
Senior staff writer
Southside high school track and field teams have enjoyed much success this season, and they are hoping that those fortunes continue as sectional action unfolds this week.
Girls sectionals were Tuesday with boys Thursday at Decatur Central, Warren Central and Columbus North.
Southside runners brought home three blue ribbons at the Marion County championships last week at North Central. Franklin Central’s Malachi Quarles won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.71 seconds, and Kyle Markland sprinted to a 200-meter triumph in 22 seconds flat. Perry Meridian’s Inyala Hunter ran a state-best 56.22 to win the 400 dash.
Earlier this season, Roncalli’s boys team captured its second straight Circle City Conference trophy; Center Grove boys and girls teams dominated the Johnson County championships; and Perry Meridian’s girls won the prestigious Warren Relays team title.
The lady Falcons won the Warren Relays as they captured the sprint medley (100, 100, 200 and 400 meters) in 1:48.61 with Tyunna Gayden, Lexi Dale, Hunter, and Hannah Bargue.
Caitie Baird and Antania Sims were first and second, respectively, in the high jump. Sadie Hill won discus with a toss of 124 feet.
Perry Meridian’s 4x400 relay team (twins Ali and Lexi Dale, Bargue and Hunter) has times among the state’s top five.
Southport was third in boys points, led by 1,600 winner Michael Crook (4:35.99).
In the Indiana Conference meet, Bargue won the 100 and 200 dashes and the Falcons took the 400 and 1,600 relays.
Roncalli finished first in five events in the Circle City meet at Park Tudor with individual winners in Luke Hanley, shot put; Dylan Holok, discus; Cade Mitchell, high jump; Myles Lyngh, 800; Hayden Moran, pole vault. The girls team was third overall.
Beech Grove finished third in boys and girls Indiana Crossroads Conference championships with Lutheran sixth in girls and seventh in boys Friday at Park Tudor. Beech Grove’s Josh Fryar won discus with a toss of 137-6.
Lutheran came home with two firsts by Emeka Jillani in shot put at 55 feet and Ben Settlemyre in high jump at 6-1.
Hornets sprinter Romea Echols was a double winner in the 100 (12.84 seconds) and 200 (26.99). Echols also was on Beech Grove’s winning 4x100 relay with Jada Green, Madison Hancock and Chamya Crawford in 52.19.
Greenwood’s Hanna Anderson was a triple winner in the 100, 200 and 400 in the Mid-State at Decatur Central. The boys team had three winners with Nick Patton, 110 hurdles; Ethan Pine, 800; and Nick Young, discus.
Center Grove won four events at the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference championships at Carmel: Sprinter Kiyah Yeast, 100 (12.02) and 200 (24.98). In the boys meet, Matt Fleener won the 400 (49.10) and Sam Hohlt, 300 hurdles (38.81).
Each Center Grove team dominated the Johnson County boys and girls meets last month at Franklin.
The Center Grove girls set meet records in the long jump with Julia Riley, 17-9 and in the 4x100 relay in 50.14 seconds by Riley, Wheat, Yeast and Williams.
Greenwood’s Anderson won the 400 in 1.00:26.
In the boys county meet, the Trojans won four events and two relays.
Greenwood’s Nick Young won the shot put, 52-0, and discus, 155-5, and Ethan Pine won the 1,600-meter race in 4:30.12.