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| Stephens wins 12 state medals in three seasons |
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| Sports | |||
| Written by Gene Morris | |||
| Friday, 03 July 2009 09:08 | |||
 Claiming the Class 4A state track and field title in the 300-meter hurdles, Paola High School senior Joe Stephens won his fourth state title in three years.Stephens added silver in the long jump, the triple jump and the 110-meter high hurdles, scoring 34 of the Paola Panthers’ 66 points to win the school’s first state track and field championship. For his outstanding state performance, Stephens was named the Tri-County Spotlight Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year. It is the third straight year he has won the award. “It is a great honor,” Stephens said of the award. “It was one of my goals to win the award again this year.” He is the most decorated track athlete of all time at Paola High School, winning 12 state medals in three years. During that tenure with Stephens, the Paola Panthers placed second, third and then went on to win the Class 4A state title. As good as the medals and individual honors feel, Stephens said, none of it compares to the satisfaction of winning the state championship with his teammates. “It is amazing,” Stephens said of winning the title. “We wanted to win this very much.” The title came after some disappointing near misses. The Panthers were 3.5 points behind Andale, lifting the state runner-up trophy in 2007. Paola was six points behind co-champions Andale and Andover in 2008. This year, Stephens’ senior campaign, there was no doubt. The Panthers scored 66 points, defeating state runner-up Mulvane by 29 points. Stephens won the 300-meter hurdles and went back to the track to place second in the long jump, putting the state championship trophy on ice for the Panthers. “Joe scored 18 points in one minute,” Paola coach Mike Smith said. “He won the 300 hurdles and the long jump was finishing up and he placed second. That’s 18 points right there.” Putting an exclamation point on the title this season was exciting, Stephens said. “After coming so close, 3.5 points, 6 points, to dominate like we did, only makes the feat that much more amazing,” he said. “Being part of the team that won the first one, that is just great.” The Paola Panthers won nine team titles in 10 meets this season, never losing to a Class 4A school. The only team to beat Paola was Olathe East, a Class 6A school, winning the Gardner-Edgerton Invitational by 17.5 points. Stephens, who is headed to Pittsburg State on a track and field scholarship, won 12 state medals and has been part of three Paola Panther state trophy winning teams for first, second and third. No one has stepped to the podium more often than Stephens the last three years. He has won as many medals as you can at state in three years, winning four medals as a sophomore, four more his junior season and four this year as a senior. 2009 state medals: 300-meter hurdles (first), 110-meter high hurles (second), triple jump (second) and long jump (second). 2008 state medals: 110-meter high hurdles (first), long jump (first), 300-meter hurdles (second) and 4x400-meter relay (third). 2007 state medals: 300-meter hurdles (first), 110-meter hurdles (second), 4x400-meter relay (second) and high jump (third).
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