SECTION IV TRACK & FIELD: WAVERLY RELAY REACHES PODIUM, FALLS SHY OF STATE BERTH AT STATE QUALIFIER (21 PHOTOS) (2025-05-05)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportENDICOTT — The Waverly girls 1,600-meter relay team reached the podium, but came up just shy in its bid for a berth at States, missing the state standard by less than one-half second here Thursday evening at the Section IV Track & Field State Qualifier at Ty Cobb Stadium.
"It was a really tough day," said Waverly coach Dave Hogan. "Our hearts are just broken for the girls in the relays. They worked so hard to put themselves into contention and into the best spot possible, and it just wasn’t our day.
"With the girls 1600 relay, it’s just a real gut-punch to see a top-seeded team re-run their best time and not have it fall their way."
"If we know these girls, though, they’ll be back next year with this moment on their minds," added Hogan. "A different result will play out."
The foursome of juniors Haley Larrabee, Kaitlyn Sutton, sophomore Ryleigh Judson, and freshman Kaylin Twedt ran for the Lady Wolverines, who were the top seed in Division C, and finished second in a time of 4:07.6 — just off the state standard of 4:06.97.
Waverly's 3,200-meter relay team of Judson, sophomore Makenzie Olmsted, junior Mackenzie Chamberlain, and senior Harper Minaker, which was also the top seed in Division C, finished fourth in a time of 10:34.37.
For the boys, the 3,200-meter relay foursome of seniors Nic Mattison and Riley Pipher, junior Hayden Howe, and sophomore Jayden Washington finished fifth in a time of 8:46.22.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Haley Larrabee. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Ryleigh Judson takes the baton from Haley Larrabee in the 1,600-meter relay. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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