Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Brady Kilgore State Track medal winner

After missing out by one place a year ago in his freshman year, Kimball’s Brady Kilgore made the most of his qualifying spot at this year’s District Track Meet by finishing 2nd in his favorite event, the 110 meter high hurdles, and then winning performances this past weekend at Omaha Burke Stadium, finishing 5th with his time of 15.2 after his qualifying run on Friday of 15.88.

As you track fans already know, the weather was quite cool and wet in Omaha this past weekend, but Brady didn’t complain much about the conditions, weather wise.

“It was a little cool, but not all that bad. The track was good,” he said.

One other condition did bother him some however as the officials had a problem with the timing system being used and track action was delayed over an hour while they tried to solve the problem.

“I warmed up like 5 different times,” Brady said. Coach Mohr said his star hurdler would take off his sweats and warm up, then have to put them back on and then repeat the process a few more times.

When asked to compare his experience at Omaha with other track highlights he has experienced Brady said, “This was my most exciting highlight.”

He said it was even better than his school record run at Mitchell. He also said he hopes to repeat the trip back to Omaha next year, but is now going to turn his attention to playing some summer Legion Baseball where he performs as pitcher and catcher.

The state meet was not so kind to senior Jaden Withrow who was a four time state qualifier in the triple jump and was the defending state champion in Class C from his win in the event last year when he also finished 4th in the long jump. Jaden fell short of his best efforts with his best jump at Omaha this year of 41’7 and 1/4 inches and failed to make the finals. He was just an inch shy of making the finals, which would have given him another state medal, and wound up 10th in the field of jumpers. His fourth and final trip to state closed out an illustrious track and field career at Kimball High.

Hannah Biesecker was also making a return trip to the state meet after winning district, but she also came up well short of her season best, including her winning jump of 16’8 and 1/2” at district. On Friday she scratched on 2 of her prelim jumps and ended up with a lone mark of 15’4” and failed to make the finals. Disappointment for certain, but as a junior, Hannah will be back to record many more wins next season and her future is bright.