BELLEVILLE — At the Gateway Metro Conference Track Meet held Wednesday, May 7, 2025, several athletes from Marquette Catholic delivered standout performances that underscored their dedication and competitive spirit.
Junior Jack Beaber set a new school record in the shot put with a throw of 15.50 meters, securing first place. He also won the discus event with a throw of 45 meters. Beaber’s coach, Billy Sprague, praised his strength and competitive drive.
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"I know big things are on the horizon for Jack," Sprague said. "He has a good rivalry with Maryville Christian's Josh Coulby. Coulby was second to him this time in both the shot put and discus."
Another junior, Jami Jones, continued her strong performance in the shot put by winning with a throw of 10.15 meters. Jones recently defended her conference championship and claimed the county title a few weeks ago.
"Jami works hard and just gets better and better," Sprague said. "She is only a junior, so even bigger things are coming from her."
In the girls’ field events, Karly Davenport won the triple jump with a leap of 10.21 meters. She also placed second in the 100 meters with a time of 13.19 seconds and was second in the 200 meters, finishing in 26.84 seconds. Teammate Tyra Wells finished fifth in the 100 meters (13.70 seconds) and third in the 200 meters (28.41 seconds). Davenport, a junior and team leader, was recognized by Sprague for her work ethic and leadership.
"Lilly Hannigan had a third place in the 400 meters in 1:04.21 and has continued to improve all season," Sprague added.
The girls’ 4x100 meter relay team—comprising Lilly Hannigan, Tyra Wells, Madison Bassett, and Karly Davenport—won the event with a time of 52.56 seconds. Sprague expressed optimism about their prospects at the upcoming sectional meet.
Freshman Sabrina Echols impressed in the middle-distance events, setting personal records in both the 800 and 1600 meters. She placed third in the 800 meters with a time of 2:39.26 and fourth in the 1600 meters, finishing in 6:04.32. Her older sister, Cassidy Echols, also had a strong meet, placing third in the triple jump with a leap of 7.84 meters.
On the boys’ side, Grady Dierking took third place in the shot put with a throw of 12.86 meters. Sprague described Dierking and Beaber as a "dynamic one-two punch" in the shot put. Ari Davenport secured second place in the high jump with a leap of 1.32 meters, while Madison Bassett placed fourth in the long jump with a distance of 3.83 meters.
The meet took place at Althoff Catholic High School, serving as a key competition ahead of upcoming sectional events.
