The Kentucky State Track Meet gets started tomorrow with the Class AA teams competing. It is time to preview some of the action.
Class AA is up with 4 more coming up tonight.
GIRLS
Most Intriguing Races:
Everyone knows Gabby Karas is a superstar. She has won 6 Kentucky State Track titles over the last three years (3 1600m, 2 3200m, 1 800m) setting records along the way. This year she is still the favorite no question but the rest of the field has been working to catch up. Lexington Catholic's Michaela Reinhart and North Oldham's Erin Edmundson have stepped up their game. Reinhart has run 5:02 for 1600m and 10:39 for 3200m. Edmundson has run 5:03 for the One Mile Run and 2:18 for 800m. In fact, Edmundson beat Karas in a 800 match-up earlier this season at the Titan Track Classic. To beat Karas these girls are going to have to take their times to the next level because Gabby has lots of gap between 2015 best and her PRs. The team race is a factor as well for Reinhart and Edmundson as they are both big point scorers. In the end this is great news for the fans as these races should be nasty fast, so everyone hold on tight.
Star Jumpers:
Calloway County's Lily Lowe goes for a big win in the High Jump with a best this season of 5-06 after hitting 5-08 indoors. She will also go after the win in the Long Jump where she has a pretty equal foe in Harrison County's Kassidy Cook. Cook has a best of 17-09 to barely edge Lowe's 17-07. Both are mixing it up in the hurdles to add to the excitement as they check in and out for the various field and sprint events.
Vault time:
Fort Campbell's Dascha Hix had a best of 10-00 coming into this season in the Pole Vault but has gone to a whole new level this year. She came out of the box this year right from the bat hitting 11-06 indoors. She has continued hitting 11-00 this outdoor season, going over 10 foot 11 times.
Throwdown:
North Oldham's Maggie Mallock and Christian Academy's Lilli Popovich are 1-2 in the Shot Put and Discus with each being the better at one of the events. Popovich is seeded #1 in the Discus with a season best of 136-09 and Mallock is #1 in the Shot Put with a season best of 41-02. The duo of faced off multiples times this season including the regional.
Team Battle:
The frontrunners will be North Oldham, Lexington Catholic, Highlands, and Boyle County up front. North Oldham looks to have the slight edge up over the other three but nothing is out of the realm of possibility.
North Oldham
Led by Nicole Moeller and Erin Olsson in the sprints, Elizabeth Olive in the hurdles, Erin Edmundson in the distance events, and Maggie Mollak in the throws. A team with plenty of balance. Moeller and Olsson also lead very strong 4x2 and 4x4 squads as well.
Lexington Catholic
Distance star Michaela Reinhart loaded up to triple (1600, 800, 3200.) She will be chasing Collins star Gabby Karas all day long, regardless of how it goes she should still place very well for big points. A solid middle distance crew led by Emma Vogelsang will help score points in the 4x8 and 800m Run. Camille Mangold will earn major points in the Pole Vault as well and Lauren Phillips in the Jumps.
Highlands
Relays are this squads game. They should score points in all of the relays Friday. They will also get big points out of Mikayla Reichert in the throws along with solid points from the distance squad of Chloe Gastright, Molly Mearns, and Lauren Ossege. Hannah Schenck and Rosmanie Long will jump their way to points as well. Another team with solid balance.
Boyle County
Similiar to Highlands in the fact they will score in multiple relays gaining points. They also have a frontrunner in the sprints in Kylie Thompson. She is good for points in the 100m and 200m dashes. Emmie Harris in the hurdles and Nikki Coffey in the distance events will gain points as well.