Dana Kluthe got off to a solid start at the state track and field meet Friday.
The North Loup-Scotia junior set a personal-record of 11 minutes, 54.31 seconds to finish third in the Class D 3,200-meter run.
"I'm extremely happy about it," Kluthe said. "Good meet to PR at. I'm really pleased."
Kluthe, who will compete in the 1,600 at 2 p.m. Saturday, was among the top four throughout the eight-lap race around the Omaha Burke Stadium track.
She finished behind Pleasanton junior Kristi Bauer (11:49.37) and Newcastle senior Lisa Grosvenor (11:53.46).
Kluthe posted the top district time in the 1,600 and 3,200.
She topped her 3,200 district time by 18 seconds Friday afternoon.
"I knew that I could place high if I stayed up with the leaders and ran my own race," Kluthe said. "I'm happy with the result."
Osceola's Anthony Cliffords just missed out on a first-place medal when he was out kicked by Maywood's Ryan Hazen in the final 100 meters.
Cliffords finished second in 10:10.77.
Shelton's Kalli Brannagan led a strong group of area sprinters in the girls 100. Brannagan had the fastest time in the 100 preliminaries at 12.59. Ansley's Skylar Rohde, the defending state champion in both the 100 and 200, and Palmer's Jessica Trejo also advanced to the 100 finals.
Brannagan also had the fastest time in the 200 prelims (25.80).
Rohde and Trejo also qualified for the finals.
The Class D boys sprinters did just well. North Loup-Scotia's Grant Gebhardt, St. Edward's Shavontae Samuels, Loup County's Logan Shermer and Hampton's Dwayne Wall all advanced to the finals of the 100.
Gebhardt, Shermer, Samuels, Ansley's Wesley Slack and Spalding/Spaldng Academy's Corey Thome all advanced to the finals in the 200. Shermer had the top preliminary time of 22.75.
Samuels and Gebhardt also advanced to the finals in the 400.
Several Class D area athletes placed on Friday:
--Palmer's Neil Kilchriste was second in the high jump (6-4).
--Hampton's Wall was fourth in the triple jump (44-1 3-4) with Kilchriste fifth (43-1).
--Cedar Rapid's Molly Paul was third in the discus (117-1).
--Nebraska Christian's Karrah Miller was tied for fifth in the pole vault (9-0).
