It's developed into a nice rivalry.
California's Sydney Deeken and Eldon's Sara Rhine have battled all season long in both the high jump and long jump.
While Rhine got a leg up Friday with a win in the high jump, Deeken evened things up Saturday with a win in the Class 3 long jump, as Rhine took third.
"I usually get her in the long jump, and she gets me in the high jump," Deeken said after the win. "She got me at sectionals in the long jump, but I got her now, so that's all that matters."
Deeken's winning jump measured 17-93â„4. The title gave the Lady Pinto junior two state championships for the weekend. She won the triple jump Friday.
"It feels good to get another gold at the meet," Deeken said, but acknowledged Friday's victory was sweeter. "I like triple jump best. That's my event, so I like to win that one more. I don't really know why, I just do."
The California junior entered the long jump as the fourth seed with a qualifying jump of 17-51â„2, while Rhine entered as the top seed at 17-71â„2. But Deeken got the best of Rhine when it mattered.
"I don't think it was a surprise, because sectionals I did jump bad," Deeken said, noting her personal record is 18-4. "I had a bad day (at sectionals). I only jumped maybe low 17s. I can do much better than that. I knew that if I came and had a good day, I would come out on top."
Rhine jumped 16-81â„2 to take third, narrowly missing out on second. Bolivar's Daiwa Emmert was the runner-up with a leap of 16-9.
"We're rivals that get along," Deeken said of Rhine. "It is nice to beat her. She's just such a good athlete. She's pretty much good at everything she does. It's nice to beat someone who's good."
Deeken accounted for California's ninth-place team finish on her own. She racked up 22 points with wins in the long and triple jumps and a seventh-place finish in the high jump.
Rhine did the same for Eldon, accounting for all 16 points. That put the Lady Mustangs in 13th place.
Ste. Genevieve won with 48 points.
III
Several area athletes took part in the boys portion of the Class 3 event.
Southern Boone's Landon Bartel finished sixth in the Class 3 110-meter hurdles in a time of 15.22. John Burroughs' Ezekiel Elliott, an Ohio State football recruit, won the event in 13.87.
Bartel also took 15th in the triple jump with a leap of 40-81â„2. Maryville's Peyton Mizera won the event with a jump of 46-111â„4.
Bartel, along with the 10 points from his high jump state title Friday, accounted for all 13 points for the Eagles. Southern Boone tied for 18th in the team standings.
School of the Osage's Robbie Mueller finished fourth in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.30. Helias' Griffin McCurren won the event in 49.13. Mueller also took seventh in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.33. Elliott won that in 11.03.
Osage's 4x800-meter relay team took third with a time of 8:07.17. The team consisted of Jon Colgan, Tristan Hensley, Mueller and Wyatt Whitman. Cardinal Ritter won in 7:54.67.
Hensley took 13th place in the 3,200 meter run with a time of 10:24.69, as St. Charles West's Sheldon Keence won in 9:38.33.
Osage took 17th with 15 points.
Eldon tied for 54th with one point. The Mustangs took eighth in the 4x100-meter relay in 43.75 with the team of Sheyne Stafford, Ryan Hall, Will Simpson and Blake Randell. Sikeston won the event in 42.93.
Additional coverage:
Saturday's MSHSAA Track & Field Championship Results
Helias' McCurren wins state title in Class 3 400-meter dash
Jefferson City combines for just nine points Saturday
Blair Oaks has four all-staters in first season in Class 3
Earlier coverage:
Friday's MSHSAA Track & Field Championship Results
Burkett, Martin take second for Jefferson City
Rhine makes it 2-for-2 in the high jump
Blair Oaks has several key events Saturday
Southern Boone's Bartel wins Class 3 high jump