Panthers pull away for sectional title

Kokomo Tribune - Friday, May 21, 2021

From the start of the meet, Western’s boys track and field team was setting the pace. The Panthers won the 4x800 relay by more than 24 seconds and were leading the team scores at almost every stop at the Kokomo Sectional on Thursday night at Walter Cross Field.

By the end of the evening, the Panthers had pulled away for a comprehensive victory. Western won the 13-team meet with a score of 126 and won six events overall. It’s Western’s sixth sectional title and first since 2017.

Northwestern was second at 79, Kokomo third at 78, Pioneer fourth at 69, Eastern fifth (64), Tipton sixth (46), Peru seventh (43), Logansport eighth (38), Maconaquah ninth (27), Cass and Madison-Grant tied for 10th (25 each), Tri-Central was 12th (5) and Taylor 13th (2).

Western got the ball rolling with that victory in the 4x800 relay. Brayden Curnutt, Pete Bradshaw, Cade Shock and Drew Caldwell won in 8:23.97. Curnutt won the 1,600 in 4:39.88. Caldwell won the 800 in 2:03.24 and the pole vault, clearing 12 feet. Evan Kretz won discus at 151 feet, 7 inches. And Joseph Packard won the 3,200 in 10:05.99.

“There’s a lot of guys out here who have never won a sectional before,” Western coach Gary Jewell said. “Our football guys, most of those guys have never won a sectional in anything.

“I’d talked to Coby [Tuggle] a couple weeks ago. He said, ‘I’d really love to be able to say I won a sectional.’ I said, ‘I think we have a good shot of doing that.’”

Jewell said that the sectional was strong across the board in sprints, which worked to Western’s favor. Western racked up points in distances as Jewell expected, and also scored big in field events while many of the other contenders took points away from each other in sprints.

“We scored well in a lot of events,” Jewell said. “This was fun. This was good for the team, good for the school, good for the community.”

The top three in each individual and relay event advance to next Thursday’s Kokomo Regional. Also for Western, Daniel Marley was second in shot put, Taylor Rathbun was second in the 300 hurdles, Caldwell was third in the high jump, Curnutt was third in the 3,200, Bradshaw was third in the 400 and Western took third in the 4x400 relay.

“Drew Caldwell, he’s our anchor of our 4x8. He finished third in the high jump — that’s only the third time he’s ever jumped this year — he wins the pole vault. He won the 800,” Jewell said. “This is a guy who two years ago was playing shortstop at Blackford and he moved over here last summer.

“Our 4x8 hasn’t been challenged all year. We’re really hoping to make the fast heat

next week because we want to see what we can do. Brayden had a typical Brayden night. He led off our 4x8 with a 2:02, came back and won the 1,600. I can’t say enough about Joseph Packard. He sits around all day and just goes out and runs a really good race in the [3,200]. Jerry Padgett has just been a tremendous leader all year.”

Northwestern’s team of Max Garro, Hunter Mohr, Caden Gaier and A’Marion Conyers won the 4x400 relay in a photo finish with Eastern after coming from a couple meters back on the backstretch. Conyers won the high jump, clearing 5-10. Ethan Haynes was third in the discus and third in shot put. The Tigers were second in the 4x800 relay and third in the 4x100 relay. Gaier was third in the 300 hurdles.

“Just absolutely amazed and proud of the boys,” NW coach Alex Pier said. “We preach team in and team out and that’s what they did. From the bottom of the roster to the top of the roster every single boy made an impact.

“We told them all we can ask for is everything we’ve got and PRs and they delivered on all fronts — all the way down to 3 one hundredths of a second [the winning margin] in the 4x400.”

For Kokomo, Isaac Elkin was second in the 110 hurdles and third in pole vault. Plez Lawrence was second in the 100 and the 200. Bryan Stoltzfus was second in the 1,600 and in the 800. Ta’Shy Stewart was second in the long jump.

“Overall the boys did a nice job I thought,” Kokomo coach Jordan Ousley said. “Plez Lawrence had a very nice evening. He’s had a very nice evening. For him to get runner-up in the 100 and 200, to PR in both is really good for his confidence.”

He also noted strong performances from Elkin, Stewart and Stoltzfus.

For Eastern, A.J. Wiles won the shot put with an effort of 52-8 and took second in the discus. Eastern’s team of Zane Downing, Jaeden Hannah, Karson Stiner-West and Jayden Eagle won the 4x100 in :45.28. Eastern was second in the 4x400 relay.

Tipton’s Evan Long was third in the 1,600 and the 3,200. Nathan Leap was third in the 110 hurdles.

Peru’s Alex Ross was second in high jump and Conner Shaffer was third in the 800.

Maconaquah’s Nolan Kelly took second in the 400 and Cory Bockover was second in pole vault.

Cass took third in the 4x800 relay.

Pioneer’s Lewellen twins took six first-place finishes. Ezra won the 110 hurdles, 100 and 400. Addai won the 300 hurdles, 200 and long jump.