Menu
Beshore smashes school record, wins 3200 in photo finish
Pushed to the limit in the 3200 meter run at Friday’s West Central Conference track meet in Clinton, Nevada High School sophomore Calli Beshore used the spirited competition to her advantage.
Beshore, who has racked up 15 gold medals during the current track-and-field season, has won the vast majority of her 1600 and 3200 meter runs by wide margins.
But she had company at the Clinton H.S. hosted meet, as St. Michael’s product Caroline Meyers was able to hang tough, passing Beshore for first place as the two headed into the final lap.
It appeared as though Meyers was on her way to springing the upset until Beshore turned on the after-burners, chasing Meyers down just before the finish line.
After the dust had settled it was Beshore who emerged with the photo finish victory, clocking an official time of 11:35.13. Meyers had to settle for the tough luck runner-up finish with a time of 11:35.14, a tenth of a second off Beshore’s time.
“She was in front of me going into the last lap, and I was able to catch her right at the very end,” recounted Beshore.
Beshore’s official time also set a new school record as she broke her previous 3200 mark, set at last year’s WCC meet, by nearly eight seconds.
While Beshore will happily take the dominant victories, she said the stiff competition provided by Meyers was the primary reason she was able to shatter her previous school record in the event.
“It’s really helpful to have someone pushing you, because you can just kind of (feed) off each other,” summed up Beshore, adding she wasn’t surprised by Meyers’ performance, as Meyers had finished second to Beshore on multiple occasions. “I have to stay determined, and know if I keep pushing that it will all pay off in the end.”
Beshore credits much of her success to NHS assistant track coach Ryan Watts. Watts, also Nevada’s head cross country coach, specializes in distance running.
“He’s been incredibly helpful,” said Beshore. “Workouts have helped me improve and get faster, and it’s all paying off.”
Said Watts: “Calli was coming off a lot of rest, coming in fresh, and we were hoping she’d run well. She hadn’t really had anybody push her all year.”
Watts said the only meets where Beshore had been pushed this season, were a pair of meets held on college campuses, Pittsburg State and KU.
“(Friday’s 3200) was the closest finish I’ve ever seen her have,” said Watts. “So that helped a lot, when you have somebody there that you’re trying to chase down. You can drop a lot of time just thinking about nothing but catching that person. Calli had raced her before, but I don’t think anybody expected (Meyers) to run that fast.”
In addition to the 3200, Besore also captured gold in the 1600 meter run.
Beshore, who qualified for the Class 4 state championships as a freshman last season in the 1600, needs top four finishes in the 1600 and 3200 in the upcoming district and sectional meets in order to again qualify for the state championship meet, slated for May 25-26 at Adkins Stadium in Jefferson City.
Conference meet
The Nevada Lady Tiger tracksters slotted into a third-place finish at Friday’s seven-school WCC meet, while the NHS boys placed fifth.
Lady Tiger highlights included Beshore’s gold-medal sweep in the 1600 and 3200 meter events, and third-place finishes by Amara Pippin (1600 meter run); Kaeth Zachary (300 meter hurdles); and Morgan Smith (pole vault).
In addition, the Lady Tiger 4-x-400 meter relay team earned a silver medal, while the Nevada girls netted a pair of bronzes in the 4-x-100 and 4-x-200 meter relay events.
NHS student-athletes on those relay teams, are: Zoie Farmer, Sydney Ernsbarger, Tylin Heathman, Zachary, Haiden Richmond, and Hallie Bond.
For the NHS boys, Devin McHugh flew to a first-place finish in the 400 meter dash. Nevada junior Trey Beachler earned a silver in the javelin throw, while teammates Colin Witte (200 meter dash) and Kayden Ast (long jump) collected bronzes.
Team scores
— Girls —
• Warrensburg, 168; Smith-Cotton, 128; Nevada, 72.50; Clinton, 72; Center H.S., 70; St. Pius X, 47.50; St. Michael’s, 26.
— Boys —
• Smith-Cotton H.S., 216; Warrensburg, 102; St. Pius X, 62; Center H.S., 33; Nevada, 20; Clinton, 19; St. Michael’s, 4.