Class A will start off the KHSAA State Track Championship and so has the honor of starting off the class previews on KYtrackXC.com. This season I will focus on the 3 events to watch in each class for each gender: Race of the Day, Record With a Chance to Fall, and Battle for the Team Title.
Girls Class A State Championship
Race of the Day
The best race of the day is at the end of the meet with the 3200m Run. The Class A girls have stepped up their performances this season with five girls running under twelve minutes for the 3200m Run. These five will face off along with State Cross Country Champion Kaitlin Snapp. The 3200m will be the first race of the day for Celia Arlinghaus (Holy Cross), giving her a higher chance of crossing the finish line first since she will be fresh off the start. The other girls in the top six qualified in the 1600m. The key will be who runs the 1600m and who decides to join Arlinghaus and be fresh for the 3200. Here are the best times of the season for the top six contenders in the 3200m:
1. 11:26.00 Frigo, Maria KY St. Henry District 2010 5/4/2007 Lloyd Memorial Invitational
2. 11:38.34h Rodgers, Lily KY Covington Latin 2010 5/4/2007 Lloyd Memorial Invitational
3. 11:42.14h Arlinghaus, Celia KY Holy Cross (Covington) 2009 5/4/2007 Lloyd Memorial Invitational
4. 11:43.05 Deaton, Raegan KY Green County 2010 5/18/2007 Bardstown Invitational
5. 11:47.38 Lageman, Karen KY St. Henry District 2007 5/19/2007 Daviess County Invitational
6. 12:04.13 Snapp, Kaitlin KY Danville 2012 5/18/2007 Central Kentucky Conference
Record With a Chance to Fall
Anytime Fulton County junior Sharika Smith sets foot on the track, there is a chance records are going to fall. Smith, a nine time state champion, will try to take the 100m, 200m, Triple Jump, and Long Jump. She already holds the overall state record in the Triple Jump and since being in high school has never lost any event in any high school meet to another Kentucky athlete.
Newport Central Catholic’s 1600m Relay Team ran a 4:01.58 to win the their region, which is the best time in the state regardless of class. The Class A State Meet record is 3:58.87 held by Fort Campbell.
Battle for the Team Title
Danville, St. Henry, Newport Central Catholic, and Model all have a chance to come out on top of the points standing Saturday morning. Each of these teams has different areas of focus, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top.