Hapack leads Highland girls track with 2 medals at state, boys take 6th in sectional

In the final event of the season, the Highland Lady Bulldogs track team took two entries to the IHSA Class 2A state meet at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston on Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21.

And thanks to senior thrower Josie Hapack, HHS returned home with multiple medals.

Hapack, who will continue her track career at Indiana State this fall, finished her Lady Bulldogs career in high style. Hapack placed fourth in the shot put with a throw of 12.49 meters and then went one better in the discus, placing third overall thanks to a dazzling toss of 39.66 meters.

“The fourth-place finish in the shot put was her personal best on that throw,” Highland coach Doug Bradley said. “She set a PR at Triad in sectionals and then she came back and bettered it by a foot and she jumped all the way up to 40-11.”

While Hapack secured third in the discus, Bradley said she really wanted to win that event and that getting third was a slight letdown for her.

“Had it (one of her throws) been 11 or over 11.5 meters better, she would have been a state champion and she really, really wanted a state title,” Bradley said. “She was excited about the shot put, but I think it’s gonna be a little while before she realizes that there’s no shame in finishing third in state in the discus.”

HHS had one other entry in the state meet as the 4x800 relay team of Faith Brindley, Maddie Dortch, Payton Frey, and Tarryn Keeney battled valiantly but ultimately finished in 16th place on a stormy day at Brien Field. They ran a time of 10:29.970, two spots ahead of Mississippi Valley Conference foe Mascoutah.

“The biggest factor (that hurt us) was we wound up running the race by ourselves,” Bradley said. “A lot of times with the 4x800 relay it’s one girl having a really off day, but it was four girls who weren’t at the top of their game. I really think it was because after the first handoff of the baton there was too much to be done.”

Highland boys compete at Triad Sectional

The Highland boys team came into the IHSA Class 2A Sectional meet at Triad High School on Thursday, May 19, looking to possibly get a few competitors qualified for the Class 2A state meet in Charleston.

While the Bulldogs enjoyed a solid effort, no one made the cut for state.

“It was a good meet to end (the season) on and obviously we would have liked to get someone to state this year, but it just didn’t happen this year,” HHS coach Joe Shannon said.

HHS finished eighth overall in the 15-team field with a total of 24 points.

Strong individual showings

Mason Steinbeck led the top middle distance finishers with a fourth-place finish in the 800-meter run (2:05.27). Dallas Mancinas and Cole Basden placed third (10:23.45) and fourth (10:55.76), respectively, in the 3,200 meters to make the cut there.

“Both had a shot to go to state and Mason led all the way up until the last 200 meters of the race ... and Dallas was right behind the second place (runner) in the 3,200 until about the last 800 meters of his race,” Shannon said. “I thought they both put themselves n a position to go to state, but it just didn’t work out for them. However, they both went for it and both were pretty good races for Dallas and Mason.”

In the relay events, Highland’s 3,200-meter team finished fourth with a time of 9:05.39.

Ben Capelle kept his strong season going in the pole vault, tying for third place with a qualifying height of 3.66 meters.

“Ben put himself in a position to go for it (state),” Shannon said. “He was in third place and one more place and he’s there.”