With the conclusion of the 2007 Indoor Track Season returns the 2nd annual KYtrackXC.com Indoor Awards. The awards include a male and female athlete from each of the following categories: Sprinter of the Year, Distance Runner of the Year, and Field Event Athlete of the Year.
Girls
Sprinter of the Year – Tiffany Rogers (Butler)
This sophomore started her high school track career with a bang, winning the 60m Dash in a Wildcat Invitational record time of 7.83 seconds. She went on to win the Class AAA 55m Dash at the Mason-Dixon Games. Rogers had the best time state wide in the 55m Dash and 60m Dash. She also had a time of 26.55 in the 200m Dash, good for the fourth best performance in the state.
Distance Runner of the Year – Mary Grace Pellegrini (duPont Manual)
This junior won the 800m Dash at the Wildcat Invitational in January in a time of 2:21.43. At the UK High School Invitational she ran a career best race in the 2 Mile finishing 3rd in 10:58.27. This performance puts her up there with many of the top female runners in Kentucky history, not to mention her time broke the previous UK High School Invitational 2 Mile record. She ended her indoor season at the Nike Indoor Nationals with an 11:12 in the 2 Mile.
Field Event Athlete of the Year – Morgan Thacker (Rockcastle County)
This junior won the Mason-Dixon Games Class AA Long Jump and Triple Jump for the second year in a row. She competed at the UK High School Invitational where she jumped a season best of 17-01.25 in the Long Jump, the first among Kentucky athletes and fifth overall. She jumped 34-04.25 in the Triple Jump to finish second among Kentucky athletes. Her performance in the Long Jump ranked first for the state during the indoor season. She had the second best performance in the Triple Jump.
Boys
Sprinter of the Year – Ronald Barlow (Eastern)
This senior started off the indoor season in a big way winning the 200m Dash and the 400m Dash at the Wildcat Invitational. He broke the previous meet record in both races. His time of 49.87 in the 400m Dash was a personal best. He went on to win the Mason-Dixon Games Class AAA 400m Dash in a time of 51.03. For the indoor season he finished with the best overall time in the state in the 200m Dash and the 400m Dash.
Distance Runner of the Year – Brian Long (Saint Xavier)
This senior was the 2006 Class AAA Kentucky State Cross Country Champion and he made it clear from the start he was the best distance runner this winter with an impressive victory at the Wildcat Invitational in January. Long ran away from the field in the 2 Mile Run winning in 9:23. Brian went on to win the 2 Mile Run at the national level meet UK High School Invitational and the 1500 at the Mason-Dixon Games. He ended his indoor season with a third place finish (9:16.49) in the 2 Mile Run at the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in New York. He had the best overall time for the state in the 1500m Run & 2 Mile Run. Brian will continue his career next year at the University of Louisville.
Field Event Athlete of the Year - Chrys Jones (Mercer County)
This senior continued his run as the best triple jumper in the state this indoor season. He won the triple jump at the Mason-Dixon Games Class AA Meet. His best performance came at the UK High School Invitational against national competition where he won the Triple Jump with a jump of 45-01. He also finished fifth in the long jump and third in the high jump at the UK High School Invitational. For the indoor season he had the best performance state wide in the triple jump (45-01), second best in the long jump (21-03) and high jump (6-02.) Chrys will continue his career next season at Centre College.