It is state track meet week, which means the Newton Daily News sports staff of myself and Troy Hyde are scrambling to cover all the area athletes — 68 count ’em 68 — in events in three classifications. Oh, by the way, we still have boys’ and girls’ soccer in regular-season action, boys’ and girls’ golf postseason play AND putting together previews for our area high school baseball and softball teams.
That’s right baseball and softball seasons for the area 10 teams begin Monday. Next week also has postseason action for the high school soccer teams.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday pulls us to Drake Stadium in Des Moines for action in Class 3A, 2A and 1A, for us, along with 4A on the track and in field events. Covering an all-encompassing high school event such as the Iowa High School State Track and Field Championship, which is co-ed, is a tremendous opportunity to see not only the student athletes we cover in our area but all the tremendous talent across the state at every level.
Kansas holds its track and field state championships together with six classifications and is co-ed also. I’ve always loved working the state track meet — it’s a tough task for sports staff trying to get photos of every athlete and make sure everyone is covered — but the reward is tremendous. There are athletes missed and events missed simply of time and distance restraints at the venues.
At least at the Newton Daily News, I have help covering the state track meet. In the 33 years covering the Kansas high school state track and field meet, I worked the event alone, trying to cover athletes from seven high schools.
During a few lulls in our coverage, we can sit down and enjoy watching a possible state record performance, a great race or dramatic field event competition. The weather forecast sounds tremendous for all three days.
The Newton Daily News will have photos and stories in Friday of Thursday’s full day of action at the state meet. Then Monday will feature stories and photos of all the events from Friday and Saturday.
It’s a long weekend for the sports staff, but believe me we want to be there.
All who read this column know I love the Triple Crown of horse racing. The second leg of the Triple Crown is Saturday with the running of The Preakness. There is only one horse who can win the Triple Crown in 2016 — Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, who is the favorite going into the Preakness.
This week has been busy at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with the practices for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Practices and qualification for the Verzion IndyCar Series drivers go through this weekend. The 100th Indy 500 is May 29 and can be seen on ABC.
I can’t go into the weekend without a shoutout to my Kansas City Royals. Winning 2-out-3 against the “red-hot” Boston Red Sox is a good sign for Kansas City’s Royals. They played their brand of baseball and have won back-to-back series. The Royals head into a A.L. Central showdown series at division-leading Chicago White Sox over the weekend.
Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
jsheets@newtondailynews.com