Puppe wins another State gold

OMAHA — Just as he did as a junior, Deagan Puppe led the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge track fortunes to state notoriety in his final season on the track with a gold-medal performance in the 110-meter high hurdles.

Chase County won the Class C girls’ title with 70 points while Grand Island Central Catholic was the boys’ champion with 68. The Bears finished 20th with 11 points, while the Lady Bears were 44th with three at the 2022 Nebraska State Track and Field Championships at Burke Stadium in Omaha.

The Puppe boys, with Deagan’s brother Daniel, provided all the LCC points for the boys and Berniece McCorkindale all the points for the Lady Bears, but other Laurel-Concord-Coleridge athletes gave it their all. “It was a great weekend for LCC track,”

“It was a great weekend for LCC track,” Head Coach Shannon Benson said. “We had some great performances and we got to see some great athletes from all over the state.”

Deagan Puppe placed first in the 110 hurdles to keep his undefeated streak alive for the season and earn his second straight state championship in the event with a time of 14.66 seconds.

He has only finished second once in the past two seasons in the event.

“Deagan has worked so hard and made track and field his passion,” Benson said. “He has taken this community for a ride, jumping every hurdle with him.”

His brother Daniel provided the other point in the meet, grabbing eighth in the 110s with a time of 18.14 in the finals after a 15.56 in the preliminaries.

“Daniel clipped a hurdle in the third flight (of hurdles) in the finals,” Benson said. “He had a great recovery and placed eighth.”

It was his second trip to Omaha and he finished 20th in the 300 hurdles with 43.42 seconds.

“He ended the season as the number one point-earner for the team on the season,” his coach said. “We look forward to him coming back again next year - has a lot of talent.”

Shane Benson also participated in Omaha in the high jump.

“Shane has worked very hard over his career in many events,” his dad said. “He made it to state for the first time this season - he had a great season winning many medals in the high jump and other events through the season.”

For the Lady Bears, McCorkindale has been at the top or near the top in throws all season.

The state meet provided a different level of competition, but McCorkindale more than survived, bringing home a sixth-place medal in the shot put with a best of 37-feet-5.75 inches, her season best.

“This was her second year of being down at state,” Benson said. “And it was her second year at getting better.”

She earned a medal at every meet this year.

Girls Class C Team Scores; 1. Chase County 70; 2. Lincoln Lutheran 53; 3. Superior 49; 4. Wahoo-Bishop Neumann 36; 5. Cedar Catholic 35; 5. Crofton 35; 7. Wisner-Pilger 27; 8. Hastings St. Cecilia 21; 9. Sutherland 20; 9. Arcadia-Loup City 20; 11. Summerland 17; 12. Ainsworth 16; 12. Norfolk Catholic 16; 14. Grand Island Central Catholic 15; 15. David City 13; 16. Centura 12.5; 17. Valentine 12; 18. Bridgeport 11; 18. Battle Creek 11; 20. North Bend Central 9; 20. Gordon-Rushville 9; 22. Tilden-Elkhorn Valley 8; 22. Centennial 8; 22. Shelby-Rising City 8; 22. Sandy Creek 8; 22. Clarkson-Leigh 8; 22. Oakland-Craig 8; 22. Logan View 8; 30. Fremont Archbishop Bergan 7. 30. David City Aquinas Catholic 7; 30. Ord 7; 33. Southern Valley 6.5; 34. Louisville 6; 34. Stanton 6; 34. Nebraska Christian 6; 37. Tri County Northeast 5; 37. Palmyra 5; 37. West Point Guardian Angels Central Catholic 5; 37. Amherst 5; 41. Cross County 4; 41. Cornerstone Christian 4; 41. Perkins County 4; 44. Sutton 3; 44. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 3; 46. Elmwood-Murdock 2; 46. Fillmore Central 2; 46. Conestoga 2; 49. Atkinson West Holt 1; 49. Hershey 1.

Boys Class C Team Scores: 1. Grand Island Central Catholic 68; 2. Battle Creek 64; 3. Cedar Catholic 44; 4. Wahoo Bishop Neumann35.5; 5. Stanton 34; 6. Ainsworth 30.5; 7. Norfolk Catholic 27; 8. Superior 23; 9. Lincoln Lutheran 21; 10. Nebraska City Lourdes Central Catholic 20; 10. Fremont Arch Bishop Bergan 20; 12. Louisville 19; 13. Elmwood-Murdock 18; 14. South Loup 17; 15. Wisner-Pilger 16; 15. Sutton 16; 17. Wilbur-Claytonia 13; 18. Atkinson West Holt 12; 18. Perkins County 12; 20. Hastings St. Cecilia 11; 20. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge 11; 22. Doniphan-Trumbul 10.5; 23. David City 10; 23. Sutherland 10; 23. Ord 10; 26. Summerland 8; 26. Centura 8; 28. Twin River 7; 29. Freeman 6.5; 30. Sandy Creek 6; 30. Chase County 6; 30. David City Aquinas Catholic 6; 30. Homer 6; 34. Howells-Dodge 5.5; 35; Oakland-Craig 5; 35. Mithchell 5; 37. Centennial 4; 37. Yutan 4; 39. North Bend Central 3.5; 40. North Central 3; 41. Amherst 2; 42. Bayard 1; 42. Crofton 1; 42. Cornerstone Christian 1; 42. Wood River 1.