Western boys, NW girls win county meet

Kokomo Tribune - Wednesday, May 08, 2014

— RUSSIAVILLE — Western’s boys track and field team is looking to get back into the winner’s circle in the Mid-Indiana Conference and sectional meets.

If Wednesday’s Howard County meet is any indication, the Panthers are going to be heard from on both fronts.

Western put at least two in the top five of 11 of the 13 individual events, and set a meet record in a relay to repeat as county champions on their home track with 112 points. Eastern was runner-up with 69 points, while Northwestern was third (57) and Taylor fourth (6).

“The depth factor was impressive,” Western coach Marvin Boswell said. “It was a total team effort, and I’m proud of the way the kids stepped up. We finally got a good warm night, so some of the performances and times started coming down. We’ve talked about it a lot, and it’s one of the things we’d like to do, to get back up there [and win the MIC and sectional]. It’s been a few years since we’ve been there. We’ve been second and third the last few years, and I think we have a little bit more depth this year.”

Western’s Braedon Cannon helped lead the Panthers’ charge as the top scorer in the meet. He won the long jump with a leap of 19-9, and teamed with Cameron Dessing, Christian Glenn and Zach Shahan to win the 4x100-meter relay in a meet-record time of :44.39.

George Conwell won the 110 hurdles in :16.64. Brett Boswell was tops in the shot put with a heave of 45-101/2, and Corey Hinkle bested the field in the discus with a fling of 129-0.

Matt Grider rounded out Western’s winners in the 3,200 in 10:23.38.

For the runner-up Comets, Lewis Duke, Joshua Sommers, Nick Handy and Kevin Zheng opened the meet with a win in the 4x800 relay in 8:41.90.

Sommers sped to victory in the 400 in :52.14, while Duke won both the 800 (2:05.65) and 1,600 (4:39.85). Riley Haupert rounded out Eastern’s winners in the 300 hurdles at :41.39.

Cameron Oden swept the 100 (:11.28) and 200 (:23.19) dashes to lead Northwestern.

Josh Perry won the high jump, clearing 6-0, and Darren Curry was tops in the pole vault, clearing 12-0.

Perry, Tyler Martin, Owen Munson and Keegan Fessenden closed the meet for the Tigers with a win in the 4x400 relay in 3:31.75.

GIRLS MEET

Led by high point scorer in senior Amber Miller, who was a triple winner, Northwestern took top honors with 94.5 points, denying Eastern a fifth straight county title. The Comets were runners up with 74.5 points, followed by Western (67) and Taylor (8).

“It’s pretty exciting because it’s the first team we’ve won the county since I’ve been the coach,” Northwestern’s Mary Clem said. “So, to see these girls working so hard and showing it [Wednesday] is great. You always think you have it, but in the back of your mind you have to be ready for it. My veterans carried us ... but they’re all just working so hard right now and I’m proud of every one of them. I’m hoping this gives us the confidence to see we can take this on [to the MIC and sectional]. That’s what we’re working for. That’s our goal.”

Miller won the long jump in a new meet record length of 16-93/4, and added a top finish in the pole vault, clearing 9-6. The Indiana State recruit also ran the anchor leg of the 4x100 relay, teaming with Tearsten Munson, Hannah Wilson and Bailey Lipinski to win in :52.12.

Kaitlyn Dannen took top honors in the 100 (:13.05) and 400 (:59.92), while Munson won the 200 in :26.56.

Taryn Thor was also a triple winner. She set a meet and school record on her way to victory in the 1,600, crossing in 5:18.31, and also set a new school record in the 800, winning in 2:22.36.

Thor, Munson, Daanen and Abby Olsen then set a new meet record on their way to victory on the 4x400 relay in 4:12.87.

Brooke Treadway topped the field in the shot put (32-7), and Hannah Ballard rounded out the Tigers’ winners in the high jump, clearing 5-2.

For runner-up Eastern, Arienna Ewing won the 100 hurdles in :16.88, and Jenny Keith won the discus with a heave of 105-0.

For Western, the 4x800 relay team of Nicole Hampshire, Erin Knepley, Emily Mullins and Reagan Ritchie took top honors in 10:45.10.

Hampshire added a county title in the 3,200 in 12:44.73, and Ellie Rush added a top performance in the 300 hurdles (:51.37).