How did Northern Kentucky athletes do at the KHSAA state track and field meets?

The 2023 KHSAA state track and field championships have come and gone. Over three days at the University of Kentucky, the best of the best from across the Bluegrass came together for a celebration of running, throwing and jumping.

Class 1A competed on Thursday with Walton-Verona and Beechwood taking home team titles. Since fewer Northern Kentucky teams compete in Class 2A, only Highlands, Holmes and Scott competed on Friday. But multiple athletes and relay team saw success throughout the meet. Class 3A closed the championships on Saturday, beginning and ending the meet with a pair of state titles.

All in all, Northern Kentucky athletes won 13 track and field titles throughout the competition. Here's who they are and the events they won.

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Class 1A

Walton-Verona boys one-up 2022 finish

The Bearcats avenged their runner-up finish in 2022 by scoring 64 points to beat Louisville Collegiate, who ended the day with 56 points. Walton-Verona front-loaded their point total but clinched the win when Jackson Smith won the 200-meter dash in 22.18 seconds.

Smith got the scoring started with a win in the 100 meters before doing the same in the 200 meters. Grady Shay added to the Bearcats' winnings when he broke the tape in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.32 seconds. Walton-Verona also got winning contributions from the 4x200 relay, and second-place finishes from the 4x100 relay and 4x800 relay.

This is Walton-Verona's first track team title and the fifth straight year they have finished in the top five of the team standings. Last year they were second, losing to Fort Knox by 14 points. In the three previous years, they finished fifth, third and second.

Beechwood girls keep the streak going in 1A

The Tigers handily defeated defending team champion Bishop Brossart for their first girls team title since 2019.

They had the title wrapped up about three-quarters of the way through the meet but were able to eclipse the century mark thanks to Nora Wilke and Isabel Ginter finishing in second and third in the 3,200 meters, and a win in the 4x400 relay.

Katie Kocan, Maryah Counts, Lily Parke and Naomi Howard all scored points in multiple individual events to lead the Tigers. Beechwood also won the 4x200 relay.

Beechwood ensured that the Class 1A girls team title stays in Northern Kentucky for a fifth straight year. Brossart won the title in 2022 and 2021, Beechwood won in 2019, and St. Henry started the trend in 2018.

Top-eight finishers

Girls 100 meters: 3rd ‒ Katie Kocan (Beechwood); 5th ‒ Chloe Hein (Bishop Brossart)

Boys 100 meters: 1st ‒ Jackson Smith (Walton0Verona); 2nd ‒ Luke Erdman (Beechwood)

Girls 200 meters: 2nd ‒ Chloe Hein (Bishop Brossart); 3rd ‒ Katie Kocan (Beechwood); 7th- Maryah Counts (Beechwood)

Boys 200 meters: 1st ‒ Jackson Smith (Walton-Verona); 2nd ‒ Luke Erdman (Beechwood)

Girls 400 meters: 2nd ‒ Maddy Brauch (Beechwood); 3rd ‒ Maryah Counts (Beechwood); 8th- Lauren Gooderson (Bishop Brossart)

Girls 800 meters: 3rd ‒ Lily Parke (Beechwood)

Boys 800 meters: 4th ‒ Ryan Clines (Bishop Brossart); 6th ‒ Nathan Ruth (Bishop Brossart); 7th ‒ Christopher Roberdeaux (Beechwood)

Girls 1,600 meters: 2nd ‒ Lily Parke (Beechwood); 5th ‒ Charli Gerrein (Beechwood); 6th ‒ Amy Klocke (Bishop Brossart)

Boys 1,600 meters: 5th ‒ Nathan Ruth (Bishop Brossart); 6th ‒ Carson Milner (Walton-Verona); 8th ‒ Samson Weldemichael (Beechwood)

Girls 3,200 meters: 2nd ‒ Nora Wilke (Beechwood); 3rd ‒ Isabel Ginter (Beechwood); 5th ‒ Amy Klocke (Bishop Brossart)

Boys 3,200 meters: 5th ‒ Dixon Ryan (St. Henry)

Girls 100-meter hurdles: 5th ‒ Kaelyn King (St. Henry); 6th ‒ Zoey Woosley (Bishop Brossart)

