Kokomo Tribune - Wednesday, June 6, 2026

Led by Western senior Ellyse Walden and Northwestern sophomore Zoie Schieffer, KT-area athletes fared well in the IHSAA Lafayette Jeff Girls Track and Field Regional on Tuesday night.

Walden swept the throwing events for the second straight year. The Ball State commit won discus with a mark of 145 feet, 9 inches, and she won shot with a put of 48-8.5. She bettered her school records in both events.

Schieffer sped to victory in the 100 hurdles in a time of 14.82 seconds, just ahead of Kokomo junior Jhazlyn McKay who took second in :14.90.

Top-three finishers in each regional event advance to the State Finals on Friday, June 5, at North Central High School in Indianapolis. For Walden, it will be her third trip to state. For McKay, it will be her second. Last year at state, Walden had a pair of podium finishes — fourth in shot and sixth in discus.

Northwestern senior Emma Baker, Kokomo sophomore Giyanna Thornton, Lewis Cass senior Aftin Griffin and Northwestern sophomore Bryella Lefforge also are state bound.

Baker was runner-up in the pole vault with a school-record jump of 12-3. Thornton took second in the 300 hurdles in a school-record :44.19. Griffin took third place in the 100 dash in :12.55. Lefforge was third in the long jump with a leap of 17-1 1/2.

Baker and Thornton are both state veterans. Baker was runner-up in the pole vault at state last year.

Baker and Griffin nearly qualified in second events. Baker finished fifth in the 100 dash and Griffin was fourth in the 200 dash.