo.

The Eagles earned six state berths on the boys' side, including three sectional champions.

Freshman Jackson Cantwell continued to add to his dominating debut season and crowned the discus and shot put championships. In the shot put, Cantwell surpassed his school and personal record with a meet-winning throw of 19.33m. His throw bested runner-up Willard's Karon Johnson by one meter. In the discus, he won the event with a throw of 55.13m, ousting runner-up Jermery Lewis from Layafette by over five meters. This throw also beat the entire field at the 2022 state championships, as the champion E'lan Moore won with a throw of 54.37m.

Cantwell's shot put and discus titles marked his eighth first-place finish in each event this season. He bested the shot put fields at Branson, Pittsburg State, Nixa, Kansas University, Southwest Baptist University, COC, District, and Sectionals, and in the discus, at Branson, Pittsburg State, Nixa, Blue Springs, Southwest Baptist University, COC, District, and Sectionals.

Junior Afton Hopkins punched his ticket in the pole vault by setting a personal record with a meet-winning leap of 4.38m. Places second to fourth finished at 4.24m. Hopkins sectional title secured his fifth of the year, as he won the Logan-Rogersville (4.29m), Nixa QUAD (4.27m), Nixa (4.26m), Blue Springs (4.3m) and Sectionals (4.38m). He will be making his second appearance in the state meet of his career, as he placed 10th in 2021, clearing 3.99m.

After ousting the field at districts, senior Gideon Carter replicated a similar and improved performance at sectionals. He secured the 300 hurdles title, clocking in at a personal and school record of 39.69 and punching his first state berth. Carter's time surpassed a 20+ year-long record by Josh Seibert in 1999. He upped his first-place count to five on the year with golds at Nixa QUAD (41.29), Pitt. State (41.28), Republic (41.07), Districts (40.53), and Sectionals (39.69).

Sophomore Aaron Ashley earned his first state qualification with a runner-up finish in the 3200 at 9:39.24. Ashley's time also surpassed his previous school record of 9:40.50 set at the Republic relays.

Freshman Hayden Mays will accompany Cantwell in the discus competition after a third-place finish with a throw of 49.33m. This is a slight drop from his season-best throw at districts of 51.46.

Junior Spencer Ward qualified for his first-individual event by placing fourth in the 400 dash with a time of 50.45, marking a personal record for Ward. Ward was a 2021 4x100 and 4x400 team member who placed 10th and 11th.

Other results for the boys include:
Michael Eisnhart, 300 Hurdles, 6th, 41.24
Gideon Carter, 110 Hurdles, 7th, 16.28
Devon Kemp, Mason Shank, Caleb Gamble, Aaron Ashley, 4x800, 7th, 8:25.69
Hayden Mays, 8th, Shot Put, 15.04m

As a team, Nixa finished fourth in the team standings with 67 points, behind Lafayette (70), Waynesville (70), and Neosho (73).

To view the full results, click here.

To view photos of the meet, click here.

The girls earned state qualifications in four events.

Junior Faith Chepkondol was the team's best placement and qualified for her third-straight state appearance. Chepkondol finished runner-up in the long jump with a leap of 5.56m, besting her district runner-up jump of 5.5m. The long jump marks her first state qualification, as Chepkondol previously competed in the 200 dash in 2021 and 2022 and placed 10th and 12th. 5.56m was a few meters short of her season-best and conference-winning 5.61m jump. Along with the COC title, Chepkondol also was atop the field at Branson (4.95m), Nixa QUAD (4.9m), Ozark (5.5m), and Blue Springs (5.18m).

Chepkondol will also compete in the 4x200 relay with fellow teammates Hayden Meyer, Maddilyn Gray, and Taylor Hopper, who placed fourth at 1:45.43, setting a season-best time and securing a state berth. Capital City won the event at 1:42.81, and following behind were Kickapoo (1:42.99) and Eureka (1:44.78).

Junior Ava Owens qualified for her first state meet in the discus with a fourth-place throw of 34.60m. Owens' district meet-winning throw of 36.88m a week prior marks her season best.

Sophomore Rylee Eng set a personal best in the triple jump with a leap of 11.41m to earn her first state qualification. This was nearly an entire meter improvement of her third-place jump at districts of 10.86m.

Nixa's 4x400 team of Gray, Brooke Bidinger, Meliah Copley, and Cassidy Williams, and 4x800 team of Bidinger, Williams, Adelyn Janssen, and Jenna Hefley, just missed out on a qualification as both teams finished fourth.

Other results for the girls include:
Meliah Copley, 300 Hurdles, 6th, 49.16
Amelia White, Javelin, 6th, 35.97m
Hayden Meyer, Faith Chepkondol, Elyssa Rowles, Taylor Hopper, 4x100, 6th, 50.09
Taylor Hopper, 100 Dash, 7th, 13.13
Brooke Bidinger, 800 Run, 7th, 2:34.78
Chloe Holgate, High Jump, 7th, 1.53m
Eva Williams, Pole Vault, 8th, 2.5m

As a team, Nixa finished seventh in the team standings with 47 points. Lafayette won the sectional meet with 92 points.

To view the full results, click here.

To view photos of the meet, click here.