Butz makes cut for track finals
Clinton High School Coach Tim Kumes is in the process of building a successful track and field program for both the Dragons and Lady Dragons.
Many of Clinton’s athletes went from having sporadic success to constantly cutting times and improving marks in their respective disciplines.
And many of the athletes saw their seasons end during the postseason. But one will move on to compete on the state’s big stage at the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro.
Junior hurdler Lucas Butz was one of the Clinton athletes to compete at Saturday’s state sectional meet at the University of Tennessee’s Tom Black Track in Knoxville.
He finished third in his heat of the boys 300-meter hurdles race as he crossed the finish line in 42.20 seconds. But Butz wasn’t sure whether or not he made it to the state meet, which opens Tuesday at Middle Tennessee State University.
Butz, a second generation track athlete, who is also looking to become the long snapper and a wide receiver for the Clinton football team, found out Monday that he did indeed make the state championships and will be the sixth-seeded contestant in the field. His time made the qualifying cut after all sectional meet results from across the state were tallied.
“Lucas has become one of our team leaders and he’s great with the younger kids,” Kumes said. “He’s a great kid and he’s a great athlete. His dad is a dean at Crown College. He was an athlete and his brother was an athlete.
“I’ve met the mom and they’re a great family. He’s a tough kid. When you’re a hurdler, you have to be willing to fall down and get back up. You have to be willing to take some bumps and bruises, and he’s willing to take some bumps and bruises,” Kumes said.
“Not taking anything away from the other kids on the team, but if I had 10 or 15 more kids like him, we’d be constantly competing for state championships.”