By NICK McQUEEN

nmcqueen@dailynews.net

A four-time gold medalists at last week's Cheyenne Conference track and field meet, Logan senior jumper/vaulter/hurdler Zach Long had little standing in his way of scoring the maximum amount of points for his team, leading the Trojans to a 113-point team first-place trophy.

From there, the competition level can only go up as the senior tries to qualify in four events, competing in Friday's Class 1A Regional Championships at Fort Hays State University's Lewis Field Stadium, hosted by the Western Kansas Liberty League.

"We'll have an outside chance at a team trophy in the regional," Logan coach Chris Graham said. "We've got Zach in his four events and two other vaulters as well that have a good shot.

"With the teams there this year, though, it added to an already tough regional," he added.

Logan is one of 25 teams with individuals all vying for the right to represent their school at next week's Class 1A State Championships at Wichita's Cessna Stadium.

Long, a two-event qualifier last year that finished fifth in the pole vault at state, is looking for four qualifications this time around with the Trojans -- in his final campaign.

The all-conference basketball player and football team's quarterback this year, Long won the Cheyenne Conference in the pole vault, triple jump and both hurdling events. Still, with the four conference titles, Long is not a shoo-in for any event.

Entering the regional, Long has the second-best mark at 12 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault, behind St Francis senior Ted Crabtree. Crabtree is seeded at 13-6 for the Indians, who competed at Class 2A last season, along with Hoxie, also added to the 1A field this year.

"He seemed to struggle in the early part of the season and couldn't quite get up to where he was at the end of last year," Graham said of Long's pole vault. "He was good enough to win or at least score high in most of the meets we go to, but he'll have to be at his best to compete Friday.

"The pole vault is really tough there, but he'll be right in the thick of it," Graham said.

Logan also will have two other vaulters seeded over 11 feet, in freshman Brady Tien (11-6) and freshman Charlie Becker (11-0).

The pole vault is one of two state qualifications last season for Long, as he also came out of the regional in the 110-meter high hurdles. This season, Long's seed time of 15.50 seconds is again second, behind St. Francis junior Trent Kinen (15.10).

"He's not a real powerful hurdler, but he is a very strong kid and a great all-around athlete," Graham said. "He's been good for about 35 or 40 points every meet, and basically led us to the league title."

Graham estimated Long scored about 250 to 260 points for the Trojans this season, competing in all four events all season.

The hurdles were a bit of a surprise, especially in the 300, for Long to win a conference title, but around mid-April, Graham said Long's hurdling started to get better.

"We changed a couple things in the way he runs, and he's taken to it pretty well," Graham said, noting a few changes in arm mechanics.

"That's something we really didn't focus on with him last year."

The top four individuals at the regional advance to the state meet, and in the 300 hurdles, Long is seeded fourth, nearly a second behind the top three from Claflin, Bushton-Quivira Heights and St. Francis -- three teams capable of the top three team spots Friday.

Long's triple jump seed of 41-8Ôªø1âÑ2 is third behind Quivira Heights senior Kansas Mumford (45-5) and St. Francis sophomore Matt Raile (41-10).

Champ looks to defend

Palco senior Rachel Belisle has proven to be the best in Class 1A this season, carrying over from last year's state championship in the javelin. Her seed throw of 127 feet, 7 inches, though, is second behind Quivira Heights senior Bailea Phelan entering the regional.

Phelan has a toss this season of 130 feet, but when the two threw at Russell earlier this season, Belisle threw eight feet farther.

"She's competed against her once this year and beat her, but that really doesn't mean anything," Palco coach Fred Joy said. "It will be tough, and she'll have to throw well."

Belisle's Rooster teammate, senior Bailey Gehring, also has one of the top-four seeded throws at 110 feet, but the top three of Belisle, Phelan and Victoria sophomore Lindsay McAlonan, also one of the best in the area this season, looks to be a lock.

Joy is hoping to squeeze Gehring in there as well.

"She'll be tough and has proven she can throw well," Joy said of the senior. The 110-foot toss was "the first time she's gone over 100 in a meet before, but she has shown in practice she can do it consistently."

While Belisle is seeded second, she has recorded a toss of over 130 feet this season, unleashing her season best at her school's own invitational.

"We really haven't had a great day, weather-wise, to be able to throw," Joy said. "The wind has either been out of the wrong direction or too strong, or we would have no breeze at all.

Belisle is "still waiting for a really nice day," Joy said.

On the boys' side, Rooster senior Wesley Landis, the only senior on the football team in the fall, will be looking to reach state in three events.

A member of last year's state champion 400-meter relay team for Palco, Landis is seeded top four in two events (400 and 800) and sixth in a third (100). The senior is also entered in the 110 hurdles, but Joy said he would likely be scratched from the event to save his legs. Landis has the second-best time in the 800-meter run at 2:31.40, as well as the 400 in 52.10, behind Winona-Triplains senior Taylor Barrett.

Fabulous first-timers

Ransom-Western Plains freshman Britny Pfannenstiel has been slowly creeping her way onto the scene in several events this season, but made her presence known in a big way at the Cheyenne Conference meet last week. Pfannenstiel won four gold medals at the meet, winning the long jump and each of the three dashes entering the regional.

She and Victoria freshman Taylor Kisner will compete in the same events at the regional Friday, with both having their best shot at qualifying as the third and fourth seeds in the 100-meter dash. In the girls' 100, the top four times are from two sophomores and two freshmen. Winona-Triplains sophomore Kara Gfellar has the top time in the event at 12.60 seconds, followed by Natoma sophomore Eastin Casey. The two drop to the four and five seeds in the 200. Gfellar was fourth in the state as a freshman.

Kuhlmann entered in one event

Kensington senior standout football and basketball player Ethan Kuhlmann, a University of Nebraska-Kearney football signee, is entered in just one event at Friday's regional. He has the top mark in the shot put of 49-11, over three feet ahead of Hoxie senior Evan White.

Down a class

Last season, Quinter competed in Class 1A for the first time in the regional. This year, the Bulldogs are joined by St. Francis and Hoxie, a pair of Indian teams who have enjoyed success at the 2A level. Among those favored Friday is Hoxie senior Josh Gaede in the discus. His seed mark of 148-1 is nearly six feet better than Victoria senior Cade Scott.

Elsewhere

Both Downs-Lakeside and Lucas-Luray will compete in the Mankato regional. Teams at Mankato include Axtell, Baileyville, Beloit-St. John's, Bern, Centralia, Elwood, Glasco, Hanover, Jewell, Lincoln, Linn, Rock Hills, Miltonvale, Powhattan-Kickapoo Nation, Blue Valley, Scandia-Pike Valley, Sylvan Unified, Tescott, Tipton, Troy, Wakefield, Wetmore and Wilson.