The Montgomery County track team had another successful trip to Jefferson City this year.

The Wildcats wrapped up their 2022 season by having eight athletes earn all-state honors at the Class 3 state meet on May 28 at Adkins Stadium, making it the 10th year in a row MCHS had at least one athlete on the podium.

That definitely pleased the coaching staff of Stephanie Finke, Joe Klekamp, Chasity Rodgers and Nathan Thurman.

“We say it all of the time that (state) is our favorite meet because we get to sit and watch,” said Finke, the head coach. “We don’t have to do a lot of coaching. We don’t have to work at it. We do a lot of our coaching in practice. So when they do get to those district, sectional and conference meets that we’re hosting, they don’t need to come to us. They know what they’ve got to do. They just go out there and perform. We can make minor adjustments here and there, but they pretty much have to know what they’re doing.”

The Wildcats also had a state champion for the third year in a row as sophomore El Reagan came out on top in the pole vault in a school-record 10 feet, 8 inches. Reagan, who also finished with eight victories in the pole vault, joined a small group of state champions from MCHS that included Renee Finke and Ehren Banfield.

MCHS had banner seasons in both boys and girls divisions in 2022. The girls won two meets – the Montgomery County Early Invite and the Eastern Missouri Conference meet – and had three all-state medalists. The boys finished second in six meets – including the Class 3, District 4 meet at Jim Blacklock Field – and had five all-state medalists.

Finke said she’s already excited about the 2023 season.

“This is probably the strongest boys team I have had in a very long time,” said Finke, who took over the MCHS track program in 2011. “I will lose only four. I have a lot of kids coming back. There are a few holes to fill here and there. For the girls, I will lose a few seniors, but my core runners will be coming back pretty strong.”

The Wildcats will lose nine athletes to graduation – Makayla Beaver, Ella Cobb, Josi Holtzclaw, Thomas Klekamp, Ty Leu, Gavin Mendoza, Dawson McCown, Sam Queathem and Makenna Schmidt. Queathem, Leu and Mendoza participated at state this year. Queathem finished fifth in the javelin for her first all-state medal. Leu and Mendoza competed in the 400-meter relay, but the team didn’t place.

Ten school records were broken this year. Besides Reagan, the other MCHS athletes who set school marks were Queathem (girls javelin), McCown (boys 800), Jacer Brower (boys 400), Weston Marshall (boys javelin), Lyric Ford (girls 1,600 and 3,200), Olivia Shaw (girls 200), the boys 4x200 team of Mendoza, Brower, Dominic Luttrell and Adam Czerniewski and the girls 4x800 team of Ford, Schmidt, Malia Rodgers and Claire Cobb.

Other athletes who earned all-state medals for the Wildcats were Ford (fourth, 1,600), Tyler Erwin (eighth, high jump) and the 4x200 team of Mendoza, Brower, Luttrell and Czerniewski (sixth).

MCHS had 13 athletes compete at state for the second year in row. Rodgers (3,200), Marshall (javelin) and Shaw (400) also represented the Wildcats at Jefferson City, but didn’t place.

The Wildcats had a total of six home meets this season. They also hosted the EMO and Sectional 2 meets.