By Mike Beas
May 14, 2008 12:09 am
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PENDLETON — The final point total says it all. It does more than speak volumes. It uses a sledgehammer tone of voice.
The Pendleton Heights girls track program hosted a sectional Tuesday, taking to its own facility and producing 149 points to make a mockery of the chase for team supremacy.
Mount Vernon finished a distant second with 83.5 points, followed by Highland’s 63, Frankton’s 59.5 and Lapel and Shenandoah with 51 and 50, respectively.
The Arabians of coach Ron Hinton captured four events — sophomore Ellie McCardwell in the pole vault (12 feet, 2 inches), the 400-meter relay of McCardwell, Chelsea Hodgson, Molly Markle and Katie Kritzer (52.61), Kritzer in the 100-meter hurdles (16.96) and freshman Hannah Douglas in the 800 (2:22.94).
But it was the depth of Pendleton Heights that separated it from the pack.
“We scored in every event. I think that explains the 149 points,” said Hinton. “I’m very pleased with all the first places, but I’m happy for all the girls who scored. This is what we’ve been working for all season.”
Those individuals and relays qualifying for regional have their work cut out next week as Ben Davis plays host. The stakes are higher, the competition better.
That serves as good news for McCardwell, whose pole-vaulting exploits are beginning to make news outside the boundaries of Madison County.
With an easterly breeze providing resistance every time the sophomore made her approach, McCardwell blocked out the elements and wound up an inch shy of her personal best of 12-3, set recently during a triangular meet at Rushville.
“You just have to tell yourself there is no wind, but it’s a factor,” said McCardwell, who eclipsed the old Pendleton Heights Sectional standard by more than three feet. “I think there are perfect conditions. If you don’t, it can play with your mind.”
Another two-time winner was Anderson junior sprinter Jasmine McGhee, who wasn’t even sure she would be competing after she twisted her right ankle playing basketball last Thursday night.
But whatever mental cobwebs McGhee carried around, she shook free of them once the starter’s pistol sounded.
Not only did she edge out Mount Vernon sophomore Hannah McKnight in the 200-meter dash with a winning time of 26.75 seconds, earlier McGhee won the 100 in 13.05, shattering the 16-year-old sectional standard set by Holly Fridley of Pendleton Heights (14.2).
“I thought I was probably at about 50 percent. I was in a lot of pain so I took some Ibuprofen and elevated the foot some,” said McGhee. “When we first got here we took a warmup lap, and I told my coach I would be able to run. I would have done better had my ankle not been messed up.”
Alexandria senior Bri Foster dominated the distance events, winning the 1,600 in 5:32.09 and the 3,200 in 12:14.38. Douglas took first in her specialty, the 800, in 2:22.94, nearly nine seconds faster than her nearest competitor.
Candace DeLong of Frankton won the 300 hurdles in 48.36 seconds. DeLong also ran second leg on the Eagles’ victorious 3,200 relay effort that also included Mary Kelich, Heather Herrmann and Danielle Jeske.
One of the evening’s more entertaining races was the 400-meter dash. Lapel junior Julie Miller shifted into a different gear over the final 70 yards to defeat Pendleton Heights freshman Autumn Brown, 1:03.22 to 1:03.38.
As expected, Highland fared well in field events with Donielle Burton winning long jump with a best of 15 feet, 1 inch, and Kierra Allen taking the discus competition with a heave of 95 feet, 5 inches.
Madison-Grant Sectional
The Argylls advanced an individual and a relay en route to a ninth-place team finish.
Betsy Floyd qualified for next Tuesday’s Bremen Regional with a third-place finish in the 200 (27.56) and a fourth-place finish in the 100 (13.25). Floyd, Kelsie Myers, Briana Kerr and Kayla Wilkins teamed to take second in the 400 relay (53.26) for M-G’s best overall finish.
Western won the team championship with 145.2 points, followed by Kokomo (82.2) and Oak Hill (72.2). The Argylls scored 27 points.
Pendleton Heights Sectional
At Pendleton Heights High School
Team scores: Pendleton Heights 149, Mount Vernon 83.5, Highland 63, Frankton 59.5, Lapel 51, Shenandoah 50, Yorktown 47, Anderson 44, Alexandria 36, Wes-Del 24, Daleville 9, Elwood 1.
Discus: 1, Allen (High), 95-5; 2, Williams (Y); 3, Tarlton (L); 4, Davidson (L); 5, Perkins (PH); 6, Bromagem (Shen); 7, Moore (WD); 8. Espevoll (MtV).
