The Jefferson boys and girls track and field teams both won the Class 2 District 1 meet May 10 at Scott City High, reclaiming their titles from last year.
The Blue Jays were led on the boys side by junior sprinter Matthew Waltman, who overcame an injured knee to win the sprint trifecta, the 100-meter dash (11.22 seconds), 200 (22.30) and 400 (50.34), and ran the first leg on the second-place 4x800 relay (8:30.9), which also included Ethan McVey, Bryant Horn and Larry Lemons. Waltman medaled in the three sprints at last year’s Class 2 state meet and hopes to equal or better that at this year’s state championships May 23-24 at Jefferson City.
“We didn’t use (Waltman) in the 100 and 200 early on (this season), but now he’s showing what he’s capable of,” said Paul Lipp, Jefferson’s first-year head coach of the Jefferson boys and girls, who won with 102 and 137 points respectively, beating second-place Valle Catholic of Ste. Genevieve (93 and 129 points) in both team standings. “Now that he’s getting his health back, you’re going to see him shine.”
The top four finishers in each of the 19 events advanced to the sectional meet at Grandview on Saturday. Jefferson’s boys qualified athletes in nine events, while the girls are advancing in 12, including all four relays. The Blue Jay girls were second in the state in 2024, their fourth runner-up finish since 2017.
“It was a team effort,” Lipp said of the girls squad. “If you take away any of the girls who scored, Valle would have given us a run for our money.”
Sprinters usually don’t run in the 4x800 but Waltman is no stranger to longer races, running cross country in the fall. He finished 134th (20:52.4) in the Class 2 state meet last November.
“I’m a sprinter, so I was a bit nervous (for the relay),” Waltman said. “My split was 2:04 and (put us) in second and the rest of the team carried it from there.”
After the relay, Waltman had about an hour to rest for the 100. The three other sectional qualifiers in the event ran 11.32 and 11.33. Waltman clocked 10.97 to finish fifth at state a year ago and that’s his personal record.
“Some of the top guys in the state were there (at Scott City),” he said. “It’s going to be fun at sectionals.”
Almost two hours later, Waltman was lined up to run the 400. He came in seeded at 48.41. The three runners behind him all set PRs.
“I wasn’t worried about that race,” Waltman said. “You get out 60 meters at full speed, and for about 140 meters you’re trying to carry that speed without slowing down. The last 200 meters you’re just going as hard as you can again. I was trying to catch up to everyone after the first turn and after that it was smooth.”
The competition in the 200 was just as fierce as the four runners behind Waltman were all within a second of his winning time. His PR in the 200 is 22.03.
Lipp coached Waltman on the football field in junior high but respects his decision to go another route in the fall with cross country. Still, it’s easy to imagine Waltman wearing the Blue Jay on his helmet and ripping off 80-yard touchdown runs. He said the summer football schedule conflicts with his work schedule, where he works alongside his dad for his landscaping company. The winter indoor track season saw Waltman travel to Boston for the Nationals. Waltman competes for the Jefferson County Jets.
The other Jefferson district champions were junior Ethan McVey (1,600, 4:47.48), sophomore Bryant Horn (3,200, 10:43.04) and senior Alex Roth (shot put, 15.09 meters). McVey holds the school’s record in the 1,600. For a list of all sectional qualifiers, see results page 41.
Junior Braeden Caldwell was fifth in the state in the 800 last season but was unable to participate this year because of an injury to his back. Lipp said Caldwell has been a part of the team in other ways this year and will make them even stronger as they go for a district threepeat in 2026.
As a junior, Margaret Wrigley turned in top four finishes in the 100, 200, high jump and long jump at last year’s JCAAs, then won state medals in the 100, 200 and long jump. But injuries kept Wrigley from competing at 100 percent until recently. She ran a leg on the 4x400 relay with Lia Ott, Ryleigh Johnson and Megan Wood that won in 4:18.93, and on the winning 4x100 in 50.50 seconds with Ott, Wood and sophomore Zoie Bradley. Ott, Wood, Johnson and Bradley made up the district champion 4x200 in 1:48.36.
The other district champions for the Blue Jays were Bradley (a state medalist in the 100, 200) in the 100 (12.86) and Wood (eighth in the state in the shot put) in the shot put in 11.38.
This year’s Jefferson girls seem to have as much depth and talent as any of the ones who’ve already brought home a state trophy.
“It’s going to be a true team effort,” Lipp said. “It’s not going to be one girl scores 40 points and the rest just tag along.
“Same with the guys. We have enough to go after a state plaque.”
Jefferson will send its best against JCAA rival Grandview and former conference opponent St. Pius X at sectionals.
Led by senior Catherine Wakeland in the 200 and 100 and 300 hurdles, the Eagles won District 2 at Lutheran North on May 10 with 93.5 points, while the Lancer boys rocketed to first place with 138.5 after qualifying in 15 events. Junior Jack Michaud won the 100 (11.22) and 200 (23:07), while senior teammate Sam Eimer was third in the 200 (23.36) and champion in the 400 (52.50).