Kearney boys look right back on track
[ 04/24/2008 ]
BY STU POSPISIL
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
Kearney's track and field team never seems out of the Class A title picture.
Kearney could finish 1-2-3 in the pole vault at state. Nate Polacek, left, and Brett Maher, right, rank in the state's all-time top 10. Caleb Brandt, center, has cleared 14-6.The past three years, however, others have been front and center. Fremont won in 2005, Omaha North in 2006 and Omaha Central last year.
Where were the Bearcats? Second, fifth (gasp!) and second. This from a program that won a record 11 consecutive state titles from 1994 to 2004 and has been in the top two for 16 of the past 19 years.
This year a state title seems attainable. Big points are possible from their pole vaulters and long jumpers, maybe even a rare 1-2-3 sweep for either group.
"Shoot, they're four deep in two events," Central coach Elliott Evans said. "To me, they're pretty much the team to beat."
A preview of how Kearney stacks up against the past three state champions comes at today's Omaha North Invitational, which begins at 3 p.m.
Because of injuries and the proximity of the meet to next Tuesday's state of the Metro Conference meet, some athletes may not compete or not have a full load of four events.
Kearney's top three pole vaulters — Nate Polacek, Brett Maher and Caleb Brandt — already have made history. At Omaha Central's meet, their combined height was 45 feet, 6 inches. Polacek went on the all-time charts, tied for fourth, at 16 feet, Maher was at 15-6 and Brandt at 14-0.
Nate Polacek practices at Kearney High School.Now Maher also has a mark on the all-time charts, having won the Kansas Relays title last weekend at 15-11 to tie for seventh. The Nebraska football walk-on was last year's Class B champion for Centennial, and Polacek was the all-class gold medalist at 15-2.
"Brett has made Nate better," Kearney coach Roger Mathiesen said. "And they're good friends. It's been a good mix."
In the long jump, Maher is one of four Bearcats to exceed 22 feet. Vinny Molina leads the pack at 22-5, Maher is at 22-4½ and Jared Archer and Jack Chatelain are at 22-3.
Chatelain, a junior, also is on the triple jump season chart and ranks as one of Class A's best in the 110 high hurdles. He might be restricted to one event at the North meet because of bumps and bruises, Mathiesen said.
"What we have going for us is a lot of guys in a lot of events," the veteran coach said. "How many hammers do we have, like the Colby Wissels, Luke Garringers, Broc Howards we had, I don't know. But how many 1-2-3s are out there?"
Central's hopes of keeping the Class A title another season aren't as strong as it seemed a year ago. The Eagles are without seniors Shaun and Shane Prater, who bypassed track season to prepare for their future football careers at the University of Iowa.
With them, there were thoughts that the Eagles could have a 1,600 relay team capable of running a state-record time of 3:15. Shaun Prater was on last year's state-record 400 relay.
Like many other teams, the Eagles also are trying to get kids healthy for the meets that matter — districts on May 7 and state on May 16 and 17 at Burke Stadium.
"You know, Kearney could score 48 points in the vault and long jump, and I don't think it's going to take that much more to win," Evans said. "Points are kind of spread out.
"Stephon Washington (defending champion) should be really tough in the 300 hurdles, and Daryle Hawkins will challenge in the highs. We could put together pretty strong relays.
"I could see us scoring 50 and maybe on up to 70." Mathiesen is wary of North's sprinters and jumpers and Fremont's distance runners.
"Everybody looks at us as the favorite because we score so much in invitationals," he said. "I think someone will beat our 11 in a row before our invitational winning streak (107 and counting).
"Obviously the vault is key. If we can drop a quick 24, or 22 or 20 on the field, that's fast points. And we've been awfully consistent. I certainly sleep a lot better because of them."