It didn't exactly go according to plan, but it didn't matter in the end.
Two runners crossed the finish line before Calvary Lutheran junior Emma Homfeldt did after the first of two laps in the 800-meter run Friday in the Class 1 state track and field championships at Adkins Stadium. No one beat her to the stripe the second time around.
Homfeldt took second around the turn, raced into the lead on the back straightaway and sprinted into Calvary Lutheran history, becoming the first state champion for the girls track and field team.
"It's very incredible," Homfeldt said. "I'm very thankful and excited. I was very nervous coming into today, but it was a nervous excitement. I knew that I was nervous, but I knew that I didn't want to regret feeling nervous. I wanted to be excited and just do my best because I just love this opportunity to run."
The winning time of 2:23.08 was a personal best for Homfeldt, who clocked in at 2:25.67 for a third-place finish last year.
"I kind of wanted to try to do my best to make it to that point where the first-place girl was last year," Homfeldt said.
She got close. Alexys Barton of Liberal won the race in 2:22.76 last year. Barton and Erinn Fitzgerald of Salisbury passed Homfeldt to finish 1-2. Homfeldt became the hunter instead of the hunted this year.
"We go over scenarios with coach, but you can't go over everything because there's just so many factors involved," Homfeldt said. "I think it's just important to remember throughout the race to be thinking and be smart about your running and to adapt based on changes, which I'm not always good at. Sometimes I'm like, 'Oh no, what do I do?' But you just have to kind of adapt."
She adapted just fine, wasting no time to make the passes before leading the final 200 meters or so.
"I'm like, 'OK, I'm going to get a run on them,'" Homfeldt said. "This is what you work up to and you've just got to give it your all and not let anybody in front of you."
No one could make a run at the lead. Stanberry senior Halley Wilmes was runner-up at 2:24.88 and Van Buren senior Jennifer Morey was third in 2:25.46.
So Homfeldt got to take that last step to the top of the podium while the hometown crowd cheered her on from the bleachers and her teammates screamed their support as well.
"It felt pretty amazing," Homfeldt said. "I was very grateful to have that spot. I came into it just wanting to do the best that I could and I'm very thankful that God has given me the ability to work through the season and improve for my coaches and teammates and family and friends that have pushed me to this place."
The season didn't get off to the start Homfeldt wanted. At the Russellville Open in March, she finished second with a time of 2:39.70.
"I was just struggling with it because you think, 'Oh man, I was here last year so why am I not here now?'" Homfeldt said. "But you have to remember everybody has to work up to that point and you just have to keep putting in the work and it's not something that comes overnight and you just have to keep pushing."
The time was down to about 2:30 a month into the season and within a few seconds of Friday's winning mark when districts came around.
"I think earlier in the season I started doing more workouts for mid-distance," Homfeldt said. "Last year it was kind of gradual, we worked up to that point. But this year from the start I was working with mid-distance people.
"I was able to work on that type of running all through the season instead of halfway. I think I was just more prepared from that standpoint."
Homfeldt isn't quite done at the state meet. She'll anchor the Lady Lions' 4x800-meter relay team at 11 a.m. today. Sarah Johnson, Baileigh Morris and Madeline Wilson will run the first three legs of the relay.
Olivia Bexten of Calvary Lutheran came close to earning a medal in the girls high jump, tying for ninth by clearing 4 feet, 10 inches Friday.
Stanberry junior Marissa Jensen broke the Class 1 record in the event, clearing 5-7.25 for the victory.
Matt Allen had a mark of 18-2 in the boys long jump to place 13th.
Both of Calvary Lutheran's boys sprint relay teams advanced to today's final. Sam Felger, Austin Meisel, R.J. Mays and Reece Going ran the 4x100 preliminaries in 45.53 seconds, good for the sixth-best time. The finals are scheduled for 12:45 p.m. today.
The same group ran the 4x200 prelims in 1:33.95 for the third-best time. Today's finals are scheduled for 12:10 p.m.
In the boys 200-meter dash prelims, Going finished second in his heat and third overall in 22.77 to qualify for today's finals, which will start at about 1:55 p.m.
The 4x400 relay team of Allen, Jimmie Wehmeyer, Grant Going and Reece Going placed 14th in 3:43.18.
For the second straight year, the girls 4x100 relay team finished ninth. Katy Allen, Johnson, Andrea Stanford and Bexten ran the race in 53.69 seconds.
Today, Katy Allen will compete in the long jump and Amanda Braun will throw the javelin. Both events start at 2 p.m.
Luke Felger will start discus competition at 1:30 p.m. today for the Lions.
III
David Basiger of St. Elizabeth just missed the podium, finishing ninth in the boys shot put with a toss of 43-2 on his second attempt.
St. Elizabeth will have three athletes competing today in Class 1.
Ariel Schaffer will be in the pole vault at 9:30 a.m. Andrea Schaffer (javelin) and Jordan Plassmeyer (long jump) will both be in action at 2 p.m.
For Jamestown, Trenton Barbour will be chasing after a medal in the triple jump at 10 a.m.
Barbour will also run with Garrett Wolfe, Ian Sumner and Cole Higgins in the boys 4x200-meter relay at 12:10 p.m. Their time of 1:34.82 in Friday's prelims the fourth-fastest among the qualifiers for the finals.