Class 4 state track and field: Will Jones receives All-State honors in final meet of career

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Knowing it was his final track meet, Cape Central's Will Jones made the most of it.

The Central senior earned an All-State medal in the javelin at the MSHSAA Class 4 Track and Field Championships held Friday and Saturday at the Licklider Track Complex at Jefferson City High School.

He threw 48.56 meters (159 feet, 4 inches) on his third attempt but couldn’t better that mark with three more throws in the finals. However, he was throwing with a partially torn UCL – an injury that often leads baseball players to have Tommy John surgery.

“I've only thrown (javelin) for two years but I've had two seasons with potentially season-ending injuries. This year I worked hard and I came back,” Jones said. “Just making it to the state was big for me, but getting the medal was a big goal for me.”

He had a partial tear of the same UCL – on his throwing arm – just before districts last year which ended his season. This time around, he wore a sleeve to get through the uncomfortableness of the injury.

“It is my senior year, I’m happy to finish strong with a medal,” Jones, who will go to the University of Missouri in Columbia in the fall to focus on a business degree, said.

Central’s best finish came from senior Jamoreoun Nunley, who was fifth in the triple jump at 13.36 meters (43-10). Of his six attempts, Nunely had fouls on three, but his last jump of 13.36 moved him from eighth to fifth.

Zai’Aire Thomas, a freshman, took seventh place in the 100-meter dash running the dash in 11.05 seconds. He was seeded seventh after Friday's prelims.

Senior Kamarion Norfleet qualified in three events and took All-State in the 200-meter dash, finishing eighth in 22.33.

Junior Ryan Seabaugh earned an All-State medal for the second straight year, but this time in an individual event. He took eighth place in the 1,600-meter run in 4:22.80. Midway through the race he was in 12th place out of 16 runners but worked his way up to the podium.

The Tigers also got a medal on the girls side when Ki Bogan took seventh in the triple jump with a mark of 10.69 meters.

Three of Notre Dame’s four qualifiers earned All-State medals.

Sophomore Emma Duenne earned her first state medal by taking seventh in the discus on Saturday, throwing 34.93 (114-7). She also qualified in the shot put, taking 14th.

Junior Jenna Givens earned another All-State medal by taking eighth in the triple jump with a jump of 10.60. Last year, she jumped 10.80 and took fifth.

“It is an awesome feeling,” Givens said of winning another medal. “I had one last year and it is great to get another one this year. It isn’t what I wanted but I still got a medal so I can’t complain.”

Another first-time All-Stater was Lauren Eftink. The Notre Dame sophomore took eighth in the 1,600-meter run and just missed a spot on the podium by taking ninth in the 3,200.

Click here for full results from the MSHSAA Class 4 State Championships.