A year ago, Hunter Bickell was one of 50 freshmen to participate in the Class 1 boys state track meet.

He was part of the Wellsville-Middletown 3,200-meter relay team that included now-graduates Isaac Seabaugh, Keaton Mayes and Layne Norris. Even though he didn’t get an all-state medal, Bickell enjoyed his first trip to Jefferson City.

“It was a great experience,” Bickell said. “Just to know that I could do that made me feel better and more composed for this year.”

Despite a slow start, Bickell has been solid in the distance events for the Tigers this spring, getting two victories in the 3,200 and setting personal marks in both 1,600 and 3,200.
Now, the W-M sophomore is focusing on making another trip to state.

“That would be amazing,” Bickell said.

Bickell turned in a strong performance at the Montgomery County Invitational on April 17.  He ran a 5:06 in his fourth-place finish in the 1,600 and an 11:29 in his seventh-place effort in the 3,200.

Bickell improved tremendously from the season-opening Montgomery County Early Invite on March 21, where he finished 15th with a 5:37 in the 1,600 and didn’t finish in the 3,200.

The sophomore said he was thrilled with his performances in his second visit to Montgomery County.

“Last year, I was sitting at about five minutes in the mile and 11:30 in the two mile,” Bickell said. “This year, I came out in an 11:50 for my two mile and a 5:15 for my mile. I ran that two or three times. It kept feeling the same. I wasn’t feeling any gradual improvement like it normally would. Today, it jumped.”

Bickell also helped the 3,200-meter relay team – which also included Gage Marshall, Zackery Vogel and Jonah Slovensky – place third at the Montgomery County Invitational. He earned medals in the 4x800 and 1,600 and came up one place short of a medal in the 3,200.

Bickell set personal-best times in the 1,600 and 3,200 at the Louisiana Invite on April 26. He ran a 4:56 in his fifth-place finish in the 1,600 and an 11:18.52 in his second-place finish in the 3,200.

Bickell picked up his first victory in an individual event after coming out on top in the 3,200 at the Central Methodist University Invitational on April 3. He finished with an 11:59 and won the race by 12 seconds.

“I didn’t know if I could stick with those guys because I came into the Central Methodist meet ranked second,” Bickell said.

Nine days later, Bickell picked up another victory in the 3,200 at the Wright City Invitational. He ran an 11:57 and won the race by 15 seconds over Warrenton’s Noah Cline.

“It felt gorgeous in Wright City,” Bickell said. “I thought that kid (Cline) was catching me. At about the mile and a half mark, he started picking up some speed and he was right next to me. I told myself that I had to pick it up. So I started slowly catching a couple of seconds here and there and then I got it.”

Bickell said he wants to continue improving on his times as the season comes down to the final weeks. The Tigers return to Wright City on May 2 to compete in the Eastern Missouri Conference meet. Their postseason begins on May 6 at the Class 1, District 2 championship meet at South Callaway High School.

“I need to keep practicing off of that pace, practicing for a higher position and keep running my mile pace for every second I can,” Bickell said.

Bickell competed in three state events in his freshman year. He also helped the boys cross country team place third at the Class 1 state meet in Columbia and the boys basketball team finish fourth at the state basketball tournament in Springfield.