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The 2025 track and field season is underway in Boone County. The area is filled with talent in both the field and running events including multiple defending state champions. Here's a look at some of the top track and field athletes to watch in Boone County:
Aidan McDaniel, Southern Boone
McDaniel, a senior, is the reigning Class 3 shot put state champion while also placing eighth in discus. So far this season, McDaniel placed first in shot put and discus at the HS Osage Open with marks of 15.75 meters and 38.66 meters. At the Crystal Branch Invitational, he collected first-place finishes in both events with marks of 35.59 and 14.02 meters.
Athena Peterson, Hickman
Peterson, a Louisville commit, has collected 10 state medals throughout her high school track and field career. Last season, she placed second in the triple jump and the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 5 state competition. She also placed fifth in high jump in the event. At this year's Rusty Hodge Invitational, Peterson placed first in long jump with a mark of 5.36 meters.
Angelina Cottone, Tolton
Cottone is just a sophomore but impressed last season, finishing second in the 3200-meter run, third in the 1600-meter run, and ninth in the 800-meter run at the Class 4 state competition in 2024. She was also a part of the Traiblazers 4x800 team that placed first in the state.
Claire Brinkman, Centralia
Brinkman returns for her senior season for Centralia girls track and field. Last year at the Class 3 state competition, she placed seventh in the high jump event.
Cora King, Centralia
King, a junior, has already collected a pair of first-place finishes in shot put for Centralia. At the HS Thunderbird Early Invite, she placed first with a mark of 10.49 meters, while her mark of 10.59 meters at the Centralia Open #1 put her atop the leaderboards. She placed eighth in shot put last season at the Class 3 state competition.
Dominik Abadi, Tolton
Abadi excelled as Tolton's quarterback in 2024. He's also shined in track and field as well. He placed eighth in the Class 4 state javelin competition last season. Abadi was also a part of the Trailblazers 4x100 team, which placed eighth in the state.
Donivan Taylor, Rock Bridge
Taylor, a senior, placed first in long jump at the McCollough-Douglas Invitational with a mark of 6.65 meters. He placed ninth in the event at the Class 5 state competition in 2024.
Elyse Wilmes, Tolton
Wilmes, a senior, collected gold medals in 800- and 1600-meter events at the Class 4 state competition last year with times of 2:11.50 and 4:52.86. She was also a part of Tolton's 4x800, which took first place in the state. At the Crystal Branch Invitational, she placed first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:16.17.
Ethan Ross, Centralia
Ross, a sophomore, has gotten off to a strong start in 2025. At the HS Thunderbird Early Invite, he collected first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with times of 10.90 and 22.25 seconds. He also placed first in long jump with a mark of 6.66 meters. He also placed first in the 100- and 400-meter dash at the Centralia Open Track Meet with times of 11.16 and 51.47 seconds.
Harrison Hicklin, Rock Bridge
Hicklin, a junior, placed first in triple jump at the COMO Kickoff with a mark of 13.67 meters. In the Class 5 state competition last season, he placed ninth in the event.
Jaxon Kindle, Rock Bridge
Kindle, a senior, returns for the Bruins, excelling in the shot put competition. He placed 15th at state last year in Class 5.
John Moss, Hickman
Moss is only a sophomore but has already made his mark with the Kewpies. He was a part of Hickman's 4x100 team, which placed first at the Class 5 state competition, and the 4x200 team, which came in fifth.
In his second season, he placed first at the COMO Kickoff in the 100- and 200-meter dash with times of 11.17 and 21.90 seconds. The Kewpies 4x200 team featuring Moss placed first at the Rusty Hodge Invitational.
Langston Thomas, Hickman
Thomas, a Duke commit, won state in the 100-meter run in 2024 with a record time of 10.37 in Class 5. He also placed third in the 200-meter dash for the Kewpies while also being a part of the program's 4x100 team that placed first.
This season at the Fort Zumwalt Invitational, he placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.89 seconds and in long jump with a mark of 6.48 meters. In the 100- and 200-meter dash at the Rusty Hodge Invitational, Thomas placed first with times of 10.75 and 21.61 seconds. He also joined his teammate Moss on the 4x200 team.
Luke Sievers, Rock Bridge
Sievers, a junior, placed first at the COMO Kickoff in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:00.36. He's coming off a season where he placed fourth and sixth place in the 3200- and 1600-meter run for Rock Bridge at the Class 5 state competition. He was also a part of the Bruins 4x800 team, which placed seventh in the state.
