There were tons of great performances, records, and match-ups of note during 2010 for track and cross country in the state of Kentucky. KYtrackXC.com is highlighting the Top 10 Performances during 2010. The first group #6-10 is below with 1-5 still to come.
Good luck to everyone in 2011 and we look forward to covering all the excitement this winter, spring, and next fall.
6) Ehrenheim/Wildenmann Showdown at State
Before the Kentucky State Cross Country Meet the Class AAA Boys showdown between Daviess County senior Evan Ehrenheim and Trinity Senior Jake Wildenmann looked to be the best dual on paper. The match-up was also intriguing because neither of them had run a race against each other all season. The duo did not disappoint as they ran side by side until the 4800m mark. Each stride, each surge, they matched each other step for step. In the end, Ehrenheim was able to pull away for the win in a new Overall Kentucky State Record time of 15:33.24. Speaking to both of the runners afterwards, each said it was the hardest either of them had ran ever. The Wildenmann crossed in a time of 15:40 also bettering the previous record of 15:54.
7) Caterina Karas Roasts the course in the Class AA State XC Meet
Coming into the 2010 Class AA State Cross Country Meet it was unclear who would cross the line first as Christian Academy’s Jenna Rogers and Collin’s Caterina Karas had beat each other multiple times throughout the season. None of those previous races mattered as Karas took the race hard and led from the get go. Karas had the most dominating performance of the day running a new Overall Kentucky State Record time of 18:11.92 to win her first career state title. This record breaking feat was even more impressive as she ran by herself winning by 1:03.
8) KY Distance Girls Rock Nike Indoor Nationals
During the 2010 Indoor Track Season it was clear there were three top females in Kentucky in the distance ranks. Emma Brink (Sacred Heart), Elizabeth Anderson (duPont Manual), and Anna Bostrom (Woodford County) all ran top times across the board against each other. Well in the biggest race of the indoor season at Nike Indoor Nationals they all attended and split up the races. It worked out just fine as they helped rewrite the Kentucky All-Time Indoor Lists with their performances. Bostrom started out with a fourth place finish in the popular 5000 Meter distance. The norm for cross country, but is rarely run in indoor track. Bostrom ran a new career best time of 17:29.70. Anderson ran in the Two Mile Run smoking the track for a 10:43.15 converting to a 10:39 3200m which was a Kentucky All-Time #1 for indoor. Brink, a NIN All-American her sophomore year in the One Mile Run was back for action in the One Mile Run as a junior. She finished 8th running a 4:53.40, once again a Kentucky All-Time #1 for indoor.
9) The rise of Ryan Ramsey
One year ago, Ryan Ramsey was a senior sprinter at St. Xavier that was nowhere near the name of top Kentucky track athletes for 2010. Then his senior indoor track campaign started with a brand new event and it was a whole new ball game. The Pole Vault and Ramsey went together as smooth as possible. After 8 practice sessions he cleared 13-06. By the end of the indoor season he cleared 15-08 to win the Mason-Dixon Games. That vault of 15-08 was good enough to finish 15th in the nation for the 2010 Indoor Season and helped him earn the KYtrackXC.com Indoor Field Event Athlete of the Year award. Ramsey went on to vault 15-07 to win the Class AAA Kentucky State Track Meet just three inches from the Kentucky State Record. Good thing for Ramsey he found the Pole Vault because it helped him earn a track scholarship to the University of North Carolina last spring.
10) Middle School Girls Showdown State Track Meet
Last May at the KTCCCA Middle School State Championship the future of Kentucky’s distance girls was on full display with two great showdowns in the 1600m and 3200m runs. First on the track was the 1600m Run which had a great match-up between the Class A State Cross Country Champion 7th grader Maddox Patterson (Sayre) and Class AAA Cross Country 3rd place finisher 8th grader Whitney O’Bryan (Daviess County.) O’Bryan and Patterson ran side by side with the young Daviess County Panther leaning for the win by .05 seconds. O’Bryan ran a new Middle School record time of 5:17.60. Patterson’s time of 5:17.65 also broke the previous record of 5:24.
The duo met again for the 3200m Run along with Emily Bean of St. Edward. Double the distance which made the race that much better to watch. Patterson was once again there at the line fighting for the win and once again finished second by .06. But this time it was Bean who beat Patterson running a new Middle School record time of 11:33.55. O’Bryan finished third with an 11:50.
To put these young ladies time in perspective, the times from the 1600m would have ranked them 10th and 11th among the high school girl’s times in the state for the entire season. The times from the 3200m would rank 17th and 18th. Also each of these ladies ran multiple events at the KTCCCA Middle School State Track Meet.