All Drexel competitors earn state medals

Editor's Note: From May 2024

By Jimmy Gillispie

JEFFERSON CITY — While taking her final strides toward the finish line Saturday, Josie Parks burst into a big smile.

A few steps later, Parks crossed the finish line as a state champion for the first time as an individual, and she leaped into the air with a fist pump. Her celebration wasn’t planned, but just an emotion reaction to a moment she won’t forget.

“It was definitely a spur of the moment thing,” Parks said.

Parks won the Class 1 100-meter dash finals a day after running the fastest time in the prelims. She won the championship in a time of 12.61 seconds. 

“Genuinely, God is good,” Parks said. “Without him, I couldn’t have done this. I prayed before the race and told myself to push harder and go harder to earn it.”

As a freshman, Parks finished fifth at state in the 100 dash. A year later, she placed third. Last year, she had the top time in the prelims, but finished second in the finals. 

This year, less than a week after she graduated as the Drexel valedictorian, Parks won her first individual title. 

“This means a lot, because last year was so bittersweet,” Parks said. “With my start last year, I stumbled out of the blocks. Now, my senior year, it just felt so good to get this. I worked really hard so it means a lot to me.”

Later Saturday, Parks finished third in the 200-meter dash in her final high school race. She finished in a time of 26.25 seconds. Parks placed second in the 200 dash last year and 10th as a sophomore. 

Parks was one of five Drexel athletes who competed at state last weekend, and all five competitors brought home medals from the meet. 

Sophomore Grace Francis competed in four events at state, and medaled in two of them. Francis finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles and fourth in the 300-meter hurdles. She broke the school record in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.84 seconds – breaking the record by nearly a full second. Francis also placed 10th and ninth in the 100 and 200 dash prelims.

Junior Izzy Richardson finished seventh in the javelin. Her best throw was 35.9 meters (117-9), breaking the school record she set a week earlier at the section meet.

On the boys side, sophomore Kolbi Nichols placed fifth in the 800-meter dash in a time of 2:02.14. He improved from 13th place as a freshman.

Sophomore Miles Wheeler finished sixth in the pole vault. He cleared 3.7 meters (12-1.5) at his first start meet.

“I couldn’t be more happy,” Drexel coach Jenny Wheeler said. “These kids came and represented Drexel very well. Lots of PRs and lots of school records were broken. Some of them had experience from coming last year, so they capitalized on that.

“Kolbi, last year, ran in the 800 but didn’t get a medal,” she added. “This year, he came and man, he had a great outcome. This was Miles’ first state meet and I was very proud of his demeanor. He was calm, cool, and just went and did it. The girls, of course, have experience being here. I’m so proud of Grace for breaking that 300 hurdle record. That was awesome. She’s one that has improved every single meet with her times. She’s a hard worker, she’s tough and she’s determined. Izzy really wanted to get that jav record, and she did that again. That was amazing. Josie going out with a bang with that 100 gold medal was awesome. I couldn’t be more happy for her. She’s a great kid and we wish her the best. It was a great start meet for these Drexel Bobcats.”