IHSAA girls track and field sectionals preview: What, who to know as postseason starts
It’s already that time in Indiana high school track and field — sectional week.
The girls will compete at 32 sectional sites around the state Tuesday and the boys Thursday. The first, second and third place sectional winners in all individual events and relays will advance plus any individual or relay team meeting the participant standard in the sectional finals of their event.
Here are six storylines to watch in Tuesday’s girls sectionals:
County, conference, City titles: Vote for IHSAA track and field athletes of week
Watching the top teams
There is not a lot of separation at the top in the state rankings. Warren Central, coming off a Marion County championship last week, is ranked No. 1, but followed closely by No. 2 Brownsburg, No. 3 Noblesville and No. 4 Carmel, and all four have a realistic chance to win state. Warren Central is hosting a sectional and Brownsburg is at Zionsville. Noblesville, last year’s state runner-up, and Carmel are together at Hamilton Southeastern.
Warren Central counts heavily on juniors Laila Smith and Jila Vaden. Smith is the state leader in the 300 hurdles (43.49) and Vaden the state leader in the long jump (18-9). Smith and senior teammate Anya Rollins are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 100 hurdles and Vaden is also a contender in the 100 with the fifth-fastest time this spring. Warren Central’s 4x100 relay team is third (48.01) in the state and the 4x400 relay team is second (3:57.22).
The other three contenders have more depth. A name to watch for Brownsburg is senior Paige Kirtz, who ranks third in the state in the 200 (25.01) and 400 (56.34) and won long jump at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet. Brownsburg is second in the state in the 4x100 relay (47.88) and has other individuals who can produce points in senior Darrelle Rice (seventh in 100) and Ashlyn Schwab (second in pole vault), among others.
Noblesville was a distant second to Brownsburg at the Hoosier Crossroads Conference meet, but is still one of the top state contenders with athletes like Summer Rempe (third in state in 800, seventh in 1,600), Malina Miller (tied for seventh in high jump), Hannah Alexander (second in discus, fourth in shot put), Delaney Teachnor (tied for second in pole vault) and a 4x800 relay team that is third in state.
Carmel could also challenge Noblesville at the sectional with sophomore Emily Norris (second in state in 200), senior Campbell Wamsley (sixth in 400) and sophomore Olivia Cebalo (sixth in 800) leading the way. The Greyhounds are also strong in the 4x100 relay (fifth), 4x400 relay (third) and 4x800 relay (sixth).
Eyes on Park Tudor duo at Lawrence Central
This is the last go-round for Park Tudor senior duo Gretchen Farley and Sophia Kennedy, who are both chasing their first state title.
Farley ran a 2:07.5 relay carry last week in the 800 at the Marion County meet, which would rank No. 1 in the state this season for that distance. Only three Indiana girls have ever run faster. Farley, one of the state’s most versatile athletes, also ranks second in the 400, third in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200 this spring. She was second in the 800 at last year’s state meet behind Huntington North’s Addison Wiley and third in the 1,600.
Kennedy ran the third-fastest 3,200 in state history (10:07.28) last month at the Carmel Showcase against most of the top competition in the state. Kennedy ran the state’s best 1,600 (4:47.45) at the Flashes Showcase earlier in April.
A distance triple?
Delta junior Nicki Southerland, the defending state champion in the 3,200, will compete in the sectional at home. Southerland is trending in the right direction this spring, coming off a distance triple in the Hoosier Heritage Conference meet in the 800 (2:10.30), 1,600 (4:47.54) and 3,200 (11:51.16).
Could she contend for titles in all three? Southerland has the state’s leading time in the 800, is second behind Kennedy, barely, in the 1,600 (4:47.54) and is fourth in the 3,200 (10:14.61).
Other defending champions
Bloomington North junior Hadley Lucas is the defending state champion in the shot put and discus and is closing in on state records in both events. Lucas is easily the leader this spring in the shot put (50-11) and discus (167-2). Bloomington North hosts a sectional.
Other defending state champions are Forest Park senior Rachel Mehringer in the 100 hurdles (she leads state at 13.82) and Evansville Bosse senior Alexia Smith in the long jump. Smith is the state leader in the 200 (24.86) and is fourth in the 400 (57.10). Other defending state champion, Emily Nannenga of Kankakee Valley in the high jump, did not come out for the team as a senior.
Fastest girl in Indiana?
There is not a Candyce McGrone, Lynna Irby, Semira Killebrew or Ramiah Elliott this year in the sprints. The race for the fastest girl in Indiana is up for grabs.
Three girls — Connersville freshman Ahniyah Bennett (11.92), South Bend Adams senior Angel Thomas (11.97) and Westfield senior Princess Campbell (11.99) — have been under 12 seconds in the 100. Fishers junior Maya Taylor (12.02) and Warren Central junior Jila Vaden (12.03) are also close. Thomas was fourth last year at state.
Other local teams to watch
Sixth-ranked Center Grove (competing in the sectional at Franklin) and No. 9 North Central (competing at Lawrence Central) are other teams to watch.
Center Grove is led by senior Kate Henselmeier, who leads the state in the 400 (55.46) and is fourth in the 200 (25.09). Senior Shelby Wingler is second in the state in the shot put (47-6) and third in the discus (150-6).
North Central senior Janae Bailey is fifth in the 200 (25.12) and 10th in the 400 (58.05). North Central is fourth in the 4x100 relay (48.12).
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school track and field tournament: Girls sectionals setup