Boys 110-meter hurdles: 1st ‒ Grady Shay (Walton-Verona); 3rd ‒ Mason Meyer (Bishop Brossart); 5th ‒ Andre Antoine (Calvary Christian); 6th ‒ Oliver Unger (Beechwood); 7th ‒ William Rapier (Newport Central Catholic)

Girls 300-meter hurdles: 4th ‒ Kaitlyn Kramer (Bishop Brossart); 7th ‒ Kaelyn King (St. Henry); 8th ‒ Zoey Woosley (Bishop Brossart)

Boys 300-meter hurdles: 2nd- Josh Brockman (St. Henry); 3rd ‒ James Noble (St. Henry); 4th ‒ Grady Shay (Walton-Verona)

Girls 4x100 relay: 1st ‒ Bishop Brossart; 2nd ‒ Beechwood

Boys 4x100 relay: 2nd ‒ Walton-Verona; 4th ‒ Bishop Brossart

Girls 4x200 relay: 1st ‒ Beechwood

Boys 4x200 relay: 1st ‒ Walton-Verona; 4th ‒ Newport Central Catholic; 7th ‒ Bishop Brossart

Girls 4x400 relay: 1st ‒ Beechwood; 6th ‒ Newport Central Catholic; 7th ‒ Bishop Brossart

Boys 4x400 relay: 4th ‒ Bishop Brossart; 8th ‒ St. Henry

Girls 4x800 relay: 2nd ‒ Beechwood; 3rd ‒ Bishop Brossart; 6th ‒ Walton-Verona; 7th ‒ Newport Central Catholic

Boys 4x800 relay: 1st ‒ Bishop Brossart; 2nd ‒ Walton-Verona; 3rd ‒ St. Henry; 4th ‒ Beechwood; 6th ‒ Villa Madonna

Girls discus: 3rd ‒ Anna Guard (St. Henry); 7th ‒ Andora Riley (Newport)

Boys discus: 4th ‒ Austin Schadler (Bishop Brossart); 8th ‒ Griffin Schuetz (Bishop Brossart)

Girls shot put: 2nd ‒ Andora Riley (Newport); 3rd ‒ Anna Guard (St Henry)

Boys shot put: 3rd ‒ Xavier Campbell (Beechwood)

Girls high jump: 4th ‒ Cassidy CLine (St. Henry); 5th ‒ Sarah Sizemore (Beechwood); 7th ‒ Jasmin Davis (Newport); 8th- Miranda Csordas (Bishop Brossart)

Boys high jump: 4th ‒ Al Bessler (St. Henry); 7th ‒ Mason Meyer (Bishop Brossart)

Girls long jump: 1st ‒ Chloe Hein (Bishop Brossart); 6th ‒ Rylee Hood (Holy Cross)

Boys long jump: 3rd ‒ Al Bessler (St. Henry); 7th ‒ Luke Erdman (Beechwood)

Girls triple jump: 3rd ‒ Miranda Csordas (Bishop Brossart); 6th ‒ Lizzie Casey (St. Henry)

Boys triple jump: 1st ‒ Al Bessler (St. Henry); 4th ‒ James Cusick (Beechwood)

Girls pole vault: 5th ‒ Anna Curtsinger (Bishop Brossart); 7th ‒ Mary Ryan (St. Henry)

Boys pole vault: 4th ‒ Noah Everett (Bishop Brossart); 7th ‒ Josh Brockman (St. Henry)

Class 2A

Highlands led by standout seniors

Haley Zell and Caden Schroeder both appeared on the podium for the Bluebirds in a total of six different events.

Zell earned runner-up medals in both the long jump and triple jump. Her first-round mark of 16 feet, 10.75 inches held up through all six rounds to earn eight points for her team. Her triple jump finish took a bit more time as she catapulted from fourth to second with a final-round personal best of 36 feet, 2.5 inches.

"I'm pretty thankful for my coach, Tiger. He's helped me a lot throughout the whole season," Zell said.

Zell also set a school record in the 200 meters with an eighth-place finish and a time of 25.82 seconds.

Mid-distance specialist Caden Schroeder also appeared on the podium three times, two of those with relay teams. The Bluebirds got the meet started with a bang by winning the 4x800 relay in a new school record of 8:03.12.

