June 5, 2021

The Lee’s Summit West girls track and field team competed in the state track meet on Thursday, May 27 in Jefferson City and placed second as a team. The team was entered in nine events and scored in seven of those events including wins in four of the events.

Makayla Clark won the 1600 meter run in 5:01.31 and came back to win the 800 in 2:11.59.

Cydney Banks won the Discus in 142-1 and came back to win the Shot Put in 45-6.25.

The 4×400 Relay of Whitney Farrington, Sidney Cole, Ryanne Wattree, and Makayla Clark placed second in 3:59.45.

The 4×100 Relay placed 3rd in 49.51 and 4×200 Relay placed 5th in 1:43.92 and were both made up of the same quartet of Alivia Tolber, Jazmine Knight, Sidney Cole, and Mikah Scott.

Head coach Jesse Griffin said, “I am extremely pleased with how our group took care of business in all the events they were entered.” He added, “All I can say is, after having to deal with all the uncertainty around COVID this year and not knowing from day to day what the future would hold, it did nothing but motivate our entire team to keep working hard and to never give up.”

As for the Lee’s Summit West school history of 16 years competing at the state meet, team members have been on the podium 12 times. They have had six state championship teams, four state runner up teams, one third place and one fourth place team.