WICHITA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - At best, a high school athlete will remain in the Catch it Kansas Track Tracker for just four seasons. But many of the athletes that were once featured in the weekly track rankings converged on Emporia State University this weekend for the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Former Nickerson standout Hunter Jones was one of many Kansas athletes representing Pitt State.

“It’s awesome to see kids you competed with in high school,” he said. “This is the best conference in the nation in Div. II, by far. The number of small-town Kansas kid here, it really goes to show you those small-town kids really know how to work hard and put their head down and grind.”

Jones did a little of everything at Nickerson before graduating in 2019. In his senior season, he won the Class 4A high jump (6-10), was state runner-up in the javelin (187-0), finished fourth in the triple jump (43-9.5), and placed fifth in the 300m hurdles. At Pitt, he’s a two-time All-American decathlete and the 2024 NCAA Div. II national champion with the fourth-highest point total all-time in the division. Jones is wrapping up a sixth collegiate season.

“It’s meant so much to me,” he said. “Being there for six years, it’s a part of me. I feel like being here made me who I am and the man I am. I’m so thankful for the coaches and all the great teammates I’ve had there over the years.”

Already qualified for nationals in the decathlon this spring, Jones took it easy at the MIAAs on Saturday, running only in the 110m hurdles. He was disappointed with a fourth-place in his preliminary heat but still advanced to Sunday’s finals.

“Since I’m already qualified for nationals in the multi, I really want to stay away from it until nationals just to keep my body in the best shape I can and not ding it up,” said Jones. “Conference, for me, is kind of a tune up for nationals and the decathlon.”

Jones’ sister, Ava, competed against Belle Peters in the always-tough Central Kansas League. Now, Hunter is teammates with the Smoky Valley graduate. A redshirt junior this season at Pitt, Peters turned in one of the great all-time springs her senior year at Smoky Valley. She won Class 3A state titles in the 200m dash, 100m hurdles, and pole vault, and finished third in the 100m dash. Her top vault of 13-3 that 2021 season is tied for No. 2 all-time in Kansas. Her best hurdle time that season ranks No. 21 all-time in the state. Peters was also one of the top long jumpers in the class that year. She, too, is pleased with her decision to compete for the Gorillas.

“Pitt State is really just a family,” she said. “You go in and you’re led by the people before you. It’s great leadership, great tradition. You have pride to be on the Pitt State track team.”

Peters entered Saturday’s 100m hurdle prelims with the fifth-fastest time of the two heats as a favorite to make the finals. A near fall cost her several seconds and she will miss Sunday’s finals. She returned to her other event, the pole vault, where she entered in a tie as the top-seed with returning MIAA Champion and teammate Kyla Davis. Peters cleared 13-8.5 to tie for conference runner-up with Washburn University’s Isabel Demarco de Quadros. Fort Hays State junior Annabeth Baalmann, who competed in high school at Andale, won the MIAA gold at 14-0.5.

“I like to call it short-term memory,” said Peters. “You can’t dwell on what happened in the past. You can change it. I just try to make something of the day even if something didn’t go my way before.

“Our conference is one of the best in the nation. To come out here and be able to have great competition a couple weeks before nationals is awesome.”