By Colin Altevogt
Girls Coordinator
For track fans across Indiana, this weekend will be like Thanksgiving and Christmas back-to-back with the girls’ track & field state finals on Friday followed by the boys.
This year’s girls’ track & field state finals will very much be a battle of track vs. field and a tale of one city. Pre-meet favorite and defending champion Lawrence North, who leads the seedings with 56 points, boasts a plethora of hurdlers and sprinters. Lawrence Central, just five points behind the Wildcats with 51 points, has potential individual champions in four of the five field events. Perennial contender Warren Central, who is looking to make it four titles in five years, is carried by sprinters Logan Hayes who will compete in three individual sprinting events.
To call it a showdown would be a bit misleading. Athletes from the top three contenders will meet head-to-head on the track very infrequently during the meet. In fact, potential scorers from LC, LN or WC will only see each other in a race in the 4x100, open 400, 300 hurdles and 4x400. The meet could be close heading into the final event, however, which would be entertaining as all three have a relay in the fast heat of the 4x4.
The following is a preview of the field events for the girls’ track & field state finals in Bloomington on June 4…
Discus
Noblesville senior Izzy May enters with the top throw from regional competition at 141’5, nearly seven feet ahead of her closest competitor. That thrower, however, belongs to Lawrence Central’s Taja Moore whose toss of 143’9 is the best in the state this season. Moore will also have the extra motivation of a team title. Portage junior Tori Bliss, the overwhelming favorite in the shot put, is a darkhorse here to take home both throws titles. Last year’s top returner in the field was Kayla Zink of Fort Wayne Snider. Zink was third last year in this event, but her best performance this season ranks just 18th in Indiana. Last year’s field was very senior-laden.
Predictions
1. Taja Moore, Lawrence Central
2. Izzy May, Noblesville
3. LaTeasha Hill, Franklin Central
4. Tori Bliss, Portage
5. Cassie Werthman, Southridge
6. Victoria Ison, Bloomington North
7. Morgan Field, Plainfield
8. Nakel McClinton, Merrillville
9. Katherine Krull, Lake Central
Mike Slaubaugh
LaTeasha Hill, Franklin Central
Steve Bain
Izzy May, Noblesville
Katie Cahillane
Izzy May, Noblesville
Long Jump
Perhaps the hardest event to predict, the long jump saw a lot of girls hit their best marks in either the sectional or the regional. Last year’s top returner, Cora Tatum of Fort Wayne Elmhurst, is among the top seeds this time. Three girls have jumped farther than 18 feet this season, with all three having done it in the regional round. Westview sophomore Skyler Carpenter, who is a potential champion in multiple events, has the season’s best effort at 18’8.5. Lawrence Central senior Lauren Cowden’s best jump is just a half inch back. These two appear to be the favorites, but the long jump is an event where anything can happen on one day, and is often dependent upon weather conditions as well.
Predictions
1. Lauren Cowden, Lawrence Central
2. Skyler Carpenter, Westview
3. Denisha Mitchell, LaPorte
4. Cora Tatum, FW Elmhurst
5. Twyla Winfrey, Indianapolis Broad Ripple
6. Shelby Reynolds, Cascade
7. Brandy Woody, Western Boone
8. Marissa Crafton, Chesterton
9. Sydney Clute, Center Grove
Mike Slaubaugh
Lauren Cowden, Lawrence Central
Steve Bain
Skyler Carpenter, Westview
Katie Cahillane
Skyler Carpenter, Westview
Shot Put
Last year’s defending champion returns. Portage’s Tori Bliss has not only the title of last season’s best shot putter, but she also enters with the number one seed (by more than a foot) and the state’s best throw (by more than a foot). Bliss’ only competition seems to be Cassie Werthman of Southridge. After that, it’s nearly four feet between the top two and the rest of the field. Much of the field will be doubling back from the discus competition.
Predictions
1. Tori Bliss, Portage
2. Cassie Werthman, Southridge
3. MJ Doan, Penn
4. Nariah Taylor, North Central (Indy)
5. Nakel McClinton, Merrillville
6. Chelsea Gerbers, FW Concordia
7. Audrey Matteson, Twin Lakes
8. Sida Sherrill, FW Northrop
9. Emily Diedrich, Castle
Mike Slaubaugh
Tori Bliss, Portage
Steve Bain
Tori Bliss, Portage
Katie Cahillane
Tori Bliss, Portage
High Jump
Can she make it four-for-four? Batesville’s Ellie Tidman has won at the state finals in her first three seasons and looks to make it a clean sweep. It certainly won’t be a cakewalk as Lawrence Central’s Camille Hayes enters with a height of 5’10 from the regional. Hayes was second last year to Tidman, and both have cleared 5’10 this season. The top three return in this event, which will have much of its placing broken on ties.
Predictions
1. Ellie Tidman, Batesville
2. Camille Hayes, Lawrence Central
3. Becca Lomax, Southport
4. Mackenzie Kitchel, Center Grove
5. Morayo Akandeo, North Central (Indy)
6. Kinsey Hauffman, Columbia City
7. Haley Bennett, Eastbrook
8. Kennedy Hathaway, Lawrence North
9. Zoe Wolfe, Eastern (Greene)
Mike Slaubaugh
Camille Hayes, Lawrence Central
Steve Bain
Ellie Tidman, Batesville
Katie Cahillane
Ellie Tidman, Batesville
Pole Vault
This is a rare event in that two former state champions will compete for the title. Lawrence Central’s Margo Tucker will attempt to regain her crown from defending champion and state meet record holder Ellie McCardwell of Pendleton Heights. McCardwell has the best clearance this season at 13’7, but Tucker enters with the better height from the previous round at 13’1. After these two are a plethora of vaulters between 11 and 12 feet. It may be a while until Tucker and McCardwell enter, perhaps until most other vaulters are gone, but be sure to check out the middle of the track for an historic showdown.
Predictions
1. Ellie McCardwell, Pendleton Heights
2. Margo Tucker, Lawrence Central
3. Alyssa Marckiewicz, Lake Central
4. Katie Vierk, Harrison (West Lafayette)
5. Sydney Clute, Center Grove
6. Lauren Rice, Penn
7. Kimyanna Rudolph, Lawrence Central
8. Jeslyn Zimmery, Westview
9. Kate Carr, Carmel
Mike Slaubaugh
Ellie McCardwell, Pendleton Heights
Katie Cahillane
Ellie McCardwell, Pendleton Heights