Long jump: 1, Burton (High), 15-1; 2, Craig (PH); 3, Muey (Alex); 4, Guion (L); 5, Goodwin (High); 6, Fites (Shen); 7, Cler (PH); 8, Hensley (Shen).
Shot put: 1, Williams (Y), 31-6; 2, Perkins (PH); 3, Mohr (High); 4, Werling (PH); 5, Henry (WD); 6, Tarlton (L); 7, Johnson (And); 8. Belesky (F).
200: 1, McGhee (And), 26.75; 2, McKnight (MtV); 3, Markle (PH); 4, Wilson (High); 5, Fites (Shen); 6, Beverly (And); 7, Hensley (Shen); 8, Mathews (High).
400: 1, Miller (L), 1:03.22; 2, Brown (PH); 3, Hurst (MtV); 4, Corn (Dale); 5, Cler (PH); 6, Stephens (Shen); 7, Miller (L); 8, Hunter (Alex).
800: 1, Douglas (PH), 2:22.94; 2, Crump (Y); 3, Houk (MtV); 4, Bromagem (Shen); 5, Hagerman (PH); 6, Jeske (F); 7, Harrison (And); 8, Dewael (MtV).
3200: 1, Foster (Alex), 12:14.38; 2, Herrmann (F); 3, Bishop (PH); 4, Banister (High); 5, Browning (F); 6, Steele (L); 7, Hersberger (PH); 8, Eiler (MtV).
100 hurdles: 1, Kritzer (PH), 16.96; 2, DeLong (F); 3, Langley (PH); 4, Eller (Shen); 5, Hinshaw (Shen); 6, Steele (L); 7, Harnish (MtV); 8, Salinas (E).
300 hurdles: 1, DeLong (F), 48.36; 2, Langley (PH); 3, Eller (Shen); 4, Harnish (MtV); 5, Durr (And); 6, Steele (L); 7, Craig (PH); 8, McMullen (Dale).
400 relay: 1, Pendleton Heights, 52.61; 2, Anderson; 3, Shenandoah; 4, Mount Vernon; 5, Highland; 6, Alexandria; 7, Wes-Del; 8, Yorktown.
Pole vault: 1, McCardwell (PH), 12-2; 2, McKnight (MtV); 3, Lutton (PH); 4, Mead (MtV); 5, Burton (High).
100: 1, McGhee (And), 13.05; 2, McKnight (MtV); 3, Wilson (High); 4, Bousman (WD); 5, Markle (PH); 6, Barcus (F); 7, Beverly (And).
High jump: 1, Jackson (WD), 5-2; Hopper (Y); 3, Perry (Y); 4, Douglas (PH); 5, Julian (F); 5, Hurst (MtV); 7, Goodwin (High); 8, Craig (WD).
3200 relay: 1, Frankton, 10.19.22; 2, Pendleton Heights; 3, Mount Vernon; 4, Alexandria; 5, Shenandoah; 6, Lapel; 7, Anderson; 8, Daleville.
1600 relay: 1, Mount Vernon, 4:13.88; 2, Pendleton Heights; 3, Lapel; 4, Frankton; 5, Shenandoah; 6, Highland; 7, Daleville; 8, Anderson.
Madison-Grant Sectional
At Madison-Grant High School
Team scores: Western 145.2, Kokomo 82.2, Oak Hill 72.2, Northwestern 69, Logansport 62, Maconaquah 35, Cass 34, Peru 33, Madison-Grant 27, Eastern (Howard) 24, Pioneer 23.2, Taylor 17.2
100: 1. Earlywine (W) 12.96, 4. Floyd (MG) 13.25.
200: 1. Earlywine (W) 26.84, 3. Floyd (MG) 27.56.
400: 1. Szabo (Pe) 1:02.15, 3. Smithee (MG) 1:04.30.
800: 1. Cruz (L) 2:33.89.
1,600: 1. Norris (OH) 5:45.80.
3,200: 1. Caudle (Pi) 12:31.30.
100 hurdles: 1. Deitrich (L) 16.64.
300 hurdles: 1. Wolfe (E) 50.59.
400 relay: 1. Western 52.04, 2. Madison-Grant (Myers, Kerr, Wilkins, Floyd) 53.26.
1,600 relay: 1. Northwestern 4:15.48.
3,200 relay: 1. Northwestern 10:30.01.
High jump: 1. Schubert (N) 5-5.
Pole vault: 1. McCracken (W) 10-0.
Long jump: 1. Debfabritis (N) 15-8.5.
Shot put: 1. Dewitt (K) 40-2.
Discus: 1. Carter (OH) 109-10, 7. Price (MG) 90-6.
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