Introducing the 2022 Wichita Eagle high school girls track and field All-Metro team
The Wichita area featured some of the best high school track and field athletes in Kansas this season and that star power is highlighted on The Wichita Eagle’s 2022 All-Metro girls track and field team.
The All-Metro squad consists of a total of 20 selections: 16 of the top (nine track, seven field) athletes, three top relays and a top coach from Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties, based heavily on performance at the state meet and state-wide rankings.
Andale junior thrower McKenzie Fairchild was named the All-Metro Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year after winning three Class 4A state championships this spring. Below are the complete All-Metro selections.
Wichita Eagle All-Metro girls track and field team
Annabeth Baalmann, Andale senior
Another great pole vaulter in the long line of them at Andale, Baalmann etched her place in history as a 2-time state champion. The Fort Hays State signee once again cleared 11 feet at the state meet to win the Class 4A title and her season-best mark of 11-6 was No. 3 in Kansas this season. She was a 2-time All-Metro pick and also the AV-CTL Div. IV and regional champion this season.
Kieran Burke, Maize South senior
On her final discus attempt in her high school career, Burke set a personal-best mark of 128 feet even to break the Maize South record and claim third place in Class 5A. It stood as the No. 14 throw in Kansas this season, as the Fort Hays State signee and AV-CTL Div. I and regional champion finished her career as a 2-time state medalist in the discus and also a 2-time state qualifier in the shot put.
Addie Curtis, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior
One of the top distance runners in Wichita, Curtis improved her finish at the state meet with a third-place Class 5A medal in the 3200 with a season-best time of 11:12.61, which finished as the 13th-best time in Kansas this season. She is now a 2-time state medalist and regional champion in the race after finishing fourth at state last year, while she is also a 2-time state qualifier in the 1600. Curtis also ran a leg on Kapaun’s 4x4 relay that picked up a silver after winning a gold last season on a 4x8 relay team.
Zoie Ecord, Maize senior
One of the most decorated middle distance runners in Wichita, Ecord finished her career 3-for-3 as a state medalist in the 800 and 1600 in Class 5A. The Nebraska signee topped off her career with a pair of fourth-place finishes in the 800 and 1600 this season, while her PR time of 2:16.79 in the 800 was No. 10 in Kansas and her PR time of 5:16.95 in the 1600 was No. 7 in Kansas this season. She was a 2-time All-Metro pick and also the AV-CTL Div. I champion in the 800 and 1600, while also adding a regional title in the 1600.
McKenzie Fairchild, Andale junior
She already has established herself as one of the greatest javelin throwers in Kansas history, but Fairchild showed her all-around greatness this year at the state meet with Class 4A state titles in the shot put, discus and javelin. In just two years at the state meet, Fairchild is already a 4-time state champion with two silvers (to her older sister) and also 2-time All-Metro selection. She finished with top-10 marks in all three of her events and her PR throw of 169-4 in the javelin ranks No. 5 all-time in Kansas history.
Sophia Gimino, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior
Not only did she successfully defend her Class 5A state title in the javelin, but Gimino also picked up a state medal in the 300 hurdles. Despite her small stature, the City League champion was one of the biggest javelin throwers in the state, as the 2-time state champion’s PR of 141 feet even finished as the No. 7 throw in Kansas this season.
Brooke Hammond, Garden Plain senior
If not for the pandemic wiping out her sophomore season, Hammond likely would have finished her career as a 4-time state champion in three different events. Still, 3-for-3 on Class 2A gold medals in all three appearances at the state meet in the 100, 200 and 4x1 relay (plus a surprise 400 gold medal from last season in a remarkable 4-gold performance) isn’t a bad legacy to leave at Garden Plain. It isn’t a coincidence the Owls won the Class 2A team championship in all three years of Hammond’s career, as the Emporia State signee finished as a 10-time state champion, 12-time state qualifier and 2-time All-Metro pick.
Lillian Harris, Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior
It was a breakthrough season for Harris, who went from a state finalist in the 100 and 200 to the state champion in both events in Class 5A. She ran her fastest 100 time of the season at state in the 100 in 11.89 seconds, good for the fifth-fastest time in Kansas, while her time of 26.14 was also good enough for gold in the 200. Harris, who also ran a leg on Kapaun’s 4x4 relay that captured a silver medal, produced a season-best time of 25.23 in the 200 that was the No. 6 time in Kansas this season.
Brittany Harshaw, Andover Central senior
Before heading to Omaha to become a Division I basketball player at Creighton, Harshaw finished off her high school career with a high jump state championship. She matched her PR by clearing 5-6 at the state meet, which was the No. 4 mark in Kansas this season, to win the Class 5A title. She also added state medals in the 300 hurdles and 4x1 relay and finished her career as a 9-time state qualifier and 8-time state medalist, which included a gold in 2019 as a freshman on Andover Central’s 4x4 relay.
