School Sports
Carl Junction throwers medal
6/3/09
Friday turned out to be a good day for the Carl Junction High School throwers who competed in the Missouri State High School Activities Association's Track and Field Championships in Jefferson City.
The event - the 82nd annual for the boys and 36th annual for the girls - is held at Lincoln University's Dwight T. Reed Stadium.
Devyn McPherson placed fourth overall in the shot put and Austin Osborn placed sixth overall.
McPherson, a runner-up as a junior, earned the third medal of her career after a throw of 38- 10 3/4.
The senior, who signed to throw at Missouri Southern, was a little shaken up after her performance.
McPherson, fighting back the tears, said she was aiming for a state championship.
"Yes, she is disappointed, she wanted to win state," Carl Junction track and field coach Frank Pittman said. "She was a great competitor for four years and she will be tough to replace."
The championship throw this came from Boonville's Kelly Klusmeyer, who threw 41- 4 1/2.
Osborn finished with a throw of 52- 11 1/2, not far off his seed throw of 53- 0 3/4. The champion in the event was a repeat one - as Boonville's Corey Jones threw 61- 5.
"I am not really pleased," Osborn said of his throw. "I had a rough day. Sometimes it happens. It just didn't go my way today."
He added, "It's nice to medal. I was seeded second, so I would have liked to finish a lot higher...but I had a pretty good career. I'm happy."
Osborn, a senior, will throw for Pittsburg State next year.
"I know Austin is disappointed about where he finished, he didn't finish as well as he wanted, like Devyn he is disappointed, but they both made All- State," Pittman said.
Two other Carl Junction runners took part in the preliminaries Friday, but didn't qualify for the state finals.
In her first appearance at state, junior Korie Johnson finished 15th place at state in the 300-meter hurdles.
Johnson ran a 50.74 in the finals in heat one to place seventh in her heat.
"She came out well on the first hurdles, but I think there were some jitters after that," Pittman said of Johnson.
Sagan Graskemper, a junior, ran 26.29 to place sixth in heat one of the 200-meter dash. That, though, wasn't quite fast enough to make the top eight to qualify for the state finals Saturday. Overall, she was 14th place. That was a new personal record for Graskemper.
Graskemper, though, wasn't too far off the pace. The final qualifying time for finals was 25.66 by McCluer South-Berkeley's Taelar King.
"She did what I told her, she came out on the first turn great, but kind of lost the last 40 meters," Pittman said. "She did all she could do, there is nothing to be ashamed of."
Saturday results:
Kai Ducre, a sophomore, did well in his first state trip at state by placing 10th overall in the triple jump. Ducre exceeded his seed distance and jumped a new best mark of 43- 8 1/2. The last place to medal was 44- 7 1/4 so Ducre was close.
The champion was Cal Lane of Sikeston, who jumped 49- 9.
In the pole vault, Cody Hoffman jumped 12- 6 and placed 16th.
At the end of the state championships the team scores were announced. The Lady Bulldogs tied for 37th place with McDonald County, Warrenton and Lutheran North of St. Charles.
The Bulldogs tied with Platte County for 47th place.
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