East runners qualify for the All-Metro track and field team

Four East runners and one East relay made the 2010 Kansas City Star All-Metro Track and Field Team. For the girl’s, senior Hanna Jane Stradinger made Second Team in the 800-meter dash, junior Abby Dunn was an honorable mention in the 400 meter-dash, and the girls 4 x 400-meter relay was selected to the First Team. From the boy’s squad, East graduates Chris Clarke and Joe Turner were both honorable mentions in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes respectively.

At the state meet, Stradinger was a member of the 4 x 400-meter relay, the 4 x 800-meter relay, and placed second in the 800-meter dash. Dunn was also a member of the state 4 x 400-meter relay and placed second in the 400-meter dash.

According to Stradinger, she’s used to the pressure her track achievments bring upon her. “Yeah, I’m okay with it. I just try and focus on me and my race, not the expectations.” Stradinger said.

The First Team Girl’s 4 x 400-meter relay consisted of Stradinger, Dunn, and East graduates Hannah Satterlee and Mallory Kirby. Throughout the year, the relay never lost a race and broke two school records. The relay also placed first at the Kansas Relays meet, the Sunflower League meet, and the State meet.

At State Clarke and Turner were both members of the 4 x 100-meter relay that placed third. In the 100 meter-dash, Clarke out stepped Turner, beating him by six hundredths of a second, taking fourth place and an honorable mention. Roles were reversed in the 200-meter dash, where Turner beat Clarke by 0.48 seconds to place second while Clarke finished seventh.Turner returned the favor to Clarke in the 200-meter dash, beating Clarke by 0.48 seconds to take second place with Clarke finishing seventh.

East ended up taking 5 of the 128 overall awards, which is one award for around every eight events. Only three of the 42 other schools that received awards had more awards than East; two from Kansas and one from Missouri.