Corey Bird Takes Third At State Track Meet

At the 2014 Nebraska State Track and Field Championships, held May 23 and 24, DHS junior Corey Bird brought a medal back home for dear old Dorchester High.

Bird led area athletes with a third-place finish in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6-3, tying his personal best.

DHS track coach Brian Rut told the Friend Sentinel:  “Corey is a great competitor and came through clutch late in the competition when he was down to his last jump. I think going into the state meet that he knew that if he jumped to his potential, a top three finish was in his reach. Corey stayed healthy the entire year and kept raising the bar each and every meet.”

Riley Zahourek of Dorchester was battling a groin/hamstring injury and did not jump his best in the triple jump or long jump. He finished with a 39-6.75 jump in the triple jump and at 19-1.25 in the long jump. “We are proud of the way that he went out and competed in both the triple and long jumps and did the best that he could under the conditions,” Rut said.

Dorchester had two athletes in the girls’ competitions — Cassidy Olson in the 100-meter dash and Bailey Velder in the shot put. Coach Rut said both competed well.

This was Olson’s second trip to state. She qualified as a freshman two years ago, also in the 100-meter dash. This year she finished in 13.59 seconds but did not make the finals. “She was comfortable coming into the meet, and although she didn’t place, she competed well,” Rut said.

Velder, a freshman, made her first trip to state and finished with a throw of 33-6. “Bailey worked hard getting to this point ... and she increased her distance in all three throws in Omaha. She finished up the day by throwing one of her better throws of the season,” Rut said.