2023 Boys Track and Field Finalists

DJ Williams

The star senior led the Bluejays to a MSHSAA Class 2 State Championship this past season. At the state meet, Williams was the anchor for two state championship-winning relay teams (4x100 and 4x200). He also placed third in the 400 and seventh in the 200.

Ryan Seabaugh

Seabaugh was one of the top athletes in the region as he was a key part of the Tigers’ success in 2023. Seabaugh will continue his career at Southern Illinois University. He earned all-state honors with a second-place finish in the 1600 and an eighth-place finish in the 800. Seabaugh also finished sixth in the two-mile race at the Class 4 State Championships.

William Gaines-Parker

The Kennett High School sophomore won gold at the MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field State Championships in the Boys 200 Meter Dash. He also broke the school record with a time of 21.60. Gaines broke the school record for the 100 Meter Dash as well, with a time of 10.62, and he placed second in the event at state. Along with three teammates, Gaines was the anchor leg of the 4x100 Meter Relay which also broke a school record and competed in the state championship.

Darius Graham

The Poplar Bluff junior Darius set a Class 5 State Meet record in the high jump when he won the state title with a height of 6-10.25 to win by two inches. He also won the Class 5 Sectional the week earlier with a height of 6-08.

Hunter Wendel

Wendel set a school record in the 3200-meter run with a time of 9:20.66. The time was good enough for fourth place at the Class 5 State Meet. Wendel was also a part of the 4x800 meter relay that finished 12th in the state.

Cole Bruenderman

Bruenderman went all out during his last-ever home meet. He took first place in both the long jump (21'08.75) and triple jump (45'01.75) and placed sixth in the 100m dash (11.70) in the Frozen Invite. Bruenderman also still holds the school record for the long jump and also in the 4x100 relay. Bruenderman will go on to Lindenwood University to continue his athletic career.

Anistin Kyle

The Dexter junior was the opening leg of the 4x800 Class 3 State Championship relay and was the anchor in the 4x400 relay that finished third. He also finished all-state in the 800-meter run.

Ja’Kwon Jones

The freshman took the high school track scene by storm this past season. Jones finished fifth in the long jump and eighth in the high jump at the MSHSAA Class 3 State Meet.

Rylan Bell

The senior won second place in the Boys Pole Vault event at the MSHSAA Class 2 State Championships with a height of 14'2”. Bell also competed in the Boys Javelin Throw, in which he placed tenth at the state championship, and he was part of Malden's seventh-place 4x100 Meter Relay team. Bell was the SEMO East Conference Champion in the 110m Hurdles, Javelin and Pole Vault, and he took 2nd place in the 300m Hurdles. He was named the SEMO Conference Overall Field Event Co-Athlete.

Kent Sheridan

Sheridan made it to state in pole vault with a second-place finish in sectionals. Sheridan, just a freshman, has the freshman school record for pole vaulting at 4.11 meters.