PHILLIPSBURG, KS — Local athletes gathered at Phillipsburg High School on April 24, 2026, for a day of high-stakes competition at the Phillipsburg Invitational. The meet saw dominant team performances from Beloit and Smith Center, alongside several standout individual efforts.
Beloit Girls Power to Team Victory
The Beloit girl athletes were the story of the day, securing a massive team score of 214 to take first place overall. Their success was fueled by several first-place finishes, including:
- Dakota Gray won the girl 300-meter hurdles with a time of 47.71.
- Bently Pruitt dominated the girl shot put with a throw of 41-4.50.
- Samantha Thompson took gold in the girl discus throw, reaching 123-10.
- The Beloit 4×100 meter relay team finished first with a time of 50.20.
- Henry Tice led the way in field events for the Beloit boys, winning the pole vault by clearing 13-0.
Smith Center Boys Lead the Pack
On the boy’s side, Smith Center High School claimed the top team spot with 134 points, closely followed by Phillipsburg and Beloit, who tied for second with 105 points each. Smith Center’s victory was built on strong relay performances and individual dominance:
- Gavin Hickert had a stellar meet, winning the boy 800-meter (2:06.98), 1600-meter (4:44.75), and 3200-meter runs (10:13.77).
- Carson McKelvey secured first in the boy 300-meter hurdles, clocking in at 39.89.
- Cole McKelvey took home gold in the boy 400-meter dash with a time of 51.57.
- Smith Center swept the boy 4×100 (44.53), 4×400 (3:32.78), and 4×800 (8:38.78) meter relays.
Other Notable Performances
While Beloit and Smith Center led the team standings, other schools showcased exceptional talent:
- Jenna Berland (Hill City) won the girl 200-meter dash in 26.04.
- Tyler Backman (Norton Community) was the fastest boy on the track, winning the 200-meter dash in 22.38.
- Kinsey Zorn (Russell) claimed victory in both the girl 400-meter dash (1:00.33) and the 800-meter run (2:26.28).
- Madison Howland (Smith Center) led the girl 1600-meter run with a time of 5:24.85.
- Brilynn Trumpp (Plainville) won the girl 3200-meter run in 12:36.88.
- Piper Simpson (Thomas More Prep-Marian) took first in the girl pole vault, clearing 10-0.
- Griffin Johnson (Beloit) won the boy shot put with a massive throw of 59-8.
The meet concluded with the Phillipsburg girl team taking second place overall with 73 points, and the Norton Community boys finishing fourth in their division with 89 points.
