GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD: Howard County 2022 preview

Kokomo Tribune - Monday, Apr 11, 2022

By PEDRO VELAZCO
Tribune sportswriter

 
Western sprinter Chase Hayes is shown in the 400-meter dash in the IHSAA Western Sectional on May 18, 2021. Hayes won the 100 and 400 dashes in the sectional and went on to reach the state meet in the 400. Western's Brayden Curnutt Kelly Lafferty Gerber | Kokomo Tribune

Two local athletes who raced on the last day of the season in 2021 are back in action as the new girls track and field season gets moving.

Kokomo senior distance runner Julynne Spidell and Western junior sprinter Chase Hayes tested themselves against the state’s best last year at the IHSAA state meet. Now as the new season begins, they give every local athlete achievements to emulate as Wildkats, Panthers, Comets, Titans and Tigers get to work maximizing themselves for potential sectional, regional and state glory.

Western and Northwestern both boast well-rounded clubs this season. The Panthers were second in the local sectional last year while Northwestern was fourth. Kokomo, which was third at the sectional, is sprint-heavy this year. Taylor, which took fifth at the sectional, looks to replace points with a small squad. And Eastern, which was 11th, turns to a young group of athletes to make gains.

Here are previews of each Howard County team.


WESTERN

Long-time boys coach Gary Jewell now oversees coaching both boys and girls squads. He inherits a team that took second at the sectional last season, just 2.5 points behind champion Lewis Cass.

Looking at what we had a year ago, we weren’t as strong in the distance events as we could have been, and this year I think we are,” Jewell said. “We return some pretty good sprinters. Chase Hayes was a state finalist in the 400. She has a pretty good range in the sprints — 100, 200 to 400, she long jumps pretty well. And she’s actually been able to show us she can move up to the 800.

We’re a little better in the field events than what we were.

The Panthers have a lot of returning experience in the sprints as well as new options. The speedsters are led by Hayes, a junior, who was 26th in the 400 at last spring’s state meet. She reached the regional in three events, after winning the 100 and 400 at the sectional, and taking second in the 800.

Sophomore Lacy Rathbun is in both hurdle events. Senior Maddy Parr is in sprints and pole vault, where she’s already hitting her top height from last season. Sophomores Laney Scott and Meredith Williams are back to the sprints, along with freshmen Jayce Holt and Alyssa Norfleet. Junior Karly Lechner is another hurdler. Twin sister Kourtney Lechner is in pole vault and sprints.

Sophomores Lauren Bradley and Avery Shock, juniors Cami Caldwell and Destiny Herr, junior exchange student Sophie Foehner, and freshmen Hattie Harlow, Maddy Shoaff and Joy Marley are in the distances.

In the throws, juniors Keona Smith and Kendall Rhees have picked up at or ahead of where they finished last season. Senior Maleah Winger is back in high jump after last competing as a freshman.

First thing we need to do is we’ve got to improve our performance in conference,” Jewell said. “We should not be finishing in sixth place in conference. We should be in the top two. If you win our conference meet or finish second, that puts you in the driver’s seat to win our sectional. We want to find that three points that we missed [that kept us from] winning the sectional last year. If you’re trying to build a program, we have to win some championships because championships will attract people.


KOKOMO

The Wildkats build around returning state finalist Spidell and a core of veterans to make up for lower numbers. The Kats have 23 athletes, which means some lineup challenges.

“We’re a little short on numbers this year, but I think the sprints is where we’re going to at least be strongest,” Kokomo coach John Malone said.

The sprint-heavy makeup of the 23-member team is good for those events, but makes it difficult for the Kats to spread talent across all events.

“There’s going to be some events we’re not going to be able to compete in like pole vault,” Malone said. “[I’m] having a real hard time finding four 400 [dash] girls for a 4x4 relay team, and with only three distance runners, that hurts us for the 4x8 relay team. Hopefully by the end of the season some of the young ladies will see, if they’re not in the top two in our sprints, will realize if they want to keep going, they have to move over into the 4x4 and 4x8.”

There are several options in speed and jumping events. Senior Omarea Daniels will run hurdles, long jump and the 4x100 relay. Sophomore Abby Hansen is in the 400 and 200. Freshman Makaela Drake is in the 100 and 4x100. Sophomore Mia Castillo is in the 100, 200, 400 and 4x100. Junior Sophia Justice is in the 400. Freshman Janae Young is in sprints.

Junior Keihera Lang is in the high jump and 4x100 relay. Freshman Aramaea Fivecoate is in both hurdles and long jump. Sophomore Nevaeh Andrews will be in the high jump when she returns from injury. Lang, Daniels and Castillo were part of Kokomo’s 4x100 team that reached the regional last season.

Spidell is the leader of the distance team after taking 20th in the 3,200 at state last season. She’ll run the 1,600 and 3,200, and may take a spot on the 4x800 relay.

In the throws are freshman Brielle Humphries and sophomore Alona Smith.

Looking ahead to what this team is capable of, Malone noted finishing third in the sectional the previous two sectionals in 2021 and 2019 (there was no spring season in 2020).

“It’s going to be hard to be in the top three this year. It’s still going to be a goal. It’s always a goal,” Malone said. “And we’ll try to improve on our standing in the conference, but to do things like that you’ll need a full complement of runners and have two in each event.

