Palic sets discus record for sixth-place boys

By RYAN RICHTER

Staff writer

Former Warrior throwing great Nick Klenda captured two state discus titles in 2009 and 2010.

By breaking records set by Marion greats Gary Melcher and John Wheeler, Klenda’s throw of 182 feet, 10 inches has been the one to beat for eight years.

Heading into his final season as the defending state discus champion, it wasn’t a matter of if Tyler Palic could break Klenda’s record, but when.

That answer came Friday at the Hesston Invitational, with Palic throwing a meet-best school-record 191’ 11”, to shatter Klenda’s record.

Perhaps Palic’s biggest threat to end his reign as champion, Hillsboro’s Wes Shaw, could only manage 155’ 2”, for second place.

Out of 10 competing schools and paced by Palic’s record-setting performance, the Warrior boys’ 59 points were good for sixth.

The girls’ team finished 10th out 11 with 21 points.

In a good tuneup for the postseason, stiff competition made second place the highest outside Palic either team mustered.

That, too, went to Palic, narrowly falling to the state’s front-runner Shaw in shot-put, 53’ 9” to 51’ 5’”.

Other highlights for the boys included third-place times of 5:00.20 by Colin Williams in the 1600 and an 11.49 by Jack Schneider in the 100.

Schneider was also third in the 200 with a time of 23.59, behind Smoky Valley’s top finisher Timmy Lambert and Hesston speedster Parker Roth.

The Warrior trio of Samantha Kelsey, Anne Baliel, and Emmy Hess led the way for the girls’ team with three fourth-place finishes.

Kelsey cleared 4’ 10” in high jump, Baliel outdid teammate Michaela Regnier by a foot with a 9’ 3” pole vault for fourth, and Hess leaped 15’ 7 3/4” in long jump. The Warriors travel to Sterling Thursday for the Heart of America league meet beginning at 3 p.m.

Girls

High jump — 6. Kelsey, 4 feet 10 inches.

Pole vault — 4. Baliel, 9’3”. 5. Regnier, 8’3”.

3200 — 6. Megan Frese, 15:02.70.

Long jump — 4. Hess, 15’7 3/4”.

4x100 meter relay — 6. Marion 53.82 seconds (Richmond, Baliel, Stuchlik, Hess).

400 — 5. Richmond, 1:04.92.

4x400 — 5. Marion, 4:40.08, (Baliel, Maria Stuchlik, Abigail Stuchlik, Richmond).

Boys

Shot put — 2. Palic, 51’5”.

Discus — 1. Palic, 191’11” (school record).

High jump — 6. Dalrymple, 5’10”.

Javelin — 3. Palic, 153’.

Pole vault — 5. Neufeld, 12’.

Triple jump — 5. Zach Stuchlik, 39’ 2 3/4”.

100 — 3. Schneider, 11.49.

1600 — 3. Williams, 5:00.20.

400 — 4. Colton Mercer, 54.78. 5. Juri Billerbeck, 55.27.

800 — 5. Williams, 2:09.71.

200 — 3. Schneider, 23.59.

4x400 — 4. Marion, 3:48.56 (Mercer, Stuchlik, Williams, Schneider).