By TYLER HENRY
Salina Post contributor
Despite suffering key injuries and battling to qualify athletes through a stacked Nickerson regional, the Southeast of Saline track and field team was able to end their season on a high note, with a second-place finish at state.
With 51 points the Trojan boys finished just nine short of the eventual champs in Wichita Collegiate, and three ahead of Wichita Trinity who was forced to settle for bronze.
This silver team finish was punctuated by a big win for the 4x800m relay team, as Levi Allen, Drake Augustine, Damion Jackson, and Jacob Bircher broke the previous meet record with a blazing time of 7:59.59.
Relays would continue to be a strong suit on Saturday as Southeast collected a silver medal in the 4x4 thanks to more strong runs from Augustine, Bircher, Omar Calzada, and Nakari Morrical-Palmer.
Despite qualifying just five individuals in seven events, the Trojans made the most of those opportunities, with two top-three podiums and four more points finishes.
In addition to aiding in the 4x4 relay, Nakari Morrical-Palmer put on a show, taking second in both the 400 and 200m dashes.
A trio of Trojans would wrap up other events in fourth thanks to solid days from Damion Jackson in the 1600, Omar Calzada in the 400, and Tate Nurnberg in the high jump.
Morrical-Palmer and Bircher rounded out the SES finishers on the day with a seventh-place finish in the triple jump and a ninth-place finish in the 800 respectively.
It was also a good day for a pair of Lady Trojans who qualified in individual events, as Ashley Prochazka closed out her phenomenal career with a third place finish in the 1600 and a sixth place finish in the 3200, while Elliana Smith took fifth in the 100m hurdles and 12th in the high jump.
Photo credit Jessica Sprecker