The Montgomery County Wildcats enjoyed another outstanding season on the track this spring as they finished with three all-state medalists, qualified eight athletes to the state meet, broke a pair of school records and captured another Eastern Missouri Conference championship in the girls division.

Sophomore Samantha Turner, senior Tyler Erwin and freshman Emma Rodgers were the MCHS athletes who made a trip to the awards podium in the Class 3 state meet. Turner finished second in the discus and third in the shot put, Erwin came in sixth in the long jump and Rodgers placed eighth in the 800. It’s the 13th year in a row the Wildcats had an all-state medalist.

Turner, Erwin and Rodgers were joined by senior Jadrian Thurmon, sophomores Kaylee Daume, Aubrey Janes and Austyn Robinson and freshman Mieka Ray-Wise at the state meet. Rodgers, Daume, Janes, Robinson and Ray-Wise competed in Jefferson City for the first time.

Turner broke school records in the shot put and discus this year. Her throw of 119-5 in the discus at the EMO meet on May 2 at MCHS surpassed the old mark of 117-7 that was set by Jennifer Kroger in 1997. Her shot put throw of 37-0.5 at the Class 3, District 2 championship meet on May 10 in Owensville broke the old record of 36 feet that was set by Andrea Knapp in 2021.

The MCHS girls won the EMO championship for the sixth year in row, placing first in the conference meet with 125 points. They trailed Louisiana by 3.5 points with four events to go before coming out on top.

The Wildcats placed in the top five in four other meets in the girls division this season, including a third-place finish at the district meet.

The MCHS girls were led by their sophomore class that included Turner, Janes, Robinson, Daume, Jillian Weekley, Olivia Spurgeon, Anna Klekamp, Sarah Waters and Reaghan Hemeyer. At the conference meet, they scored 79.5 points to help the Wildcats win the title.

“I really enjoy it,” Janes said after the Class 3, Sectional 2 championship meet on May 17. “I think it’s really special since we’re all very young. I think we have more years to improve. Since we’re already doing this good as a young team, I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like in the next two years while we’re still here.”

In addition to her two school records and her two all-state medals, Turner finished with six first-place finishes in the throwing events. She won both the shot put and discus at the conference and district meets.

Janes and Robinson helped the 1,600-meter relay team – which also included Rodgers and Ray-Wise – win a district title and qualify for state. Janes also had a pair of victories in the high jump.

Rodgers had seven first-place finishes, including the ones in the 800 and 3,200-meter relay at the EMO meet. She ran a season-best 2:25.74 in the 800 at state.

Erwin and Thurmon were the top performers for the Wildcats in the boys division all season long. Erwin had eight first-place finishes in the jumping events, while Thurmon had six wins in the distance events.

Erwin began his senior year with victories in the high jump and triple jump at the Montgomery County Early Invitational on March 25. He ended it with his third all-state medal in the long jump and his seventh overall.

Thurmon also started his senior year on a high note, winning the 800 at the Montgomery County Early Invitational. He won both the 800 and 1,600 in come-from-behind fashion at the Montgomery County Invitational on April 21. Thurmon also made his first state appearance since his freshman year, when he was part of an 800-meter relay team that placed sixth.

Erwin and Thurmon were part of a senior class that included Atlanta Kobusch, Miley Rieke, Brendan Craven, Brenna Ludy and Anna Wright. Erwin, Thurmon, Craven and Ludy competed with the Wildcats all four years.