With the top four finishers in each event qualifying for sectionals, Wright City track Head Coach Sue Wright is confident in her boys team heading into Saturday’s district meet at Lutheran North.

Seven athletes or relay teams are currently ranked in the top four in Class 3, District 3.

“The 4x8 and 4x4 have good chances,” Wright said. “We’re on the border for a lot, and I tell them they have to perform. That’s the bottom line. This is what we’ve worked all year for.”

The 3,200-meter relay team of Stephon Norwood, George Pezold, Gavin Waters and Jake Mueller posted an 8-minute, 48.75-second performance at the Wright City Invitational, which is the third best mark in the district.

Wright continues to believe the quartet can improve their time, especially Mueller, the anchor.

Mueller is fourth in the 400-meter (53.48) and fifth in the 800 (2:05.24).

A recent practice confirmed Wright’s belief.

“Yesterday in practice, Gavin was injured so we had a race,” she said. “I had the other three 4x8 guys race too, and Jake ran a 2:06. If you’re running a 2:06 in practice and a 2:05 in a meet, that tells me he’s got a lot more in him. He got a 2:02 last year and I think he could maybe do better. He looks so much smoother this year, so it’s mental. We got through that in cross country and got him to state, so hopefully we can do that in track, too.”

Sean McDonald is currently second in the 300-hurdles with a season-best time of 42.69.

“The best part about the hurdles is that anything can happen,” Wright said. “It can be anybody’s game, and I really believe that a lot of schools don’t work their hurdles because those kids are always running the 4x4 and that kind of stuff, so sometimes they’re not always focused. And Sean is really focused.”

McDonald qualified for the sectional last year with a second-place finish (44.04).

Other athletes on the cusp include Trevon Holmes in the high jump (third), Ricky McDonald in the pole vault (fourth) and Joe Phillips in the javelin (fourth).

The Wildcats begin the district meet Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Lutheran North.

“The boys have a bunch of chances to get out,” Wright said. “We may have a tough time, but I think we have more kids close to qualifying than we’ve had in the past. They just have to go out and do it.”