“We host regionals this year so we want to at least get somewhere between eight to 10 girls across to the regionals to represent the school. We want to get Julynne back to state this year, and hopefully Omarea Daniels can get there in hurdles. She was in the indoor state finals and hopefully that carries over.”


NORTHWESTERN

The Tigers return two sectional-champion

performers and have high hopes for the team overall as new coach Josh Perry takes over. There are several proven athletes even though the team has just one senior and three juniors.

“There is a lot of talent, but there’s even more determination to be the best,” Perry said. “The team gets along really well, but they all hate losing to each other. They all want to be the best on the team. We have a very good spread across almost all of the events and that will really help us out at the sectionals.”

Sophomore Hannah Moore returns after a strong opening statement as a freshman. She won the 1,600 and 800 at last spring’s sectional, and was third in the 3,200. Sophomore Lexi Hale won the high jump last season. And junior Anna Perry was second in the 100 hurdles.

“We have a very reliable high jumper in Lexi Hale, but it’s hard even for a reigning sectional champion to stand out when we have so many dominant forces in the running events,” Josh Perry said. “Hannah Moore and Courtney Adams are ready to be major point scorers for us this year.

“We have a very talented group of sprinters this year. Anna Perry, Anna Bishir, Mayli Yoder and Iris and Layla Brehm are the types of athletes that you are lucky to have just one of on a team. Having them all at the same time is just incredible.”

Moore leads the distance team, joined by junior Sally Freeman, sophomores Addy Robinson and Hannah Troyer, and freshmen Adams and Ashlyn Kelly.

Sprinters include senior Savannah Strawmyer, sophomore Yoder, and freshmen Anna Perry, Bishir, Layla Brehm and Iris Brehm. Strawmyer, Bishir and Layla Brem join Hale in the jumping events.

Sophomores Emma Haynes and Dani Dunten lead the throwers, with sophomore Kyndyll Vincent and junior Jenny Reynoso also throwing.

“This team is ready to compete for a sectional championship,” Josh Perry said. “Everyone has their eyes set on returning to the years where Northwestern girls track was a major powerhouse in the area. I’d like to see us send a few girls to the state meet in June and win a few trophies along the way. The girls all know that expectations are high this year, but they have risen to the challenge so far.”


TAYLOR

The Titans rely on a small core of athletes to carry them this season.

“While the numbers are low, I’m really happy with the athletes we do have out for track this season,” Taylor coach Nick Weicht said. “We have girls out with good attitudes who are willing to do the work it takes to improve.”

There are a few areas in particular where the Titans look to score.

“I expect that our girls will be strong in the sprints and the jumps,” Weicht said. “We have a group of throwers who are improving a lot, and I expect them to continue to progress and pick up points throughout the season. If there’s an area where I feel like we are thin, it’s in distance events.”

The squad has four seniors. Sydnie Boley is in the speed events. She was a regional qualifier in the long jump, 100 and 200 last season. Whitney Chorrushi is back on the track for the first time since her freshman season and will line up in the hurdle events and may take a leg of the 4x100 relay. Kelsi Langley is out for the squad for the first time and is high jumping, and will be an option on relays. Olivia Keith is back in the throwing events.

Juniors are Alexandra Collins, a thrower who may also compete in running events and the jumps, and Casey Tobey, who throws, and runs the 400.

Sophomore Savannah Kellog will run the short sprints and relay events. Freshman Amelia Collins is in the throwing events and freshman Sheyli Nieves will run the 400, 800 and middle distances.

“I want our athletes to continue improving and to be the best they are capable of being,” Weicht said. “Secondly, I want to help the girls who are able to advance out of sectional be successful and advance. I think we have a few girls capable of advancing to regional this year and I’m excited to get started.”


EASTERN

The Comets look to build around a pair of senior throwers as well as a pair of regional qualifiers — one on the track and one in the field.

The team leaders are senior throwers Jacey Richmond and Rebekah Guthrie. Also in the throws are sophomore Nyah Day and freshman Elisabeth Bruno.

“Richmond and Guthrie have been such good examples to the other girls as far as sportsmanship and dedication to the sport,” new Eastern coach Anne Kantz said. “Day is dialed in and focused on improving her throws each meet. Bruno is coming off an impressive middle school season. I am looking forward to see what she can do.”

The distance crew is led by junior Alesia Rummel, who was a regional qualifier in the 800 last spring. Also in distances are junior newcomer Lilly Shallenberger, sophomore Lily Greene, and freshman Ava Kantz, who will run the 1,600 and 3,200.

“Alesia is looking to get back to regional this year and compete,” Anne Kantz said. “Ava had a great end to her middle school career, so we’re looking forward to see where she can go this season. Lily Greene does double duty running both hurdle events, so she’s very versatile. Shallenberger is a welcome addition to track this year. She will run the 4x800 and open 400 or 800.”

In the sprints are juniors Tori Yoder and Lydia Merritt, sophomores Brooklyn Brooks, Maya Pickett, Hannah Morrisett, and Abby Reed, and freshman Allie Hueston.

Yoder also will long jump while Morrisett will take on hurdles and pole vault. Also in the field events is junior Leah Jordan in high jump and pole vault.

“Leah was a regional qualifier in pole vault last season and I know she’d like to get back there,” Anne Kantz said.

“Overall, I’m pleased with how the girls work hard in practice and are showing best efforts in our early meets,” Anne Kantz said. “Our goal for the season is to be competitive in our conference, and to get some girls back to regional.”