Cali Kerschen, Andale senior
For the second straight season, Kerschen finished with a Class 4A silver medal in the 100 hurdles. She ran a PR time of 14.74 at the state meet, which shattered the Andale record and finished as the No. 5 time in Kansas this season. She also served as the second leg on Andale’s gold medal-winning 4x1 relay for the second year in a row on top of adding her second straight medal in the 300 hurdles. Kerschen finished her career 3-for-3 as a state qualifier in the 100 hurdles, 300 hurdles and 4x1 relay.
Hayley Loewen, Newton senior
A triple jump specialist, Loewen ended her high school career as a state champion by winning the Class 5A title in the event with a mark of 35-11¼. The MidAmerica Nazarene signee finished with a season PR of 37-1, which was the No. 8 best mark in Kansas this season, and also won the AV-CTL Div. I title in the event. She was 3-for-3 as a state qualifier in the triple jump, as she improved on her fourth-place finish last season.
Denae McElrath, East senior
McElrath exploded onto the sprinting scene in her senior season, ripping off an 11.73 in the 100 for the 10th-fastest time in Kansas history and breaking the school record. She added a regional title in the 100 and took third in Class 6A with a time of 11.91 at the state meet, while also adding a fifth-place finish in the 200. The Texas-Rio Grande Valley signee was a 4-event state qualifier in her senior season, also running a leg on East’s 4x1 relay team that placed third in Class 6A in a season-best time of 48.95, which was the No. 4 time in Kansas this season.
Maddie Schrandt, Andale junior
It was an all-gold performance from Schrandt in her second state meet, as she won the Class 4A state titles in the 200 and 400, anchored Andale’s winning 4x4 relay team and also helped lead the Indians to another team state championship. The Missouri State volleyball verbal commit won the gold in the 200 in 26.21 seconds and in the 400 in 59.09 seconds, as her PR in the 200 (25.66) and 400 (58.62) finished top-16 in the state this season. For the second straight season, Schrandt anchored Andale’s gold medal-winning 4x4 relay team.
Adryanna Shelby, Northwest sophomore
In a thrilling finish, Shelby won the Class 6A state championship in the 300 hurdles in a foot race after clearing the final hurdle. Her PR time of 45.26 in the event finished No. 4 in Kansas this season. Shelby, who was a 4-event state qualifier this season, was also superb in the 100 hurdles, winning the City League title and winning a silver medal at the state meet with a PR time of 15.01 that finished No. 10 in the state. She is a 2-time state medalist now in the 300 hurdles, improving upon her fourth-place finish in 2021.
Hayley Trotter, Clearwater junior
One of the state’s premier distance runners, Trotter has been on a golden kick lately. After winning the Class 4A cross country state title in the fall, Trotter followed that up with Class 4A state titles on the track in the 800 and 1600 this spring. She ran a PR time of 5:10.03 at state to win the 1600 title, which finished as the No. 13 time in Kansas this season, while her PR of 2:16.81 in the 800 finished as the No. 11 time. The AV-CTL Div. IV champion in 800 and 1600 now owns the school record in both events, as she broke a 17-year-old record in the 800 this season. She has also ran a leg on Clearwater’s 4x4 relay team which has taken third at state for two straight years and is now a 2-time All-Metro selection.
Caryn Yoder, Hesston senior
It was a record-setting finish to Yoder’s high school track career, as she successfully defended her Class 3A state title in the 100 in a PR time of 12.16 to break the 32-year-old state meet record and Hesston record in the process. After running a leg on Hesston’s title-winning 4x4 relay as a freshman, the Bethel basketball signee added two more state titles of her own in the 100 in her final two years. She also ran a leg on Hesston’s 4x1 relay team that placed third this season.
Eisenhower 4x1 relay team
Led by the thrilling come-from-behind finish anchored by Makenzie Block, the Eisenhower 4x1 relay team broke the school record and won the Class 5A state title in a time of 49.44 for the No. 8 time in Kansas this season. The rest of the team was rounded out by senior Abby Bachman, freshman Harli Omli and junior Mackenzie Popp. On top of the thrilling finish, Block also finished with a bronze medal in all three of her individual events: the 200, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles.
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4x4 relay team
It’s no coincidence Kapaun had the fastest 4x4 team in the area with a pair of All-Metro picks on the team in juniors Lillian Harris and Addie Curtis. They were joined by sophomore Jackie Ackerman and anchor Kelsey Bruening, a senior who is signed to Pittsburg State, and they ran their best at the state meet. They registered a season-best time of 4:02.79 in prelims, which was the No. 5 time in Kansas, and finished with a silver medal in Class 5A.
