Downey injury slows girls
Bryce Downey, the leading scorer for the Tonganoxie girls track team, stepped on a pine cone and twisted her ankle before getting on the bus Friday.
The good news: It’s not broken. The bad news: She didn’t compete last week, and she won’t compete this week.
“That’s a big blow to us,” said Bill Shaw, Tonganoxie girls track coach.
“She can probably jump at league, and she may,” Shaw said.
But if there is any chance she would be injured at the league meet, or if she needs more rest to heal, he plans to hold her out until regionals.
“We have to get Bryce healthy for the regional track meet,” Shaw said. “We will not jeopardize state for a league championship.”
While Downey’s freak injury put a bit of a damper on team spirits Friday, several girls had a good meet.
“Jennifer Reischman and Aimee Eisman both ran their personal bests in the hurdles,” Shaw said.
Reischman finished fifth in the high hurdles.
Erin O’Brien continued to improve in the discus, throwing it 96 feet. Shaw said he expects her to be throwing it more than 100 feet by the end of the season. She should also have a chance to break the school pole vault record of six foot, six inches.
Alicia Stauch placed third in the two mile. She could run it faster than 13 minutes, Shaw said.
“Alicia Stauch finally found her event,” Shaw said.
Andrea Korb threw the javelin 84 feet after missing three weeks with a broken left wrist.
And Downey wasn’t the only injured Chieftain. Laura Korb only competed in one race, hampered by tendinitis in her right knee.