South has an 'off the charts' performance at IHSAA girls track and field sectional

BLOOMINGTON ― There was a big crowd wrapped around the first sectional team trophy the Bloomington South girls track team has won since 2018.

They all helped it seemed like.

The Panthers advanced at least 11 individuals onto next week’s regionals out of the North sectional Tuesday, May 20, five of them champs in six events along with all three relays after a decisive sweep of those events. The stars at the top did their thing, so did the depth athletes as South scored 180½ points, the most by the winner of the Bloomington North sectional since the Cougars had 189 in 2019.

Head coach Jill Rensink had the ability this year to spread the wealth throughout the lineup, limiting her top competitors (not a senior among them) to three events. They all thrived with wins, meet records and results at or near their personal bests.

“I’m thrilled,” Rensink said. “We try to figure out the points before the meet and we had people really step up in events that we didn’t think they would final in.

“To have Daeyana (Nguyen) final in the hurdles and Alaina Bunnell to come back in the 100. Maya (Jackson) in the 200. Just off the charts. Mila (Kovach) scored points for us in the 400 from the second heat. They just stepped up all around and put the puzzle pieces together to bring that trophy home.”

Violet Hall anchored the 400 relay to a big season best of 49.17 for a runway win, won the 200 (25.79) by a wide margin, then took the long jump (17-3) by the narrowest, just half an inch.

Her 17-2 on her opening jump led the field until the finals when Martinsville’s Emily Fluke went 17-2½. Hall came back on her fifth attempt and nailed a 17-3 to win it.

“In a lot of invites and dual meets I was doing all three along with high jump as well,” Hall said. “So it helped me mentally prepare for that.”

Hall has been South’s best in both jumps, so Renisnk had to pick one.

“We went back and forth with high jump and long jump and where do we put Violet,” Renisnk said. “What’s her best path to the state meet? She had phenomenal jumps today. It’s her first year long jumping (in high school).”

“I’d say I’m going back to my roots,” Hall said. “Because in middle school, it’s basically the same lineup I did. High jump was a fun addition for sure. I had solid marks, but it was best for the team for me to be doing long jump.”

Hall, coming off the excitement of a basketball season that made it to semistate, is now part of a group pushing for a state team title in track.

“It’s an amazing privilege to be a part of this team,” Hall said. “It’s definitely a big motivator to push me to be better.”

Elsewhere, Lexi Kollbaum won the 1,600 (5:00.73), while Ellie Barada (2:09.94 to break her sectional record from last year) and Mary Asplund went 1-2 in the 800. All three also helped out with the winning 3,200 and 1,600 relays. The 3,200 relay started the day with a meet record 9:18.13 and finished with a solid 4:01.79 in the 1,600 relay.

Adriene Shaevitz was the 100 hurdles champ by a mile (15.16) and was third in long jump (as a late entry) while joining Hall on the 400 relay.

Aurelia Martoglio (10:53.29) and sister Jasmine (11:19.77) took charge of the 3,200 again and senior Anna Barnes made it out in both throws, going 34-11¼ for second in shot put and 120-7 in discus for third.

Nguyen (100 hurdles), Jackson (400) and Emeleia McLauchlin (pole vault) also finished in the top three.

“They brought it today,” Rensink said.

North was a distant second at 126½ and Edgewood third (81) with Martinsville next at 68. Eastern Greene was sixth (37) and Owen Valley 10th (16).

Trio of champions for North

The Cougars had three sectional winners with senior Daisy Rogers taking the 100 title (12.91), senior Kenli Sullivan defending her high jump title (5-1) and freshman Lucah Feagans taking the 400. Rogers also placed second in the 200 and a leapt 16-5½ feet for fourth in the long jump that might get a call-back.

But one of the more pleasing moments was seeing sophomore Ashley Greer nab third in shot put at 34-5 after coming in fifth in the discus at 99-0. She accomplished both marks without spinning, but with a lot of work to recover just enough from a torn ACL she suffered prior to the season to compete in her first meet of the season.

“It just worked out to where she got cleared, we got enough practices in, we got the waiver from the (IHSAA),” North coach Justin Helmer said. “It’s just a power throw. … The crazy thing is 35-9 was her PR last year. But I’m sure there was just some adrenalin and excitement at getting to throw (Tuesday).”

Feagans, who has been right on the cusp of breaking a minute in the 400, ran a 1:01.24 to take the title, and also anchored the 1,600 relay to second. But she will see some different duties next week with a spot now open on the 3,200 relay.

“She’s probably a bit tired because all of a sudden she got thrown into some workouts with the distance girls,” Helmer said. “She ran well, and she’ll have a big day next week.”

Getting all three relays out as runners-up was also big, getting more postseason experience for many of North’s younger runners, Helmer noted.

