JEFFERSON CITY • Daniel Everett couldn’t get over just how good it felt.
A Westminster senior, Everett has finished second and third in the 1,600-meter race at the Class 3 state championship meet at Dwight T. Reed Stadium the past two years. But until Friday he never knew what it was like to stand atop the podium.
“It’s so relieving,” Everett said. “I feel great.”
Everett finally captured the state title that eluded him by blowing past the field and crossing the finish line in 4 minutes 8.43 seconds.
The time not only gives him the state title but also qualifies him for the Adidas Grand Prix the first week of June in New York. The Grand Prix is one of the larger professional meets in the nation but was just recently opened to high school runners in the 1,600 and 100.
Everett needed a time under 4:09 to be added to the field and got it in his last race.
He also got to celebrate an outstanding day with his twin brother, David, who was second in the 1,600 in 4:12.85. The duo has talked about finding a way to finish atop the podium together. Friday it happened on their birthday.
“The state meet has always been around our birthday, but this year it was on it,” Daniel, 18, said.
The weather played a part in Daniel’s outstanding race. He said if the day hadn’t been overcast and cool he might not have felt as good.
“If it had been a little hotter or a little windier, but this was perfect weather,” he said.
Daniel also qualified for the finals in the 800.
MICDS sophomore Amos Bartelsmeyer took third in 4:17.11.
McCluer South-Berkeley set itself up to have a monster day in the sprint events, as senior Lonell Watkins qualified in the 100 and 200. Senior Jordan Wood got out in 400, as did the 400 relay, 800 relay and 1,600 relay.
Cardinal Ritter freshman Charles Jones made the finals of the 400 and 800 with an impressive showing in both prelims. He was first in the 400 and second in the 800.
