Payton Carter qualifies for Class 1A state finals, finishes third

By Fred Kroner

St. Joseph-Ogden pole vaulter Payton Carter was the lone Spartan to qualify for the Class 1A state finals in the IHSA girls’ track and field state meet.

The junior cleared 10 feet in the preliminary round on Thursday (May 18), which was the height needed to continue in the competition. In the finals on Saturday (May 20), Carter cleared 12 feet – as did the two vaulters who finished ahead of her – but was awarded third based on misses.

Carter had qualified for state in the 100 meters, but dropped out of the event to focus her energies on vaulting.

A year ago, Carter was eighth at state in the pole vault.

Both of SJ-O’s relays cut significant time from their sectional performances.

The 3,200-meter relay foursome of Helene Jones, Sophia Kasper, Hannah Mock and Savanna Franzen were clocked in 10 minutes, 12.82 seconds. That was an improvement of 17.98 seconds from the sectional.

The school’s 1,600-meter grouping of Jones, Kaytlyn Baker, Clampitt and Franzen dropped their time by 4.86 seconds to 4:13.31. They finished in 13th place.

Baker also lowered her time from the sectional in the 100-meter hurdles. She finished 14th in 16.85 seconds, an improvement of 1.06 seconds.

Baker also wound up 23rd in the 300-meter hurdles (50.12 seconds).

Franzen finished 19th in the 800 meters (2:27.98).