Hawk flying for Eastern Greene

Eastern Greene will have at least three athletes make it through including a sectional champion in senior Clara Hawk, who will be competing in track next year at Wright State.

Hawk keeps busy with sports year-round, playing volleyball and basketball before sharing time with softball in the spring. She’s been one of the T-Birds’ best in the sprints and hurdles, recording two runner-up finishes in the 100 and 200 and 100 hurdles and a win in the 300 hurdles at the SWIAC meet. That’s a total of seven races in one night.

She whittled that list down to just two for sectional, and it paid off with a 49.71, just .1 off her PR, to win the 300 title.

“It means a whole lot, especially since I’m a senior,” Hawk said. “In the past couple years, there’s been a lot of competition, so I’m just so glad I got the chance to show people I’m OK too.

“Coach (Dylan Abell) has helped me diversify my running. Last year was my first time doing anything over 200 meters. I’d say the mid-distance workouts, instead of just the sprints or weightlifting definitely helped with my sprinting endurance for sure.”

Running in college was something she felt like she needed to do and in fitting with her active lifestyle could end up in the heptathlon at the next level.

“If I didn’t have anything to put my effort into, I feel like I’d go crazy,” Hawk said. “I’m so glad I got the opportunity to run there and apply myself even further. And especially with balancing so many sports in high school, limiting my focus to just one will make a huge difference in my improvement.”

Eastern also saw Lilyanna Blais break her school record in the 1,600 with a 5:07.01 to take third. Kena Maddox also cleared 5-0 in high jump for third. Blais was also fourth in the 800 and junior Esther Crane, a state qualifier last year in the 3,200, placed fourth in that event, both in solid times that should give them a second chance.

Edgewood hoping for call-ups

The Mustangs had a sectional champ as Ella LaRoche tied her career best with a 10-0 to win pole vault.

Avery Rayl was second in the 400, freshman Mikayla Prater was second in discus (PR of 122-2) and Hannah Crain was third in the 3,200 (11:35.77) to secure their spots. Then came a bunch of promising 4-5-6 finishes that could result in several call-ups to fill out the regional field.

“Sectional champion in the pole vault, but the rest of it was a mixed bag,” coach Zack Evans said. “The biggest highlight outside of the pole vault would probably by Mikayla Prater in the discus going 122 feet. That’s only five feet off the state standard so that’s a really good spot to be.

“We’ll have a variety of people in other events with Crain in the 3,200 and Kelsey in 300s, both will have a decent shot of making it to the state meet. Luckily, it looks like our sectional is pretty strong compared to the other ones, so a lot of those kids should get called back so should have a pretty big roster coming back.”

BLOOMINGTON NORTH SECTIONAL

Team scores: Bloomington South 180½, Bloomington North 126½; Edgewood 81; Martinsville 68; Linton 40; Eastern Greene 37; Brown County 19½; Clay City 19; Cloverdale 18; Owen Valley 16; White River Valley 12½; Shakamak 5; Lighthouse Christian NS.

Top 3 finishers automatically advance (state standard in parenthesis)

100 (12.24): 1. Daisy Rogers, BN 12.91; 2. Kayla Bush, M 13.01; 3. Helena Cutshall, BS 13.01; 4. Layla Wolff, M 13.06; 5. Alaina Bunnell, BS 13.10; 6. Macey Crider, Edg 13.41; 7. Rilynn Williams, BN 13.45; 8. Langley Hill, Edg 13.56.

200 (25.34): 1. Violet Hall, BS 25.79; 2. Rogers, BN 27.20; 3. Jossilyn Draughn BN 27.50; 4. Maya Jackson, BS 27.89; 5. Leanna Hash, BC 28.85; 6. Macey Crider, Edg 28.96; 7. Emily Fluke, M 29.29.

400 (57.44): 1. Lucah Feagans, BN 1:01.24; 2. Avery Rayl, Edg 1:01.58; 3. Jackson, BS 1:01.68; 4. Kaitlyn Spurgeon, M 1:02.85; 5. Emma Rice, BN 1:03.50; 6. Mila Kovach, BS 1:03.75.

800 (2:14.68): 1. Ella Barada, BS 2:09.94 (meet record; old record, 2:10.58, Barada, 2024); 2. Mary Asplund, BS 2:17.23; 3. Hayden McGuire, BN 2:23.42; 4. Lilyanna Blais, EG 2:25.15; 5. Ellie Vagedes, Edg 2:26.98; 6. Kate Linneweber, WRV 2:28.66; 7. Ellie Patrick, BN 2:31.62; 8. Avery Kocher, M 2:33.00.

1,600 (4:58.87): 1. Lexi Kollbaum, BS 5:00.73; 2. Laura Barco, M 5:04.19; 3. Blais, EG 5:07.01 (school record); 4. Hannah Crain, Edg 5:19.18; 5. Julianne Hoover, BS 5:29.40; 6. Lilah Reed, BN 5:29.94; 8. Maggie McCormack, Edg 5:44.17.

