Perkins County track teams open 2026 season with early meet results

By Emmalee Parsley Stevens

Grant tribune Sentinel

The Perkins County track and field teams are underway for the 2026 season, combining returning experience with a large group of underclassmen as they look to build momentum.

Head coach Shayne Hite leads the program, coaching the 400- and 800-meter runs, hurdles, sprint relays and pole vault. He is joined by Tristan Stephenson, Steve Snyder and Brendan Geier, who oversee distance events, sprints and jumps, and throws, respectively.

The Plainsmen boys team features 15 athletes and no seniors, while the girls roster includes 24 athletes and three seniors.

Perkins County opened its season Thursday, March 26, hosting a meet at Perkins County High School.

On the boys side, Massimo Latella placed 15th in the 100-meter dash in 13.61 seconds, while Aaron Striker finished 19th in 13.94. Latella added a seventh-place finish in the 200 in 26.58 seconds, followed by Striker in 10th at 26.97.Carson Green led the Plainsmen in the 400, placing third in 56.09 seconds, while Spencer Williams was seventh in 1:01.33.

In distance events, Ethan Swesey won the 800 in 2:17.58, followed by Logan Barry in third at 2:23.05. Leighton Fryzek added a runner-up finish in the 1,600 in 5:33.07.

The 4x800 relay team of Swesey, Barry, Fryzek and Green placed second with a time of 9:22.20.

In field events, Luke Minster placed seventh in shot put (36 feet, 5 inches) and fifth in discus (120-11). Fryzek was sixth in pole vault at 7-0. Williams placed fifth in long jump (16-11.25) and fourth in triple jump (34-10).

For the girls, Zoe Hansen placed sixth in the 200 in 34.80 seconds. Paisley Mayer finished fifth in the 400 in 1:12.00, followed by Jaymee Harger in eighth at 1:25.14.

In the 1,600, Jayleen Jurado placed fourth in 8:12.87, with Kinley Bottom finishing fifth in 8:14.64.

Ella Homan led the Lady Plainsmen with a first-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 17.90 seconds and added a third-place finish in the 300 hurdles in 52.82. Kamryn Klockman was sixth in the 300 hurdles in 59.41.In throwing events, Paige Franklin placed fourth in shot put (27-1), while Ryleigh Johnson was sixth (26-10) and third in discus (83-3).Klockman placed third in high jump at 4-8, with Harger sixth at 3-8. Mayer finished fourth in pole vault at 6-6.

Homan also won the long jump with a mark of 14-6.75, while Hansen placed eighth at 12-11.5. Ava Seger placed fourth in triple jump at 29-8.75, followed by Hansen in eighth at 25-5.75.

Hite said the opening meet served as a starting point for the season.

“We only had about eight girls and eight boys competing last week,” Hite said. “We needed a first meet at some point to get started. It looked like a first meet.”

Hite noted the team is still working toward peak condition.“In field events and running we can tell we are not in shape yet,” he said. “We don’t have a lot to our finishes yet.”

He expects improved participation and performance in the coming meets.

“We should be back to full strength soon, although those coming back will be going through first-meet jitters, fatigue and learning,” Hite said. “This week we should be able to put more relays together.”

Earlier, Hite highlighted strengths across both teams, including returning state qualifiers Ethan Swesey, Madison Potts, Ella Homan  and Kamryn Klockman, while noting depth and experience will need to develop—particularly on the boys side, which lacks seniors.

The Plainsmen will continue their season Thursday, April 2, when they host the E. Lee Todd Invitational at Perkins County High School.