Makaylin Viet, Tolton
Viet, a junior, collected a first-place finish at the North Point Open #1 with a time of 2:29.13. At the Class 4 state competition last year, she collected fourth and ninth place finishes in the 800 and 3200-meter runs. She was also a part of Tolton's 4x800 team, which placed first in the state.
Rebecca Erisman, Centralia
Erisman, a junior, placed first in the 300-meter hurdles at both the HS Thunderbird Early Invite and the Centralia Open Meet with times of 51.95 and 52.60 seconds. She was also a part of Centralia's 4x400 team that placed sixth in the Class 3 state competition last season.
Ryenn Gordon, Centralia
Gordon, a sophomore, not only excels at basketball as an all-state player, but also in track and field. In the Class 3 state competition in 2024, she placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles while also placing sixth and seventh on Centralia's 4x400 and 4x200 teams.
Sam Ryan, Tolton
Ryan, Tolton's all-time receiving touchdown leader in football, placed first in the 200-meter dash at the North Point Open #1 with a time of 23.54 seconds. He was a part of Tolton's 4x400 team that placed fifth in state last season in the Class 4 state competition.
Trace Combs, Harrisburg
Combs, a stand-out for Harrisburg in basketball and football, displayed a strong performance at the Fayette Relays. He placed first in high jump while finishing third in the 400-meter dash and seventh in the 100-meter dash. Last season at the Class 2 state competition, he placed eighth in high jump.
Journey Gaines and Tiyelle Frye, Battle
It would be hard to tell that Frye is just a freshman when she is competing in athletics. She played a key role for Battle's girls basketball team in the winter, and now in track and field, has excelled in high and triple jump. At the COMO Kickoff, she placed first in high jump with a mark of 1.42 meters as well as triple jump at 9.88 meters.
Like Frye, Gaines, a junior, also opened her season with success. At the COMO Kickoff, she placed first in the 100- and 200-meter dash with times of 12.83 and 25.97 seconds.
Vernell Holt Jr., Battle
Holt, a senior, won the Class 5 boys high jump title a season ago with a winning mark of 7.45 meters. The senior recently placed first in long jump at the Rusty Hodge Invitational with a winning mark of 6.73 meters.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here are 22 track and field athletes to watch in Boone County for 2025
Continue reading...
Aidan McDaniel, Southern Boone
McDaniel, a senior, is the reigning Class 3 shot put state champion while also placing eighth in discus. So far this season, McDaniel placed first in shot put and discus at the HS Osage Open with marks of 15.75 meters and 38.66 meters. At the Crystal Branch Invitational, he collected first-place finishes in both events with marks of 35.59 and 14.02 meters.
Athena Peterson, Hickman
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Peterson, a Louisville commit, has collected 10 state medals throughout her high school track and field career. Last season, she placed second in the triple jump and the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 5 state competition. She also placed fifth in high jump in the event. At this year's Rusty Hodge Invitational, Peterson placed first in long jump with a mark of 5.36 meters.
Angelina Cottone, Tolton
Cottone is just a sophomore but impressed last season, finishing second in the 3200-meter run, third in the 1600-meter run, and ninth in the 800-meter run at the Class 4 state competition in 2024. She was also a part of the Traiblazers 4x800 team that placed first in the state.
Claire Brinkman, Centralia
Brinkman returns for her senior season for Centralia girls track and field. Last year at the Class 3 state competition, she placed seventh in the high jump event.
Cora King, Centralia
King, a junior, has already collected a pair of first-place finishes in shot put for Centralia. At the HS Thunderbird Early Invite, she placed first with a mark of 10.49 meters, while her mark of 10.59 meters at the Centralia Open #1 put her atop the leaderboards. She placed eighth in shot put last season at the Class 3 state competition.
Dominik Abadi, Tolton
Abadi excelled as Tolton's quarterback in 2024. He's also shined in track and field as well. He placed eighth in the Class 4 state javelin competition last season. Abadi was also a part of the Trailblazers 4x100 team, which placed eighth in the state.
Donivan Taylor, Rock Bridge
Taylor, a senior, placed first in long jump at the McCollough-Douglas Invitational with a mark of 6.65 meters. He placed ninth in the event at the Class 5 state competition in 2024.
Elyse Wilmes, Tolton
Wilmes, a senior, collected gold medals in 800- and 1600-meter events at the Class 4 state competition last year with times of 2:11.50 and 4:52.86. She was also a part of Tolton's 4x800, which took first place in the state. At the Crystal Branch Invitational, she placed first in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:16.17.
