There were some significant developments for the Paris track and field program this year.

State Track Day 1 Photo Gallery

State Track Day 2 Photo Gallery

At the top is the school’s all-weather track making its debut, including hosting a sectional meet, but most notable is all of the school records that were broken this year. Five of those records fell on Friday and Saturday at the Class 1 MSHSAA Track and Field Championships, and all-state honors were earned in four events.

Landen Chapman broke the boys 1,600-meter record on Saturday with a third-place time of 4:33.97, giving him his second state medal of the weekend after a third-place time of 10:18.11 in the 3200 on Friday. The girls 4x800-meter relay team of Ava Crain, Kaylee Johnson, Mairyn Kinnaman and Sophia Crusha finished sixth with a school-record time of 10:37.38 on Saturday. 

“Most of those records have been there for 20-plus years,” head coach Gary Crusha said. “It’s a testament to our new track and being able to start training on it two weeks before we normally did. It’s usually too wet or too soft on that gravel stuff. It helps us train and boost confidence because the kids love running on it.”

Crusha said there is a lot of excitement in the community for cross country in the fall and track and field in the spring, giving back multiple state medalist in each after the investment by the community with the new facilities. He said is grateful for voting for it so it can be laid down.

Because of that, records fell like the girls 4x400 relay record that stood until 1981 until the team of Sophia Crusha, Khloee Hendren, Kaylee Johnson and Ava Crain broke it sectionals and then broke it again on Friday with a 12th-place time of 4:28.88. Also on Friday, even though they also didn’t qualify for finals Crusha set the new girls 800 record with a ninth-place finish of 2:29.65 and Crain set a new girls 400 record for the first time in 24 years with a 14th-place time of 1:03.70. 

Chapman had already set a new 3,200 school record of 10:13.52 earlier this season, breaking the previous 10:24.4 set by Michael Allgood in 1998. The sophomore fell short of medaling by one spot in the 3200 at state last year but didn’t even qualify for the 1600. Then, he surprised himself with his school-record time in the 1600, giving him the records for the 1600, 3200 and 5K in cross country.

“I was in lane 8 up top, and I decided I need to go before I get boxed in,” Chapman said. “I took out first and guessed I needed to keep going. They all caught up and was able to keep that pace for a while.”

Chapman said he developed a passion for running in third grade thanks to the school’s track and field day and ran his first mile when he was old enough in fifth grade. His 7:17 at the time attracted the praise of his grandfather so Chapman then participated in youth cross country and Blue Thunder track club in the summer. 

The great amount of experience for Chapman before his second high school season helped, he said, and the new track definitely added to that this season. He pointed out he finished behind four seniors in last year’s 3200 so he knew he could make a jump this year.

“I was able to run against him,” Chapman said while referring to 3200 second-place runner Gauge MacGregor, of Newtown-Harris. “He’s pretty good. It’s pretty cool knowing they’re all going to college. I might have a chance at that if I keep pushing.”

MacGregor and state champion Riley Blay, of South Nodaway, were both seniors this year so Chapman will be the top returner going into next season in the 3200 and he was only beaten by one non-senior in the 1600 — junior Michael Parrigon, of McAuley Catholic. 

Crusha said Chapman did so well in the all three distance races, even qualifying for state in the 800, that the coaches expected him to medal. Next year, the expectations just keep growing. 

“We knew he was going to be right there somewhere, depending on how the cards fell,” Crusha said. “He’s the best sophomore runner I’ve ever had. The sky is going to be the limit for him. Next year, I wouldn’t say state champion wouldn’t be out of the question. He has the work ethic and talent to make it happen. He’s a really smart runner.”

Crusha said he was most confident in the girls 4x800 relay team this year after sending one to state about every season in his tenure. The quartet this year gave Crusha the first girls 4x800 state medal in his 13 years and a school record 13 seconds better than the previous one. 

“They were ranked fifth or sixth coming in,” Crusha said. “We had to have a sub in the middle season. One of our top four runner (freshman Melanie Moore) was injured. Kaylee Johnson, you couldn’t ask for a better alternate. She was on this team last year at state. Kaylee stepped right back in there, and she was running some good times. As long as they have a good time competing, I’m happy as a coach.”

Kinnaman said the goal was to break the school record this year, and the team was able to do that three times. 

“We worked really hard for this all year to get here and get on the podium,” Kinnaman said. 

“I’m proud to break a school record, and I’m proud of these girls and the time we ran today after all the hard work,” Johnson said. 

“This feels awesome,” Sophia Crusha said while also talking directly to her teammates. “We worked our butts off all year. I’m so proud of you guys.”

Crain, who just missed a state medal with a ninth-place height of 2.4 meters in the girls pole vault on Saturday, was another new addition to the team this year, inheriting the starting leg. Paris was fourth after the first leg and maintained its spot in the middle until the end. 

“I’m really proud to be part of this team,” Crain said. “With just starting the race, I’m trying to put my team in a good spot so they have a good place to work off and they’re motivate enough to get more places.”

Like Chapman, Kinnaman earned her first career individual state medal after falling short in the girls 3200 a year ago. The sophomore was 12th then and improved to sixth this year with a personal-best time of 12:34.99.

To go the extra mile, Kinnaman said she asked her coaches what she could outside of practice to further her development. She was able to move up this year despite falling behind as low as 11th place. 

“It was just extra workouts, making sure I’m ready for everything and just going out and doing extra things to make myself better,” Kinnaman said. “Just being so goal-oriented individual and with my 4x800 team, it helped me as an individual.”

Crusha said Kinnaman was ranked sixth, and the eighth-place time in the event last year was around 12:23 so she should’ve expected competition from everybody up and down the rankings. He said Kinnaman did achieve another goal of hers in defeating her friendly rival, Glasgow’s Addison Barringhaus, who finished 10th.

“She ran the best race she’s run in her life,” Crusha said. “It was a smart race. She went out fast, but she was smart enough to back off a little bit. If she kept going at a 1:20 pace, she would have eventually died out. She found the pace she wanted in the middle of the pack and surged the last two laps and made it happen.

“We want our kids running their best times at the state track meet. You do that, you’ve got a chance.”