3,200 (10:47.57): 1. Aurelia Martoglio, BS 10:53.29; 2. Jasmine Martoglio, BS 11:19.77; 3. Crain, Edg 11:35.77; 4. Esther Crane, EG 11:43.66; 5. Hope Cooper, BN 11:48.18; 6. Ruth Bartlett, BN 11:58.01; 7. Avi Grile, Edg 12:36.88; 8. Payton Lukowski, OV 12:45.74.

100 hurdles (14.81): 1. Adriene Shaevitz, BS 15.16; 2. Erin Rubeck, Clv 17.29; 3. Daeyana Nguyen, BS 17.50; 4. Rayna Nelson, BN 17.74; 5. Sophia Winkle, BN 18.04; 6. Charly Eddins, BC 18.16; 7. Kelsey Davis, Edg 18.11; 8. Khaliya Francke-Council, Edg 18.40.

300 hurdles (45.44): 1. Clara Hawk, EG 49.51; 2. Davis, Edg 49.89; 3. Rubeck, Clv 50.86; 4. Winkle, BN 51.35; 5. Addy Berry, M 51.45; 6. Emma Peterson, M 51.56; 7. Danielle Yang, BS 51.93.

400 relay (48.41): 1. Bloomington South (Shaevitz, Cutshall, Bunnell, Hall), 49.17; 2. Martinsville (Wolff, Robinson, Fluke, Bush), 50.46; 3. Bloomington North (Nelson, Draughn, Williams, Rogers), 51.71; 4. Linton 54.34; 5. Brown County 55.27; 6. Clay City 55.27; 7. Owen Valley 55.42; 8. Eastern Greene 55.94.

1,600 relay (3:58.35): 1. Bloomington South (Kollbaum, Asplund, Jackson, Barada), 4:01.79 (meet record; old record, 4:02.19, North); 2. Bloomington North (Rice, Williams, McGuire, Feagans), 4:13.43; 3. Martinsville (Berry, Bush, Spurgeon, Wolff), 4:16.02; 4. Linton, 4:23.08; 5. Owen Valley (Sylvester, Patton, Anderson, Mayle), 4:26.43; 6. White River Valley, 4:27.14; 7. Eastern Greene 4:29.90; 8. Edgewood 4:31.35.

3,200 relay (9:23.63): 1. Bloomington South (Kollbaum, Asplund, J.Martoglio, Barada), 9:18.13 (meet record; old record, 9:23.71, South); 2. Bloomington North (Evie Peterson, Patrick, Lauren Thies, McGuire), 10:17.54; 3. Martinsville (Kocher, Berry, Ally Greenwell, Spurgeon), 10:24.53; 4. Owen Valley (Lukowski, Kay, Sylvester, Anderson), 10:26.96; 5. Edgewood (Burnett, Young, Zelhoff-Arriage, Vagedes), 10:39.35; 6. Brown County, 11:06.42; 7. Eastern Greene 11:15.37

High jump (5-4): 1. Kenli Sullivan, BN 5-1; 2. Mallori Bettenbrock, CC 5-0; 3. Kena Maddox, EG 5-0; T4. Libby Hostetter, WRV 4-10, Eddins, BC, 4-10; 6. Nguyen, BS 4-10; 7. Chloe Gautier, BS 4-10; 8. Maggie Feltner, OV 4-10.

Long jump (18-0¼): 1. Hall, BS 17-3; 2. Fluke, M 17-2½; 3. Shaevitz, BS 16-10½; 4. Rogers, BN 16-5½; 5. Wolff, M 15-1½; 6. Emma Baumgartner, CC 15-0.

Shot put (42-9¼): 1. Becca Robbins, L 40-10½; 2. Anna Barnes, BS 34-11¼; 3. Ashley Greer, BN 34-5; 4. Aliyah Samm, Shk 32-0½; 5. Ava Norton, Edg 30-9; 6. Aubri Burkett, OV 30-7½; 7. Ella Green, BN 29-10¾.

Discus (127-3): 1. Robbins, L 136-2; 2. Mikayla Prater, Edg 122-2; 3. Barnes, BS 120-7; 4. Norton, Edg 99-11; 5. Greer, BN 99-0; 6. Lillian Waldrep, BS 98-8; 7. Green, BN 97-1

Pole vault (11-3): 1. Ella LaRoche, Edg 10-0; T2. Emeleia McLauchlin, BS 8-6; Samm, Shk, 8-6; 4. Jenna Abram, Edg 8-0; T5. Deliliah Kilbride, BN 8-0; Anya Figert, BS 8-0.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: How Bloomington South dominated at IHSAA girls track sectional Tuesday