Steelville High School’s track and field team showed that they can compete with the region’s best after a strong performance at the Class 2 Sectional 1 Meet on May 16 in Dexter. 

The Cardinal’s 4x400 and 4x800 relay teams of Alexander Martin, Landon Rutledge, Owen Rutledge and Hunter Starbeck won first place in both events, earning them the title of Sectional champions in two events, one week after being named District champions. The speedy quartet ran the 4x400 in 3:32.73 and completed the 4x800 in 8:10.57 to advance to the state meet on May 23 in Columbia.

Landon Rutledge also qualified for state in the 110 meter hurdles and in the 300 meter hurdles competitions after taking fourth place in both events. Rutledge ran the 110 meter hurdles in 15.61 seconds and completed the 300 meter hurdles in 40.76 seconds. 

One week after setting the school record in the 400 meter dash with a 49.94-second finish in districts, Starbeck reset that mark after crossing the finish line in 49.69 seconds in sectionals, earning second place and a spot in the state meet. Starbeck also ran the 200 meter dash in 24.15 seconds to finish in seventh place.

Steelville junior Emeri Perkins was the lone Lady Cardinal to qualify for state. Perkins earned fourth place in the triple jump after leaping 9.84 meters. She also competed in the 300 meter hurdles race, finishing in sixth place after crossing the finish line in 49.98 seconds.

Freshman Brooklyn Thomas concluded her strong debut season with an eighth-place finish in the javelin competition with a 30.55 meter heave. She earned her place in sectionals after taking third place in districts a week prior after tossing it 30.97 meters.

Owen Rutledge competed in the individual 800 and 1600 meter races, earning seventh- and eighth-place finishes, respectively. He ran the 800 meters in 2:05.77 and completed the 1600 meter race in 5:05.24.

One week after becoming a district champion in the discus competition, junior Max Harmon capped his suburb junior season with a seventh-place finish in the discus toss before taking eighth place in the shot put event. Harmon threw the discus 40.57 meters and heaved the shot put 13.65 meters.