The Class 1A District 10 champion Pekin Panther girls’ track team will be represented well throughout this week’s Iowa Girls and Boys High School Track and Field Meet. The Panthers have qualified for 11 events, including the 100 meter dash, the 100 meter hurdles, the 4×100 meter relay team,  the 800 meter run, the 4×800 meter relay,  the 1500 meter run, the 3000 meter run, the distance medley, the high jump, the shot put, and the discus.

Sprinters include senior Mallory Reed and sophomore Kaylee Linder, who each will compete in two events at the blue oval. Reed is the District 10 100 meter hurdle champion, crossing the finish line in 16.56 seconds. Reed’s time ranks as the 12th best time in Class 1A. Linder has qualified for the state meet in the 100 meter dash, clocking the sprint in 12.97 seconds. Her time was the second best time in the district, but the sixth fastest among the Class 1A field.

The two teammed up with freshman Sloan Reighard  and junior Courtney Comstock to win the District 10 4×100 meter relay, posting a time of 52.99 seconds. The time is the sixth fastest among the 24 qualifying teams.

The Panthers will showcase junior Gwynne Wright in the distance races. She is ranked in the top five in the state in the 800 meter, 1500 meter, and 3000 meter runs. She ranks as the state’s best half mile competitor, winning the District 10 race in 2:19.75. Her district winning performance in the 1500 meter run of 5:09.52 is the third best time in Class 1A, and her district championship run of 11:01.93 is the second best in the state.  

Junior teammate Taylor Lock qualified in the top five in the 3000 meter run, clocking a time of 11:12.33. The run was the second best in the district, and the fourth best performance statewide in Class 1A.

Wright also anchored the Panthers’ distance medley team of Reighard, sophomore Shea Dahlstrom, and Linder which won their district event in 4:24.85. The performance ranks as the fourth best in the state.

Three athletes will represent the Panthers in the field events at Drake Stadium, including junior Kaysha Dodson, junior Shelbie Williams, and senior Bridget Fritchen. Dodson automatically qualified for the state meet in the high jump competition, skying a district best 5 feet even in Wayland last Thursday. Her leap was the seventh best performance in the state.

Williams is the top ranked shot put athlete in Class 1A, winning the district 10 championship with a throw of 39 feet 2 inches. Her best discuss toss was recorded at 115 feet 5 inches, the second best performance in the district and qualified as the seventh best throw in Class 1A.

Rounding out Pekin’s athletes at the state track meet is Fritchen, who qualified for the state discuss field. Fritchen’s toss of 103 feet 9 inches was the third best performance in Wayland’s district, but was the 16th best performance in Iowa.

The first event for the Pekin Panther girls’ track team begins at 2 p.m. tomorrow when Williams battles in the shot put competition.