|
STATE TRACK AND FIELD St.
Xavier favored to regain state title
By Nathan Chambers St. Xavier High School's three-year reign at the State Track and Field Championships ended last season, but the Tigers are armed to regain their Class AAA crown this weekend. When the state meet begins at the University of Kentucky's Shively Track and Field Complex today, the Tigers will have the top seed in four events and a serious contender in at least six others. St. X's top seeds include Chris Purcell in the pole vault, Shawn Spalding in the 400 meters, defending shot put state champion Joe Tronzo and the 800 relay team. "All our guys hopefully are peaking at the right time," coach Chuck Medley said. "It's tough to win on running alone. It's nice to have some kind of field strength, and I think we do." The Tigers, who have won 10 state titles, fell four points short of defending champion North Hardin last year but blew away the Trojans 167-102 at the Region Two meet last week. "I think we're a lot better than we were last year," Medley said. "We didn't graduate a lot." Archrival Trinity, which is coming off an equally impressive victory in Region Three, likely will challenge St. X for the title. The Shamrocks have the top seed in the 200, Aaron Parker, and in the 3,200 relay. Covington Catholic, Waggener and Bryan Station also could be factors. Girls: Assumption will bid for its first state title after dominating a Region Three meet that included Ballard, Eastern, defending state champion Sacred Heart and Waggener. Assumption has the top seed in the 800, Laura Armstrong, and in the triple jump, Dominique Lyons, who also will vie in the 100 and long jump. Eastern and Sacred Heart will be strong, particularly in the relays and distance events, and Henderson County, Notre Dame and Paul Dunbar also could contend. Brittney Belle, who runs on Central's defending state champion 800 relay team, will try to defend her titles in the 100 and 200. Class AA Boys: Paducah Tilghman, which has six top seeds, is in a position to win its fifth straight title. It has six defending champions competing: Brandon Newell in the long jump, Courtland Mays in the triple jump and four relay teams. Girls: The Tilghman girls have been even more dominant, winning five titles in a row, and they also have six top seeds. They have four defending champions: Ehi Akojie in the 100 hurdles, Pam Bell in the discus, and the 400 and 1,600 relay teams. Mercy Academy's Carmen Mims, the defending champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 and the owner of nine state titles in track and cross country, will not run. She missed the regional meet with a stress fracture in her hip, an injury that ended her high school career. Rockcastle County's Heather Hammond, on the other hand, returns to defend her titles in the 400, 300 hurdles and long jump. Class A Boys: Bardstown, which ran away with the title a year ago, should get more of a challenge this time from the likes of Bishop Brossart, Danville and Trigg County. Bardstown has the defending champion in the 400, Kwasi Obeng, and in the 1,600 relay. Trigg County has the defending champion 400 and 800 relay teams. Crittenden County's Tim Hill will try to defend his titles in the 100 and 200 and is the top seed in both events. Murray's Cory Zirbel, who has signed to play football at the University of Michigan, is the defending champion in the discus and one of the top throwers in the shot put. St. Mary's Matthew Shoulta is the defending champion in the 3,200 and also will be a factor in the 800 and 1,600. Girls: St. Henry has a shot at a second straight title but will get a push from Newport Central Catholic and possibly Fulton County. St. Henry has the defending champion in the 3,200, Jenna Siemer, and both the 1,600 and 3,200 relays. Covington Holy Cross' Mollie Schlarman, who won the 800 and 1,600 last year, is the top seed in both events. Fulton County's Sharika Smith, who won the 100 and 200 as an eighth-grader last year, is the top seed in those events and the triple jump, and she also will run with the top-seeded 400 relay team.
|
