By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
After steamrolling the league meet a week ago, the SES track and field team continued their dominance at regionals on Friday with another first place finish from the boys and a ninth place finish from the girls.
The girls team finished their day with 33 points and qualified Jentrie Alderson, who won both the 1600 and 3200, and Ashley Prochazka, who finished third in the same two races, for state next week.
The boys team collected their ninth consecutive meet win of the year and finished the regional meet with 144 points, 85 more than second place Hoisington.
In addition to a dominant team performance, the Trojans have set themselves up to make a real run at the state title next week, qualifying eight individual athletes in seven different events and all three relay teams for state.
As it has been all season, SES dominated the distance races with Dylan Sprecker and Luke Gleason taking first and second in the 800. Sprecker also won the 1600 with Dominic Jackson and Luke Gleason locking out the podium in second and third. Jackson would win the 3200 himself with his brother Damion qualifying for state in fourth place.
Elsewhere Kanin Elkins picked up a victory in the 400 with Nakari Morrical-Palmer close behind in second. Morrical-Palmer also placed second in the 200-meter dash while Chase Poague continued his dominance in the hurdles, once again winning both the 110 and 300-meter races.
It was a good day for the relay teams as well with Poague, Morrical-Palmer, Stumpf and Kanin Elkins taking second in the 4x1, Poague, Gleason, Elkins and Sprecker winning the 4x4 and Gleason, Sprecker, Dominic Jackson and Drake Augustine winning the 4x8.
The Trojans will take 12 athletes to the state track meet at Cessna Stadium in Wichita on Friday, where the boys team will look to win SES their second state title this year.
For continuing coverage of the SES track and field teams stay tuned to the Salina Post.