On Thursday, the El Dorado Springs Track Team headed to Versailles for the 2025 Ozark Highlands Conference Track & Field Championships. The track meet got started at 4 p.m. with the high school boys and girls teams both trying to defend their titles.
On the girls side, the 4 x 800 m. Relay, consisting of Tatum Quinlan, Audrey Goatley, Riley Lee and Neely Schaaf got the day started off on the right track, winning with a time of 10:46. Braylie Steward then took 2nd in the 100 m. Hurdles with a season best time of 17.81. This was followed up with a pair of athletes placing in the 100 m. dash with Lainey Dody winning in a time of 13.24 with Brooke Coale finishing 5th with a time of 13.68. The 4 x 200 m. Relay, consisting of Allie Thompson, Lainey Dody, Braylie Steward and Neely Schaaf, finished 2nd with a time of 1:52.93. Audrey went on to win the 1600 m. Run with a time of 5:44. Lainey Dody finished 2nd with a time of 1:04 in the 400 m. dash. Braylie Steward went on to win the 300 m. Hurdles with a season best time of 49.23 followed by Kalen Post in 5th with a time of 54 seconds. Neely Schaaf and Tatum Quinlan finished neck and neck in the 800 m. Run to take 1st and 2nd followed by Riley Lee who finished 5th with a personal best time of 2:46. Audrey Goatley went on to win the 3200 m. Run with a season best time of 12:20. In the field events, Kalen Post placed 2nd in the high jump with a jump of 1.5 meters or 4’11”. Aleta Lyness finished 4th in the triple jump with a jump of 9.07 meters or roughly 29’9”. Sage McCullough placed 2nd in the javelin throw with a throw of 30.48 meters or 100’. In the end the team title came down to the final event of the night, the 4 x 400 m. Relay with El Dorado Springs behind by 1.5 points and needing a win to solidify the defense of the title. The 4 x 400 consisting of Lainey Dody, Braylie Steward, Tatum Quinlan and Neely Schaaf ended pulling off the win with a time of 4:16 and defending the Conference Championship team title for the 3rd year straight.
On the boys side, the 4 x 800 m. Relay, consisting of Logan Fisk, Shane Fletcher, Ayden Bruce and Braxton Watts started off similarly to the girls, winning with a time of 8:57. Justin Brown went on to win the 100 m. dash with a time of 10.95 followed shortly thereafter by Will Seitz in 3rd with a time of 11.32. The 4 x 200 Relay team consisting of Thomas Davenport, Kolten Delk, Sylas Fletcher and Donovan Kirkham placed 5th with a time of 1:45.24. Wyatt Klaiber went on to win the 1600 m. Run with a time of 4:38 followed by teammates Shane Fletcher in 3rd with a time of 4:55 and Braxton Watts in 4th with a time of 4:56. The 4 x 100 Relay, consisting of Thomas Davenport, Kolten Delk, Sylas Fletcher and Donovan Kirkham finished 4th with a time of 50.38. Will Seitz went on to win the 400 m. Dash with a time of 50.18 with Ayden Bruce finishing 5th with a time of 55.38. Wyatt Klaiber won the 800 m. Run with a time of 2:00 followed by Will Seitz in 2nd with a time of 2:05 and Braxton Watts in 4th with a time of 2:07. Justin Brown won the 200 m. Dash with a personal best time of 22.06 followed by Will Seitz in 2nd with a time of 22.76. Shane Fletcher went on to place 2nd in the 3200 m. Run with a time of 10:45. In Field events, Ayden Bruce won the high jump with a season best jump of 1.65 meters or roughly 5’5”. Wyatt Klaiber placed 3rd in the pole vault with a vault of 3.2 meters or 10’6”. Russell Fergusson finished 4th in discus with a throw of 32.79 meters or about 107’6”. And just like the girls team, defending the team title for the boys would also come down to the final event of the night, the 4 x 400 m. Relay, as they were just 1 point ahead of Adrian, so they would have to beat Adrian to defend. The team consisting of Ayden Bruce, Braxton Watts, Sylas Fletcher and Wyatt Klaiber, endured a hard charge from the Adrian Blackhawks team, however, the Bulldog team was able to edge ahead in the end to win it with a time of 3:34. This sealed the deal for the team title as the Boys team won their 4th OHC Conference title in a row.
Despite the long drive, both teams were really up to the challenge. We moved things around and didn’t always have our strongest relays together to try and maximize our points and yet despite facing adversity along the way, nobody gave up and each and every athlete continued pushing to the end and doing their part and when the dust settled, the Bulldogs were able to come out on top.
We also want to give a huge shoutout to a major piece of the puzzle that has been missing for about 4 weeks straight, and that is our Assistant Coach, Coach Carpenter. Coach Carpenter has dealt with some pretty major health issues recently, and as much as the kids want to succeed, they also have a little extra push as they are also running for him. He is an extremely valuable asset to the team and is greatly missed. We wish him a healthy recovery and hope to see him back soon!!
Next up, the El Dorado Springs Bulldogs turn their attention to the postseason. They will be running in Holden on Saturday, May 10 at the MSHSAA Class 3 District 7 Track and Field Championship meet. At stake, a trip to the Sectional Meet the following week. To earn their ticket to the sectional meet, athletes will need to place in the top 4 of their events.
It’s a Great time to be a BULLDOG! GO BULLDOGS!
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