Mount Pulaski sending three athletes to the IESA State Track and Field Meet

[May 10, 2018] 

A trio of track and field stars will be representing Mount Pulaski this weekend in the IESA State Class A State Track and Field Meet.

Lucas Kuhlman is the lone eighth grade boy going to State. He is participating in the long jump after he jumped 17' 2 1/2 " at Sectionals in Mason City. His coach, Jamie Anderson, said, "Lucas is a great long jumper. He was really kind of down on his luck Saturday because his first two jumps weren't great and then we talked and we said, "If you get a solid jump on this third try, you'll make it to finals."

"I think on his third jump he made the state qualifying distance, so he didn't have to worry about finals. He had already made it for qualifications for State," said Coach Anderson.

The MPGS Girls Eighth Grade Track Team took second at Sectional 17.

Representing the girls at State will be Alexis Wade and Cassidy Clark.

Wade will compete in the seventh grade events at State. She qualified by running the 800m in 2:41 and in the long jump with a leap of 14' 2 1/2".

Then there is Clark. She has beat her personal record practically each and every time this season, except for that one windy day at the Logan County Track and Field Meet.

Clark is an eighth grade athlete from MPGS who is going to State in both the discus and shot put. At the Sectional in Mason City on Saturday she placed first in both events and just blew away the competition. Her discus throw of 113' 8" is phenomenal. The second best behind her was a throw of 80 feet. Clark tossed the shot put 32-11. Second best there was 26 feet.

Prior to hitting 113' 8" Clark said her PR was a discus throw of 108 feet. She also beat her other PR in the shot put by "half foot farther" she said.

MPGS Boys Track Coach Jamie Anderson tossed this tidbit out, "That distance of 113 is supposed to be eighth grade boys distance for disc to qualify for State and not one boy threw that this past Saturday at Sectionals. But she did," he smiled.

Clark is ranked second in the state of Illinois in the discus. The girl above her she says, has a throw of 114' 8" on record.

Clark's MPGS Girls Track Coach, Sam Brown, has nothing but praise for the young girl who has worked so hard the past two seasons to get to this point.

The trio of athletes representing Mount Pulaski this weekend are Alexis Wade, Lucas Kuhlman and Cassidy Clark.

"Cassidy is an amazing athlete. If she didn’t start off good, believe she will finish the best. She has a drive in her that most kids her age lack. Last year was her first year in track and throwing discus and shot.

Over the summer she entered meets, found a great throwing coach and spent a lot of time with Peyton Taylor throwing discus and motivating each other. I believe this year at State will be a great end to her junior high track career. She’s a contender that very well has the ability of taking home first."

Coach Brown also has praise for her younger athlete, Wade. "Alexis has always been an athlete that comes to practice and puts in the time, you can count on her to want it just as much as you do. She has a competitor drive that doesn’t allow anything but her best. Last year she went in the 800m and this year she will return and also participate in long jump. At sectionals Saturday the discus ring is right next to the long jump and as Cassidy threw her 113’8 and it was being announced Alexis was in mid-air jumping long jump landing her at her 14’5. She came over so excited for Cassidy and here she was jumping state qualifying distance. I look for Alexis to do well this weekend. When she wants it she gives it her all! These girls have been a joy to watch this season. I am sad that this ends the road with Cassidy and I. I will always be keeping tabs on her successes."

This weekend at the 2018 IESA Class A State Track and Field Meet in East Peoria it's a safe bet more than just Coach Brown will be keeping tabs on Clark.

Congratulations and good luck to these athletes this weekend.

A final note: Delaney Howard, an eighth grade track athlete at MPGS, was in contention for a state appearance this year, but sadly she fell ill on the bus the morning of Sectionals.

[Teena Lowery]