Presenting the 2024 All-KMAland Girls Track & Field Team (2024)

(KMAland) -- KMA Sports continues it 2024 track & field awards with the All-KMAland Track & Field Teams, beginning with the girls.

Eligible individuals for this team include those from the Bluegrass, Corner, Hawkeye Ten, Pride of Iowa, Rolling Valley and Western Iowa Conferences + all Council Bluffs schools and all KMAland Nebraska and KMAland Missouri schools.

No individual will be selected for more than one event. This creates some challenges with putting the team together, but also allots for as many deserving KMAland athletes as possible to claim this honor.

This year’s team of 20 standouts features seven repeat selections. It’s a spread out group in terms of age, with six seniors, eight juniors, five sophom*ores and one freshman. Here they are:

100 Meter Dash: Jerzee Knight, Junior, Clarinda

Knight worked through some early-season injuries and really hit her stride toward the end of the year. She won the Hawkeye Ten in this event and placed third at state in both the 100 and 200. She could do big, big things next year.

200 Meter Dash: Emma Spencer, Junior, Worth County

Spencer had quite the state meet. She won the 200, took second in the 100 and contributed to 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams that finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

400 Meter Dash: Leksi Gannon, Senior, Murray*REPEAT SELECTION*

The future Northern Iowa Panther likely would have added a few more titles to her resume if Jaidyn Sellers wasn't a beast and/or Panorama didn't move down to 1A. Nonetheless, Gannon still had a great year with runner-up finishes in the 100 & 200. She also finished fifth in the 400 -- an event she hadn't ran prior to this year.

800 Meter Run: Claire Pellett, Senior, Atlantic

Pellett quietly put together a really big performance at state. She helped the Trojans' distance medley team finish third and grabbed fourth-place finishes in the 800 and 1500.

1500 Meter Run: Lili Denton, Sophom*ore, St. Albert *REPEAT SELECTION*

Denton did it all for the Saintes this year and played a major role in their third-place finish in the team standings. She used a masterful strategy to win the 3000 and finished second in the 800, 1500 and distance medley relay.

1600 Meter Run: Paige Hanson, Junior, Nodaway Valley

Another quietly stellar season in mid-distance/distance events. Hanson finished second in the 1600, seventh in the 800 and contributed to a 4x400 relay team that finished fifth.

3000 Meter Run: Lindsey Sonderman, Junior, Harlan

She's only a junior? It sure doesn't seem like it. Sonderman set a Hawkeye Ten record in this event, then finished fourth at state. She also finished third in the 1500.

3200 Meter Run: Mya Wray, Sophom*ore, Platte Valley *REPEAT SELECTION*

This talented sophom*ore added a 3200 title to her resume. She also notched a bronze medal in the 1600 a day later.

100 Meter Hurdles: Ella Meyerkorth, Sophom*ore, Rock Port

Meyerkorth emerged as a rising star in KMAland track this year. She set a state record in the 300 hurdles, finished second in the 100 hurdles and took sixth in the javelin. Rock Port needed every one of those points to win a team title.

300 Meter Hurdles: Addison Darnell, Sophom*ore, Auburn

This sophom*ore improved on her medalist performance from last year in a big way, capturing the Class B state title. She also finished seventh in the 100 hurdles.

400 Meter Hurdles: Carly Henderson, Senior, Riverside

Carly Clutch. The 2024 KMAland Girls Track Athlete of the Year hadn't done the 400 meter hurdles prior to this year. By the end of the season, she was a state champion in this event. She also anchored Riverside's champion 4x400.

High Jump: Aubree Shields, Sophom*ore, Mount Ayr *REPEAT SELECTION*

Two years and two silver medals for Shields. I'd say that's pretty good. It will be interesting to see what she can do in the next two years.

Long Jump: Ella Whitney, Freshman, Wayne

The most surprising KMAland state champion on this team. Whitney had a really good year in this event but she's on this list because she posted her best jump when it mattered most, besting her PR by five inches to become Wayne's first-ever state champion.

Discus: Rylee Jenkins, Senior, Rock Port *REPEAT SELECTION*

The 2024 KMAland Missouri Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year won her third consecutive discus title in a record-shattering performance. She also medaled in the javelin and contributed to medalist 4x400 and 4x800 relay squads.

Shot Put: Jordyn Matiyow, Junior, Lewis Central

The 2024 KMAland Iowa Girls Field Athlete of the Year nearly captured a state title, finishing second in the 3A shot put with a personal record throw of 40-09.50.

Javelin: Tommi Martin, Senior, East Atchison *REPEAT SELECTION*

The future Missouri State Bear won the javelin, took third in the 800 and contributed to top-three 4x400 and 4x800 teams.

Pole Vault: Eva Engel, Junior, Worth County *REPEAT SELECTION*

Another Engel is doing great things in the pole vault for Worth County. The younger Eva has followed in sister Keelin's footsteps with a state title of her own, and one-upped her with a second consecutive state title.

Triple Jump: Jayden Meyer, Junior, Syracuse

The 2024 KMAland Nebraska Track & Field Athlete of the Year didn't win a state title, but she was pretty darn close. Meyer had a breakthrough season with finishes of second (triple jump), third (400), fourth (800) and seventh (4x400).

Track At-Large: Lizzie Schlueter, Junior, East Atchison *REPEAT SELECTION*

Schlueter was a versatile piece to another really good East Atchison team. She won the 100 hurdles, finished third in the 300 hurdles and contributed to 4x400 and 4x200 teams that finished second and fourth, respectively.

Field At-Large: Emma Cooper, Senior, Southwest Valley

Cooper was painstakingly close to becoming Southwest Valley's first-ever state champion until Ella Whitney did her thing. Nonetheless, it was a phenomenal year for Cooper, who earned the Timberwolves' highest medal in program history with a runner-up finish.

These eligible KMAland Iowa teams had the fastest relay times this year:

4x100: Glenwood (49.69)

4x200: Glenwood (1:44.87)

4x400: Glenwood (4:06.98)

4x800: Lewis Central (9:55.79)

Sprint Medley: AHSTW (1:51.44)

Distance Medley: Atlantic (4:10.50)

Shuttle Hurdle: Fremont-Mills (1:06.23)

KMA Sports will not respond to questions or comments regarding these selections.