By CONOR NICHOLL

cnicholl@dailynews.net

PHILLIPSBURG -- The Phillipsburg boys' track and field team has several of the top athletes in Class 3A, athletes that could contend for a state championship in two weeks.

As expected, those top competitors, like Gabe Wickham and Ryan Swatzell, matched or bettered their season-best marks and led the way for the Panthers on Friday at the Mid-Continent League track and field meet.

But Phillipsburg also had two athletes who beat their bests by significant margins. Chance Keiswetter, who had only high jumped at one prior meet, won the event. Thrower Zach Wood bested his top performance in the shot put by four and a half feet to take runner-up honors.

Together, the expected and unexpected helped the Panthers roll to the MCL title at their home track.

Competing in the first high school meet at the Panthers' new track, Phillipsburg finished with 157 points, 28 more than runner-up Smith Center, and nearly double what any other conference team collected.

"We have some guys that are right up there on the leaderboard," Panther head coach J.B. Covington said. "I thought we competed real well. We had some good times again and continued getting better and better all the time."

Wickham, one of 3A's best hurdlers, continued his strong season with three first-place finishes and one second. Norton's Zach Bainter, who was sick all week, was the other boy to win three titles, winning the 800-meter, 1600-meter and the 1,600-meter relay.

Wickham, the school record holder and fourth in the 3A entering the weekend in the 110 hurdles, won the race in 14.99 and bested the field by three-quarters of a second.

Wickham also won the 300-meter hurdles (40.15), 100-meter dash (11.15), and helped the Panthers finish second in the 400-meter relay (44.17). Swatzell, a state wrestling champion, had three top 3 performances, including a long jump title.

"I thought Ryan had a good day in the long jump, pole vault, I thought he ran great in the (1,600-meter relay)," Covington said.

Smith Center, led by sophomore Colt Rogers, seniors Braden Wilson and Drew Joy, also had several top finishes en route to their silver medal. The Redmen, which weren't picked to finish in the top two by several coaches, had battled injuries all spring.

"We have had so many people hurt and we have been so inconsistent," Rogers said Thursday night. "If one person comes back, then another person is hurt. We haven't had everyone healthy and together at one track meet."

"Phillipsburg is up there," he added. "I think we can hang with them, but we have to really, really compete."

The Redmen, with the help of several athletes, including Rogers, that faced injury earlier this season, were the only team that came within 73 points of Phillipsburg.

Rogers, a two-time undefeated state wrestling champion, hurt his knee at the end of wrestling season.

He had cleared 12-6 in the pole vault, but was hoping to jump higher this weekend.

"I would like to get 13-6 this year and just got a new pole this week and hopefully it will get there (Friday)," he said.

Rogers accomplished the goal.

He vaulted 13-6, six inches better than Swatzell. Entering the weekend, no 2A vaulter had cleared 13-6.

Rogers ran on the Redmen's winning 400-meter relay, was the anchor the second-place 1,600-meter relay and took third in the 300-meter hurdles.

Wilson, a Kansas State University football signee, had some knee problems and missed several weeks of practice before he uncorked a personal best throw of 154 feet, nine inches at Hill City earlier this week.

"I think he has got a good throw in him," Smith Center head coach Roger Barta said. "It just depends on how much he was set back by injury."

On a clear day with little wind, Wilson tossed 164-6 and won the event by 18 feet. The throw, a personal record, was the best in 2A this season.

Joy, who took second in the 100 meters, was on the winning 400-meter relay and earned the 200-meter victory. In the 200, Joy entered with the fourth-best seed. He ran a 22.9 and held off a late charge by Norton's Keiswetter.

"He said he was coming for me," Joy said with a smile. "I didn't get the 100 today (after winning it at MCL last year). Hopefully I can get it at regionals and state. Just run more relaxed today than I have."

Keiswetter, though, earned his win in the high jump, one of the more surprising victories at the meet. Keiswetter hadn't gone higher than 5-10, but jumped 6-2 and won the event.

Dylan Frantz, Keiswetter's teammate and the Panthers' best jumper all year, was fourth.

"We think they can both go 6-3, 6-4," Covington said.

Zach Wood won the javelin (161-4) and finished second in the shot put (46-11 1/2). The shot put throw was well past his season mark of 42-6. Keath Thomas was third in the shot put and second in the discus, helping the Panthers solidify themselves as one of 3A's best teams.

"Thomas and Wood, they both threw really well today," Covington said.

"We have some depth there in a lot of different events. If we can just get to state, I think we have got a chance."