Kapaun Mt. Carmel 4x8 relay team
Kapaun senior Kelsey Bruening, a Pittsburg State signee, makes her second appearance on the All-Metro team, once again anchoring a team that finished with a silver medal. Bruening was joined by sophomore Jackie Ackerman, freshman Amelia Hermann and senior Chiara Fernando to run a season-best time of 9:55 at the state meet, which was the No. 13 time in Kansas this season.
Tyler Ryan, Andale coach
Andale is churning out state championships like a machine, as Ryan has kept the streak going after taking over for Greg Smarsh. The Indians won their fifth straight Class 4A team championship this spring and their most dominant yet, as Andale scored 152 points (the most of any team in any class this year) and came away with nine gold medals at the state track meet. Andale arguably has the top coaching staff in the state and Ryan leads the way.
All-Metro second team
Makenzie Block, Eisenhower senior hurdles
Kelsey Bruening, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior distance
Karynne David, Heights sophomore sprints
Naomi Dooley, Garden Plain senior throws
BreAna Garrett-Tillemans, Campus sophomore distance
Campbell Hague, Cheney junior jumps
Lexi Horsch, Andale junior jumps
Reagan Housley, Andover Central junior pole vault
Hope Jackson, Bishop Carroll senior distance
Serenity Jackson, South senior sprints
Kennadie Jinkins, East senior hurdles
Jenna Kuepker, Andale junior throws
Emery May, Andale junior throws
Claire Rowland, Andale junior pole vault
Maggie Salsbury, Maize junior jumps
Sophie Smith, Garden Plain senior jumps
Taryn St. Clair, North junior jumps
Lily Urban, Bishop Carroll sophomore sprints
McKinlee Walker, Andover sophomore hurdles
Taylor Waterman, Andover Central sophomore throws
Madison Williams, Clearwater freshman hurdles
Andale 4x1 relay team (Camryn Winter, Cali Kerschen, Piper Camp, Betsy Reichenberger)
East 4x1 relay team (Denae McElrath, Aiyana Solomon, Kennadie Jinkins, Akeir Scales)
Andale 4x4 relay (Ava Steven, Betsy Reichenberger, Camryn Winter, Maddie Schrandt)
Bishop Carroll 4x4 relay (Christina Mount, Evan Nordhus, Brynna Gormley, Hope Jackson)
Andover 4x8 relay (Lauren McNeil, Jayda Kelly, Jordyn Cleary, Sydney Anderson)
Derby 4x8 relay (Vivian Kalb, Haley McComb, Abigail Monaghan, Piper Hula)
Marvin Estes, Kapaun Mt. Carmel coach
Eric Rockers, Garden Plain coach
All-Metro third team
Sydney Anderson, Andover junior distance
Emma Bezdek, Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior throws
Alex Bittner, Cheney sophomore throws
Piper Camp, Andale sophomore hurdles
Lily Conrad, Collegiate freshman sprints
Sophie Dugger, Berean Academy senior pole vault
Brooke Martin, Bishop Carroll freshman distance
Avril Maughan, Bishop Carroll senior jumps
Kenzy McArtor, Clearwater freshman hurdles
Brynn McCormick, Cheney senior hurdles
Mary Meyer, Andale senior pole vault
Evan Nordhus, Bishop Carroll junior hurdles
Kaleigh O’Brien, Remington junior distance
Harli Omli, Eisenhower freshman sprints
Betsy Reichenberger, Andale sophomore sprints
Grace Rowland, Andale sophomore jumps
Akeir Scales, East senior jumps
Alexa Scarlett, Sedgwick senior jumps
Dominique Schutte, Halstead sophomore distance
Rylan Syring, Derby sophomore jumps
Lillie Veer, Berean Academy junior throws
Molly Zoglman, Garden Plain junior throws
Cheney 4x1 relay (Amy Wright, Brynn McCormick, Reagan Ayres, Lacy Luehrs)
Garden Plain 4x1 relay (Celia Puetz, Abby Redmon, Ryleigh Stuhlsatz, Brooke Hammond)
Clearwater 4x4 relay (Madison Williams, Laurel Streit, Kenzy McArtor, Hayley Trotter)
Derby 4x4 relay (Eilyanas Monge, Chloe Igo, Maryn Archer, Piper Hula)
Bishop Carroll 4x8 relay (Brynna Gormley, Brooke Martin, Kylie Doonan, Hope Jackson)
Remington 4x8 relay (Kaleigh O’Brien, Ava Klaassen, Lucy Brown, Ellie Van Zelfden)
Stephanie Bush, Eisenhower coach
Rich Simmons, Cheney coach
