By CONOR NICHOLL
Rexford-Golden Plains senior Breanna Rath has enjoyed a highly impressive three-sport career. That continued in April when Rath broke the Golden Plains’ 17-year-old school record in the triple jump.
At the April 11 Triplains meet held in Colby, Rath posted a leap of 36 feet, 10.75 inches. That broke the record of 36-7 from Valerie Broeckelman in 2006, per GPHS.
In the triple jump, Rath took seventh at the Class 1A state meet as a sophomore and was second last spring. Her state mark was 36-4.5, which had been her top jump.
Rath, who is headed to Kansas State to study psychology, has an opportunity to help Golden Plains to a top-three finish and a team plaque at the Class 1A state track meet next month. Rath is ranked sixth for all classes and first in the classification in the triple jump, per Carol Swenson’s statewide honor roll.
Last season, GP was sixth at state track. Emma Weiner has won two straight state cross country titles. She was second in the 1,600 and first in the 3,200 at state track. Senior Sidney Taylor and junior Jordyn Fleckenstein are also highly accomplished multi-sport athletes. Weiner currently has 1A’s top mark in the 1,600 at 5:33.71 and the 3,200 in 12:16.41.
Golden Plains will participate in the Quinter track meet Friday, one of the largest western Kansas regular season competitions. Twenty-plus teams are expected to compete.
Rath was first team all-league volleyball and played in the Northwest Kansas all-star volleyball game last November. Rath was the team’s top passer and finished with 401 digs, 215 kills and 72 aces. GP volleyball had nine girls and finished 26-12. Rath finished her career with 924 digs and 942 serve-receives.
In basketball, Rath was a four-year starter and helped GP to a state third-place showing in 2021 and state runner-up in ’22.
Golden Plains had by far the state’s longest regular season winning streak before it ended early this year. The Bulldogs finished 19-4. GP had a nine-player roster. Rath finished with 200 points, 81 steals, 70 steals and 52 rebounds. Rath was long known for her defense. She was SIK all-state tournament team in 2022 and a SIK defensive player of the year finalist this winter.
She was a four-year starter and first team all-league basketball pick. Golden Plains won the WKLL six years in a row. Rath led GP with 81 steals. In her career, Rath finished with 500 points and 239 steals.
