BonnerSprings.com

Wichita — During her freshman year, Bridgett Bradley attended the Kansas Track and Field State Championships as a timid newcomer who was a bit overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

She finished 12th in the Class 5A girls discus competition with a distance of 96 feet, 3 inches.

Now a sophomore at Bonner Springs High School, Bradley returned to the state meet on Friday at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium with the swagger of a seasoned veteran.

As one of the event’s top qualifiers, she competed in the second flight of throwers. She was in fourth place after the preliminaries and ultimately finished sixth with a career-best mark of 120-6.

“That’s the farthest I’ve ever thrown in a track meet, so I’m proud of myself,” a smiling Bradley said, moments before climbing the awards stand to receive her state medal.

Bradley said the previous year’s experience helped her to relax this time.

“I think last year I was more nervous because it was my first year (at state),” she said. “But now I know what to expect and I know what to do.”

Alex Hartig, a junior from Great Bend, won the state championship with a mark of 146-2. The top four throws were 130 feet or farther.

BSHS coach Jim Mitchell said he was proud of Bradley for her successes throughout the season and for her performance at state.

“She saved her best throw for last, and that’s what you want,” he said. “I know she’ll probably do summer track, but I think for her the key will be her offseason workouts when school’s off. She needs to get in the weight room and get stronger and get quicker. If she does that, she might go out and throw 140 next year.”

Mitchell said that could make Bradley a state championship contender as a junior.

“She ought to come in next year thinking she has a chance to be one of the favorites,” he said. “It depends on how hard she works at it. If she works real hard at it, it wouldn’t surprise me if she moves up again … top three, or even first.”

Mitchell also said he was pleased with the performances of state qualifiers Josie Freeby, a sophomore, and freshman Emily Wilson.

Freeby finished 15th in the shot put with a distance of 31-5 3/4 and Wilson was 13th in the 200-meter dash in 27.45.

“Josie did a great job. She got down there, didn’t throw as well as she wanted to, but she represented herself very well,” Mitchell said. “And Emily Wilson as a freshman in a sprint … in a 5A sprint … that’s a big deal. She ran well, I thought; it wasn’t her best time of the year, but it was real close to it and she’ll improve on it next year and she’s going to be experienced.

“Things are looking up. We’ll just have to wait and see where it takes us next year.”

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