Ethan Ross, Centralia
Ross, a sophomore, has gotten off to a strong start in 2025. At the HS Thunderbird Early Invite, he collected first-place finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with times of 10.90 and 22.25 seconds. He also placed first in long jump with a mark of 6.66 meters. He also placed first in the 100- and 400-meter dash at the Centralia Open Track Meet with times of 11.16 and 51.47 seconds.
Harrison Hicklin, Rock Bridge
Hicklin, a junior, placed first in triple jump at the COMO Kickoff with a mark of 13.67 meters. In the Class 5 state competition last season, he placed ninth in the event.
Jaxon Kindle, Rock Bridge
Kindle, a senior, returns for the Bruins, excelling in the shot put competition. He placed 15th at state last year in Class 5.
John Moss, Hickman
Moss is only a sophomore but has already made his mark with the Kewpies. He was a part of Hickman's 4x100 team, which placed first at the Class 5 state competition, and the 4x200 team, which came in fifth.
In his second season, he placed first at the COMO Kickoff in the 100- and 200-meter dash with times of 11.17 and 21.90 seconds. The Kewpies 4x200 team featuring Moss placed first at the Rusty Hodge Invitational.
Langston Thomas, Hickman
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Thomas, a Duke commit, won state in the 100-meter run in 2024 with a record time of 10.37 in Class 5. He also placed third in the 200-meter dash for the Kewpies while also being a part of the program's 4x100 team that placed first.
This season at the Fort Zumwalt Invitational, he placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.89 seconds and in long jump with a mark of 6.48 meters. In the 100- and 200-meter dash at the Rusty Hodge Invitational, Thomas placed first with times of 10.75 and 21.61 seconds. He also joined his teammate Moss on the 4x200 team.
Luke Sievers, Rock Bridge
Sievers, a junior, placed first at the COMO Kickoff in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:00.36. He's coming off a season where he placed fourth and sixth place in the 3200- and 1600-meter run for Rock Bridge at the Class 5 state competition. He was also a part of the Bruins 4x800 team, which placed seventh in the state.
Makaylin Viet, Tolton
Viet, a junior, collected a first-place finish at the North Point Open #1 with a time of 2:29.13. At the Class 4 state competition last year, she collected fourth and ninth place finishes in the 800 and 3200-meter runs. She was also a part of Tolton's 4x800 team, which placed first in the state.
Rebecca Erisman, Centralia
Erisman, a junior, placed first in the 300-meter hurdles at both the HS Thunderbird Early Invite and the Centralia Open Meet with times of 51.95 and 52.60 seconds. She was also a part of Centralia's 4x400 team that placed sixth in the Class 3 state competition last season.
Ryenn Gordon, Centralia
Gordon, a sophomore, not only excels at basketball as an all-state player, but also in track and field. In the Class 3 state competition in 2024, she placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles while also placing sixth and seventh on Centralia's 4x400 and 4x200 teams.
Sam Ryan, Tolton
Ryan, Tolton's all-time receiving touchdown leader in football, placed first in the 200-meter dash at the North Point Open #1 with a time of 23.54 seconds. He was a part of Tolton's 4x400 team that placed fifth in state last season in the Class 4 state competition.
Trace Combs, Harrisburg
Combs, a stand-out for Harrisburg in basketball and football, displayed a strong performance at the Fayette Relays. He placed first in high jump while finishing third in the 400-meter dash and seventh in the 100-meter dash. Last season at the Class 2 state competition, he placed eighth in high jump.
Journey Gaines and Tiyelle Frye, Battle
It would be hard to tell that Frye is just a freshman when she is competing in athletics. She played a key role for Battle's girls basketball team in the winter, and now in track and field, has excelled in high and triple jump. At the COMO Kickoff, she placed first in high jump with a mark of 1.42 meters as well as triple jump at 9.88 meters.
Like Frye, Gaines, a junior, also opened her season with success. At the COMO Kickoff, she placed first in the 100- and 200-meter dash with times of 12.83 and 25.97 seconds.
Vernell Holt Jr., Battle
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Holt, a senior, won the Class 5 boys high jump title a season ago with a winning mark of 7.45 meters. The senior recently placed first in long jump at the Rusty Hodge Invitational with a winning mark of 6.73 meters.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here are 22 track and field athletes to watch in Boone County for 2025
Continue reading...
