BOYS TRACK: Panthers advance group to state; Kats, Braves sending 1 each

Kokomo Tribune - Friday, May 28, 2021

Western’s boys track and field team is sending a robust contingent of three individuals and one relay to the state meet following a strong showing in the Kokomo Regional on Thursday night at Walter Cross Field.

Kokomo and Maconaquah also will fly their school colors at the state meet. They are sending one individual apiece.

Western’s state-bound individuals are Daniel Marley in shot put, Evan Kretz in discus and Brayden Curnutt in the 1,600-meter run. The Panthers also are sending the 4x800 relay team of Curnutt, Pete Bradshaw, Cade Shock and Drew Caldwell.

For Kokomo, Plez Lawrence is state bound in the 200 dash. For Maconaquah, Nolan Kelly is advancing in the 400 dash.

The top three finishers in each event at regionals advance to the state meet, which is June 4 at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis.

Marley put the exclamation point on Western’s big night by winning the shot put competition. The 6-foot-8, 300-pound Marian football recruit uncorked a huge put of 52 feet, 9 3/4 inches. That bettered his seed mark by 4 feet.

“Tremendous personal best by nearly 2 feet,” Western coach Gary Jewell said. “I think with another week he could possibly have another foot to that. I think he is just now beginning to realize how high his ceiling actually is.”

Kretz took second in discus with a throw of 162 feet, 5 inches. Northridge’s Carter Bach won with 168-0.

Jewell said Kretz built positive momentum in practice and carried it into the meet.

“When the rain moved through [Thursday], the wind direction changed and I knew because of that, Evan was going to get in a couple really good throws,” Jewell said. “That’s what you want, to let the disc ride the wind, and that’s what happened when he threw 165 back in March. I think it kind of happened again [Thursday].”

Curnutt punched his individual ticket to state by taking second in the 1,600 run. He clocked 4:26.85. Goshen’s Drew Hogan was first in 4:25.62.

“He kind of sat there in the race for the longest time and then used his kick in the last 400. He has an amazing kick,” Jewell said.

The 4x800 relay opened the meet. The Panthers’ Curnutt, Bradshaw, Shock and Caldwell clocked 8:05.71 to finish in third place behind Penn and South Bend Adams.

“Our 4x8 had not had any competition all year and we knew we could do really well if we just had someone to push us, someone we could latch onto,” Jewell said. “We were only .26 off the school record on a track that was a little slick after the rain. I had Brayden at 1:59 on his opening leg and I had Drew at 1:58 on his anchor leg and Pete and Cade had personal bests. We went from 8:22 to 8:05.”

The Kats’ Lawrence sprinted to state in the 200 dash by taking third in a time of :22.55. Culver Academies’ George Bourdier (:22.27) and Elkhart’s Derrick Woods (:22.30) finished ahead of Lawrence.

“Plez really wanted to make [state] in the 100, but he finished fourth so he was a little disappointed, but he and I talked about rebounding,” Kokomo coach Jordan Ousley said. “He had some time to recover and focus a little bit before the 200 and he did that. He came out refreshed and he ran a good race. He got out of his blocks well, he hung with those guys and he finished all the way through the line.

“He’s excited to head down to state meet next week and try to improve his time some more.”

Lawrence just missed advancing in the 100. He finished six-hundredths of a second behind the third-place finisher.

Maconaquah’s Kelly took third place in the 400 dash.

Penn won the team title with 85.5 points. Northridge was second with 61. Western was seventh with 34.