NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTOS BY STEVE BRANT – The STC all-sophomore 4x100 relay team of (right to left) Maylee Rucker, Sydney Arp, Scout Ridout, and Brylee Nelson qualified for the state meet in Des Moines.

It was a beautiful night for track and field on Thursday, May 14, when the STC boys and girls teams traveled to Mount Vernon for the annual State Qualifying meet. After a highly successful night, the Trojans are sending ten different athletes to the state meet in eight different events.

STC sophomore Scout Ridout qualified in all four events that she ran in. Ridout won the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.18 to become the only STC female athlete to earn a championship on the night. After a disappointing result in the event last season — where she just missed out qualifying for state — Ridout was mobbed by her teammates on the infield after her victory.

Ridout also finished third in both the 100 and 200. With the top two finishers in each event of the night automatically qualifying for the state meet, Ridout needed to wait until the next day to see if she earned one of the at-large bids based on the next eight best times from across the state. Ridout earned her spot in both events.

Ridout also qualified with her three teammates in the all-sophomore 4×100 relay. Brylee Nelson, Sydney Arp, Ridout, and Maylee Rucker finished in second place in a thrilling victory to earn the automatic qualification. After finishing seventh in the event at the WaMaC conference meet, the foursome came to Mount Vernon with something to prove. They did that and more — running a season-best time of 50.55 and inching themselves closer to the school-record (50.01). Rucker crossed the finish line just behind Waverly-Shell Rock (50.51).

For the boys program, senior Cadel Conner was the lone champion on the night for the Trojans. Conner won the 3200 with a time of 9:53.84, earning him the berth at state. Joining him in qualifying in the same event was senior Barrett Jesina, who finished in third place (9:59.99) and earned himself an at-large bid.

STC seniors Cadel Conner (left) and Barrett Jesina (right) run side-by-side in the 3200. Both runners qualified for the state meet in the event.

Conner also qualified for state in the 1600, finishing in second place with a time of 4:26.50. For the terrific distance duo, this year represents another of multiple trips to State. For Conner, it will be his fourth appearance; for Jesina, his second.

They will be joined by senior Timmothy Chandonia, who qualified in the shot put with a top-throw in Mount Vernon of 51-0. The toss earned Chandonia fourth place on the night and an at-large bid to Des Moines. It will be Chandonia’s second trip to the state meet.

Also qualifying was the Distance Medley relay team of sophomore Ryan Brant, senior Nick Upah, junior Josiah Houghton, and Conner. In a highly competitive race, the foursome finished in fourth place (3:37.61). Conner ran an 800 split of 1:59 on the final leg to push the Trojans into the at-large berth.

As a team in Mount Vernon, the girls finished in sixth place, while the boys finished in seventh.

STC’s 10 athletes will run at the state meet and the famous Drake University ‘blue oval’ over the course of Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23. They will compete at the following times: Cadel Conner and Barret Jesina (3200 — Thursday, 4:05 p.m.); Scout Ridout (200 prelims — Thursday, 4:30 p.m.); Scout Ridout (100 prelims — Thursday, 6:38 p.m.); Ryan Brant, Nick Upah, Josiah Houghton, Cadel Conner (D-Med — Friday, 3:40 p.m.); Scout Ridout (100 hurdles prelims — Friday, 4:10 p.m.); Timmothy Chandonia (Shot Put — Friday, 4:30 p.m.); Brylee Nelson, Scout Ridout, Sydney Arp, Maylee Rucker (4×100–Friday, 6:30 p.m.); and Cadel Conner (1600 — Saturday, 3:10 p.m.).

The STC Distance Medley team qualified for the state meet in Des Moines. The team is made up of (left to right): senior Nick Upah, senior Cadel Conner, junior Josiah Houghton, and sophomore Ryan Brant.

STC sophomore Scout Ridout punched her ticket to the state meet in four separate events.