As the students of Blue Springs High School wrap up their school work, spring sports postseason competitions are heating up. With some seasons complete and state championships just right around the corner for others, here’s a recap on Wildcat progress:

• Boys golf: After a second place conference finish, sophomore Blake Rooney, junior Ben Podjenski and seniors Blake Whetstone and Seth Wildoner headed to sectionals; for the second consecutive year, the Wildcats posted a team score at sectionals.  Wildoner and Rooney made the state cut, playing at state on May 13th and 14th at Silo Ridge in Bolivar. Rooney ended the season with tied for 57th place and Wildoner finished tied 87th place. They were the first state competitors since Steven Shaw 2015,
• Baseball: After some early season setbacks, the baseball field was completed and the first home game played on March 23. The bats started out slow for the Cats, and they relied on pitching and defense to keep them in games. Around the mid-season mark, the Wildcats turned it around, playing solid baseball that landed them in the district semifinal game against Grain Valley on Tuesday. After a sixth inning home run by the Eagles that put them up 3-2, the guys hang up their jerseys on the 2019 season, finishing their season 11-23.
• Girls soccer: Celebrating a historic season, the Cats won their first conference game against Ray-Pec beating them 3-0. Despite several victories, the team has dealt with injury issues to key players. In a recent episode of Wildcat TV, head coach Doug McLagan noted that “we haven’t had a full roster since the second or third game of the season.” Junior Mady Cates notched a hat trick against William Chrisman in the district semi-final to propel the team to the district final against Fort Osage tonight at 6 PM at Fort.
• Boys track and field: standout performances from seniors Gabe McClain and Matt Marzolf, who both won multiple gold medals, earned the Cats a third place finish at the conference meet.  Two relays advanced to sectionals from the district event; Marzolf, McClain and all advanced in their individual events. Sophomore David Bushey in the 400m, sophomore Brock Wooderson in the 3,200m and junior Jacob Schnakenberg in the javelin all qualified. They hope to continue with their success at sectionals at Sedalia High School on May 18th.
• Girls Track: strong performances from senior Tessa Valdivia in all distance events, freshman Aisha Gaither in the 100 m hurdles, and the 4×200 & 4×400 relays (seniors Niya Harris and Ty’le Whitmill, sophomore Brooke Norman and junior Talia Pfeifer) propelled the Cats to a fifth place district finish. Joining them at sectionals will also be senior Koby Tyler, a district champion in shot put and third placer in discuss, and junior Callie Johnson in javelin. The 4×800 also qualified with seniors Priscila Romo Reese Howard, sophomore Gwyn Deterding and junior Alayna Thibault all putting in their best times of the season. They hope to further their season goal of making it to state on May 24/25 at Jefferson High School.
• Boys tennis: After going 5-7 through district play, where sophomore Dylan Shryer was a third place finisher and sophomore Logan Ewens and senior Jake Reed were fourth places finishers, the Cats sent junior Luke David to sectionals on Tuesday May 14th.  David ultimately beat Rockhurst’s Andrew Kopulas 6-3, 6-2, advancing him to state on May 23 and May 24 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield, Missouri.

As the cats look to finish the season strong, a lot of them know that this may be the last time they set foot on the field of the sport they play. So as I write this final article of my high school career I take a look a back at everything that I have accomplished this year and know the athletes on the field have accomplished so much more.