Kokomo Tribune - Sunday, April 19, 2009

BOYS TRACK - Big Orange Invitational

Western pulled away from the seven-team field at Hamilton Heights to win the invite. The Panthers' 141 points easily bested the seven-team field. Eastern (88) was second, followed by Tipton (66), Hamilton Heights (55), Indianapolis Scecina (55), Speedway (48) and Peru (41).

The Panthers won four events as Chris Harter won the pole vault (13-6), Jerel Hall won the 400 (50.19), Austin Young won the 3,200 (10:34.7) and Corey Scott, Chris Love, John Capps and Zac Martinez combined to win the 3,200 relay (8:30.21.

In addition, the Panthers got top-three finishes from Dean Shepherd, Bart Shepherd, Aaron Van Auken, Hall (twice), Austin Young, and Martinez individually. In relay action, the Panthers’ team of Lucas Luckey, Trent Lawlyes, Indy Matthew and Jake Askren were second in the 400, and Western took third in the 1,600.

“I think we had some excellent team depth there to be able to come out and win by as big a margin as what we did,” Western coach Marvin Boswell said. He noted “many, many phenomenal performances, I believe topped by Jerel Hall. He was in a battle [with a Scecina runner} in the 100, 400 and 200 and every race it came down to where it was a photo finish between those two. Jerel ran the best times he’s run in a long time.”

Boswell also noted key efforts from Martinez, Harter, Van Auken and Askren.

Eastern stormed to second with a slew of place winners backup up one first-place finish. The Eastern 1,600 relay team of Hansen Martin, Dylan Buck, Mitch Padfield, Brett Buckmaster scorched the track in 3:30.6 for a new school record and invitational record.

Scoring individual top-three finishes for the Comets were Kelly Kingseed, Blake Donson, Martin (twice), Kevin Jackson and Buckmaster. In relays, the 3,200 team of Caleb Gibson, Padfield, Buck and Martin were second, and the 400 relay team took third.

Eastern coach Paul Nicholson said an underclassmen-heavy team has moved up from a good middle school program ready to make an impact.

“These kids are just passionate about getting better and being the best they can be,” he said. “They practice hard and they’re just after it.

“We came into [Saturday] knowing first place might be out of reach, but we wanted second really badly.”

GIRLS TRACK - Big Orange Invitational

Western cruised to victory in the seven-team field at Hamilton Heights, racking up 144 points. Hamilton Heights was second (94), followed by Peru (86), Tipton (67), Speedway (42), Indianapolis Scecina (35) and Eastern (26).

The Panthers won four events as Nikki McCracken won pole vault (10-0), Caily Tanner won the shot put (34-7), Kayla Gaskins, Jenn Elliott, Corianne Myer and Elise Briscoe won the 3,200 relay (10:52.22), and Danae Rittmann, Taylor Young, McCracken and Alleca Kerker won the 400 relay (52.04).

Also scoring top-three finishes for the Panthers in individual events were Allison Everetts (twice), Kristin Tiedeman (twice), Kerker (twice), Tanner, McCracken, Myer, Kayla Gaskins, Cara Earlywine and Ashley Gaskins. The team of Taylor Young, Sidricka Harris, Everetts and Earlywine was second in the 1,600 relay.

Western coach Marvin Boswell said “our field events really stood out for us. [We] got first and second there in the pole vault with Nikki McCracken and Allison Everetts, got first and second in the shot put with Kristin and Caily. And then that duo came back in the discus and got second and third.”

Boswell praised Kerker for putting more than a foot on her personal best long jump and noted strong efforts from McCracken, Everetts and Jenn Elliott.

“[Elliott] kind of set the tone for how the whole meet was going to go with the way she and the other girls ran the 4x800 relay,” he said. He said Elliott made a statement that “Western is here and we’re going to be strong today and you’re going to have to contend with all of us.”

Shyann Szabo led third-place Peru, remaining undefeated this season in the 100 dash and 200 dash and setting a school record in the 400 dash with a time of 59.7 seconds.

Szabo, who also anchored the third-place 1,600 relay team, won the meet’s “most points” award.

Other key contributions for Peru included Tiffany Raber (fifth in the 100 hurdles and second in the long jump); Taylour Kintner (third in the 1,600 run and fifth in the 3,200 run); Keyia McConahay (fourth in the 800 run); and Kira Minns (third in the shot put and fifth in the discus).