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NHS pair set for state track meet
By Jason Peake
Daily Mail Sports Editor
NEVADA -- Ashley Shumaker and Morgan Hold will represent Nevada High School this weekend at the Missouri Class 3 Track Championships at Dwight T. Reed Stadium on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
Both Tigers qualified at last weekend's sectional meet at Marshfield.
Nevada Coach Robert Watts said he expects the pair of Tigers to perform well.
"They're both focused," Nevada Coach Robert Watts said. "They know what to do. And I don't have any concerns. They'll show up and compete."
Ashley Shumaker
A junior, Shumaker will be making her second-straight appearance at the state track meet in her signature event -- the high jump. She took second at last weekend's sectional by clearing 5-3. Shumaker won a district title the previous week by clearing 5-4.
A year ago, Shumaker finished 12th in Class 3 with a jump of five feet. She'd cleared 5-6 and 5-4 in the weeks before state competition. Coach Watts said Shumaker was likely nervous at her first state meet.
"I think she was a little taken aback how big it is and how many people are there watching," Watts said. "There are hundreds of people standing pretty close to watch. It can be pretty intimidating the first time."
Shumaker admitted her nerves may have gotten the best of her last year.
"I was kind of nervous, and that affected me a little bit," Shumaker said.
Watts was quick to add that Shumaker should be more at ease this time around.
"I think she'll go in a little more relaxed this year," he said. "She knows the routine now."
Watts said Shumaker has been working hard in practice this week.
"She's been working on exploding and getting up off the ground," he said. "She's not jumping too much, though. We're having good workouts that don't last too long. But she's had a couple of really good days of practice."
"Higher heights," Shumaker added. "I'm just trying to go higher and higher."
As far as a goal for this weekend, Watts said he'd love to see Shumaker get back to clearing 5-6.
"She just wants to be better than where she was last year," Watts said. "She should be able to do that. I'd love to see her PR. And I know she wants that, too."
In fact, Shumaker has her goals set even higher.
"My goal is to beat the school record, which is 5-9," Shumaker said. "I hope I can do it."
Eldon freshman Sara Rhine cleared 5-7 at the sectional and is one of the favorites to win the state title. Several other girls have cleared 5-6. Included in that group is defending champ Betsy Borgsmiller of Sikeston, a senior who has cleared 5-8 during her prep career.
The Class 3 girls high jump is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Morgan Hold
Hold will be making his first trip to state. A junior, Hold was fourth in the boys pole vault at the sectional (12-9). That came one year after he just missed qualifying in his signature event as a sophomore.
Hold has been dealing with some nagging injuries of late, including a hand and foot injury.
"We've been trying to keep him healthy," Watts said. "That's been our main focus this week."
Hold has also been working this week on moving up to larger poles.
"I've been focusing on my swing and pulling," Hold added.
Hold has cleared 13-6 this season, and has just missed at 14 feet.
He said he'd love to clear 14 feet at state. That height is the school record.
"I'd like to at least tie the school record if not break it," Hold said.
Watts hopes Hold won't be too nervous in his first trip to state. Watts also noted the pole vault is held right in front of the stands at Reed Stadium. For the vaulters, it can feel like the crowd is right on top of them.
"He'll need to stay focused with so much going on around him," Watts noted.
The Class 3 boys pole vault is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. on Friday.
Christian Locke of Hannibal appears to be the favorite in the event. Locke took third last year as a junior, clearing 14 feet. He cleared 14-6 at the sectional meet in St. Louis. Kyle Porter of S.C.W. and Zach Reed of Festus have also cleared 14-6 this season.
Hold hopes to be in the mix for a state medal, too.
"I feel ready," Hold said, summing it up.
MSHSAA STATE TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS
Friday & Saturday at Lincoln University, Jefferson City
Nevada's events
Friday -- 11 a.m. Boys Pole Vault
Saturday -- 2 p.m. Girls High Jump
Class 3
Girls high jump qualifiers
(Listed by seed) -- Rhine, Eldon, 5-7; Borgsmiller, Sikeston, 5-6; Kendall, Platte Co., 5-6; Hernandez, Grain Valley, 5-4; Migletz, Smithville, 5-4; Wichman, Kirksville, 5-4; Shumaker, Nevada, 5-3; Ring, Excelsior, 5-2; Small, Visitation, 5-2; Windsor, MICDS, 5-2; Haslag, Helias, 5-2; Akromis, Reeds Spring, 5-2; Forest, Central, 5-0; Hogan, Hillsboro, 5-0; Holman, Mexico, 5-0; Borman, Festus, 4-10.
Boys pole vault (listed by seed)
Locke, Hannibal, 14-6; Potter, SCW, 14-6; Hull, O'Hara, 14-4; Ross, NDCG, 14-0; Jones-Richerson, Duchesne, 14-0; Bartnett, JB, 14-0; Stiens, Maryville, 13-6; Hagan, Festus, 13-6; Reed, Festus, 13-6; Williams, Windsor, 13-6; Repsher, Carl Junction, 13-6; Fairbanks, Smithville, 13-0; Allen, Bolivar, 13-0; Juergens, St. Clair, 13-0; Hold, Nevada, 12-9; Mickleberry, Harrisonville, 12-6.