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Colby Athletes Bring Home State Medals at KSHSAA 3A Track and Field Championships

May 29, 2026
Colby's boys 4x400-meter relay team of Nathan Cates, Jayton Rush, Cody Wright, and Jordan Jones competes at the Class 3A State Championships. The Eagles recorded a time of 3:27.12 and were later involved in a controversial disqualification following the finals.

Once again, Wichita State University hosted the largest state high school track meet in the country. The Colby Eagles brought home several medals, but not without national-level controversy.

The two-day event began on May 29 with the best athletes in the state ready to show their grit. The weekend wasn’t ordinary for the Eagles though, as they battled through the two days of humid weather and a series of weather delays. They were able to bring home various medals, but the most talked-about moment was the disqualification of the Colby boys 4x400-meter relay team.

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What initially appeared to be a third-place finish for Nathan Cates, Jayton Rush, Cody Wright, and Jordan Jones quickly turned into a dramatic disqualification and national attention questioning the management of the event.

Shortly after the final event, the Eagle relay team was escorted to the podium to receive their bronze medals, but shortly after the honor, the KSHSAA officials took back the awards and redistributed them to another team, stating Colby had been disqualified for interfering with another athlete.

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After reviewing a parent video circulating on social media, it appears that Colby's Rush had minimal, if any, contact with another runner during turn # 3 of his leg of the relay. Unfortunately, KSHSAA made its decision which has left the Colby community reeling for answers.

Besides the arbitrary ruling at the end of the weekend, the Eagles had some outstanding performances, and memorable moments for the 2026 state meet. The Eagles were led by a group of seniors this year, most notably Jordan Jones who returned and defended the 3A 300 m Hurdles title. Earning his second title, Jones posted the fastest qualifying time of 39.18 seconds, then he returned in the finals to win the event with a 38.69 second finish. Jones edged Holcomb's Cooper Cranston by less than half a second, who finished with a final time of 39.15 seconds.

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Jordan Jones competes in the hurdles during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby senior won the 300-meter hurdles in 38.69 seconds and added a bronze medal in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.73.

Jones also earned a bronze medal in the 110 m Hurdles after a 14.73 second performance behind champion Cranston from Holcomb and Phillipsburg’s Tanner Horinek, they ran the event in 14.26 and 14.30 seconds respectively.

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Senior Brittany Swartz brought home a silver medal for Colby after tying Lakin's Aryn Michaelis with a personal-best clearance of 5-foot-4 in the 3A Girls High Jump. After staying around 5’2” all season, Swartz brought her best performance to the biggest stage to end her career.

Brittany Swartz competes in the girls high jump at Cessna Stadium. The Colby senior earned a silver medal after clearing a personal-best 5 feet, 4 inches.

Cates finished third in the Class 3A boys triple jump for his final season. He recorded a distance of 43’10”, which was close behind champion Bowen Bryan from Royal Valley (44’-2”), and runner-up Mason Schultejans from Nemaha Nemaha Central (44’-0.5”)

Nathan Cates competes in the triple jump during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby junior earned a bronze medal with a jump of 43 feet, 10 inches.

In the 100 m Dash, Colby senior Wright earned his trip to state and finished seventh overall to earn a state medal after finishing with a time of 11.26 seconds. The race was led by Wichita Collegiate’s Timmy Ritchie (10.68), followed by Bishop Ward’s Davontae Davis (10.89).

Cody Wright sprints toward the finish line during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby senior placed seventh in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.26 seconds and also competed in the 200-meter dash.

Moving up to the 400 m Dash, Rush represented the Eagles after an at-large bid from regionals. He ran a 51.36 race in preliminaries and finished 10th, one spot out of qualifying for the finals. The event would end up going to Wichita Collegiate’s Ritchie with a final time of 47.49.

Jayton Rush races in the boys 400-meter dash at the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby junior finished 10th in preliminaries with a time of 51.36 seconds.

In the Class 3A girls 800-meter run, junior Cora DeGood qualified for the Eagles and finished 12th with an overall time of 2:27.07. Her event was led by Brynn Lenson with a time of 2:13.78 from Maranatha Academy, followed by Reese Quinn (2:16.73) and Avery Larson (2:17.09) from Hesston.

Cora DeGood competes in the girls 800-meter run during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby junior finished 12th with a time of 2:27.07.

Colby senior Josiah Hoppe qualified for the 3A boys high jump but was unable to advance to the finals after missing the preliminary cut.

Josiah Hoppe clears the bar during the boys high jump competition at the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby senior qualified for state and concluded his Eagle track career among Kansas' top jumpers.

Junior Korrynne Duffey cleared 9-foot-6 to finish seventh in the Class 3A girls pole vault and earn a state medal. Her event was led by Ashley Lehman with a height of 12’-8.25” of Hesston, and Bently Pruitt (10’-6”) of Beloit was runner-up.

Korrynne Duffey competes in the girls pole vault at the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby junior placed seventh after clearing 9 feet, 6 inches.

Colby junior Harper Vaughn qualified for the Class 3A girls discus and took advantage of her first trip to the state meet at Cessna Stadium. She recorded a 105’-8” throw at state to finish 12th behind event champion Kaelyn Boss (132’-11”) from Osage City, and runner-up Tessa Martin (127’-10”) from Hesston.

Harper Vaughn throws in the girls discus competition during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby junior finished 12th with a mark of 105 feet, 8 inches.

In her final throws of her career, senior Kalyssa White finished 14th in 3A Girls Shot Put with a throw of 34’-3.5”. The event was led by Benlty Pruitt (41’-0.75”) from Beloit, and Autry Young (41’-0.5”) from Cheney.

Kalyssa White competes in the girls shot put at the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby senior finished 14th with a throw of 34 feet, 3.5 inches.

Colby sophomore Bailey McCorkle qualified for 3A Girls Long Jump and finished 14th with a jump of 16’-1.25”. Alana Green (17’-8”) Wellsville led the event followed by Marysville’s Sarah Miller (17’-6.25”).

Bailey McCorkle lands in the long jump pit during the Class 3A State Championships. The Colby sophomore placed 14th with a jump of 16 feet, 1.25 inches.

With the season complete and several seniors moving on, Colby's returning athletes will look to build on the successes of this year's state qualifiers and medalists. Even with an unjust disqualification, Eagle athletes represented their community and school with pride!



by Derek White