The Helias Crusaders earned medals in all four of their final events Saturday. But despite that success, it wasn't quite the day the Crusaders were looking for.
"We did really good, we didn't do great, we did really good," Helias coach Chip Malmstrom said Saturday afternoon after the Crusaders finished 10th in the MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field Championships at Dwight T. Reed Stadium. "When you score points in every event and you're still disappointed, that's not a bad thing.
"It's great to achieve that level of success, but it's good that they're disappointed because it means they want to do better."
Helias, which finished with 19 team points, scored first in the 110-meter hurdles as sophomore Josh Woodruff picked up the first of his four medals by finishing eighth after clipping the first two hurdles.
The Crusaders then finished third in the 4x200-meter relay. The foursome of Ryan Tannehill, J.C. Szumigala, Jordan Walker and Woodruff finished with a time of 1:29.65.
Woodruff then posted Helias' top finish at state, taking second in the 200-meter dash in a school record time of 21.82.
"You can't ask more than to break the school record," Malmstrom said. "He has never run any faster than that, the other guy ran just a little better." Jaymes Kelly of Grandview won with a time of 21.66.
Helias wrapped up its scoring in the 4x400-meter relay. The Crusaders, running the same four as in the 4x200, posted the top preliminary time Friday, but finished fifth in the finals with a time of 3:23.00.
"Their splits were good, it may have been a little much for Josh to run eight events in two days when it's as hot as it is," Malmstrom said.
None of the four will return next season. Tannehill, Szumigala and Walker are all seniors, while Woodruff is moving to the Kansas City area.
"They've been a great group and we're going to miss them," Malmstrom said.
On the girls side, Kaitlyn Shea picked up her second individual medal in the championships by finishing fifth in the 3,200-meter run. The junior finished in 11:36.54.
"It was hot out there," Shea said.
Shea, who finished seventh Friday in the 1,600-meter run, was competing against one of the top distance runners in recent memory in Missouri. Ste. Genevieve sophomore Taylor Werner lapped more than half of the 16-person field and won the event in 10:19.15 to set a record for any class.
"It can be intimidating to run against her, but you just have to believe in yourself and do the best you can," Shea said.
The only event Helias qualified for but did not score in Saturday was the girls 4x800-meter relay. The foursome of Macy Randolph, Molly Light, Kylie Frank and Shea finished 10th in 10:07.90
"I was looking to medal in all three events, it would have been nice for us to get one in the relay," Shea said. "But I was satisfied."
The four will return next season. "All of those girls are coming back and they're going to come back hungry," Malmstrom said.
The Lady Crusaders finished tied for 26th in the final team standings with six points.