"We ran our best runners, we all brought our "A" game and we pulled it off," Highlands senior Alex Lacourt said.

Schroeder doubled down on the 800-meter distance by taking fifth in the individual event. He scored four points for the Bluebirds in 2:00.27. He then capped the day by anchoring a 4x400 relay team that finished in fourth in a time of 3:30.77.

"My teammates are great. It's been so much fun hanging with them this year and I wish I could do it a few more years," Schroeder said.

Holmes' Curtez Hill scores 17 points

The senior started his day with a third-place finish in the 100-meter dash. His time of 10.98 seconds earned his team six points. Teammate Robert Cameron took sixth place in 11.34 seconds to tack on an additional three points.

"I've run (that time) about four or five times this year and to get to run it down at the state meet, that's perfect for me," Hill said.

The two teamed up with Quenton Ross-Tyus and Mayne White to take sixth in the 4x100 relay in 43.74 seconds. That earned the Bulldogs three points.

Hill capped his day with a runner-up finish in the 200-meter dash. His time of 22.18 seconds gave Holmes an additional eight points. With a total of four podium finishes, the Bulldogs finished with 20 points overall.

"It was a great day for me, my school and my community," Hill said.

Top-eight finishers

Boys 100 meters: 3rd ‒ Curtez Hill (Holmes); 6th ‒ Robert Cameron (Holmes)

Girls 200 meters: 8th ‒ Haley Zell (Highlands)

Boys 200 meters: 2nd ‒ Curtez Hill (Holmes)

Boys 800 meters: 5th ‒ Caden Schroeder (Highlands)

Girls 100-meter hurdles: 4th ‒ Lacey Klare (Scott)

Boys 110-meter hurdles: 4th ‒ Aiden Nevels (Highlands)

Girls 300-meter hurdles: 6th ‒ Lacey Klare (Scott)

Mixed 2x50 relay: 5th ‒ Holmes "B"; 6th ‒ Holmes "C"; 8th ‒ Highlands "B"

Mixed 4x100 relay: 1st ‒ Holmes; 4th ‒ Scott "B"; 5th ‒ Highlands

Girls 4x100 relay: 8th ‒ Scott

Boys 4x100 relay: 6th ‒ Holmes

Boys 4x200 relay: 7th ‒ Highlands

Mixed 2x200 relay: 2nd ‒ Holmes "B"; 4th- Holmes "A"

Girls 4x400 relay: 7th ‒ Highlands

Boys 4x400 relay: 4th ‒ Highlands

Girls 4x800 relay: 4th ‒ Scott

Boys 4x800 relay: 1st ‒ Highlands

Boys shot put: 6th ‒ Dalton Williams (Highlands)

Girls discus: 3rd ‒ Rylee Swope (Highlands)

Girls high jump: 6th ‒ Ja'Nia Johnson (Holmes)

Girls long jump: 2nd ‒ Haley Zell (Highlands)

Girls triple jump: 2nd ‒ Haley Zell (Highlands)

Boys pole vault: 3rd ‒ Rilen Pinkston (Highlands); 7th ‒ Myles Harris (Highlands)

Class 3A

Ellie Greenwell ends her lone track season with a bang

The Notre Dame senior had only run in a handful of track meets this year but entered the state championships with top-five seed times in both the 800 meters and 1,600 meters. Greenwell, who is committed to play soccer at Ohio University, had always been busy with club soccer, but thought, "Why not?" when it came to exhausting her athletic eligibility.

"I always have loved running. I was always kind of focusing on soccer for my whole high school career and at the end, I thought, 'Track isn't going to hurt if I can just stay in good shape.'" Greenwell said.

Greenwell recorded personal bests of 2:11.92 in the 800 meters and 4:56.71 in the 1,600 meters to finish in third and fourth place, respectively. She isn't a stranger to running, but she was somewhat unfamiliar with her teammates. As the season came to a close, she credited her fellow Pandas for helping her on the way.

"I could not have done it without the girls. They are so supportive. They're so sweet. They are always so quick to celebrate the hard workouts and everything. They were the people that got me through," Greenwell said.

Campbell County's Olivia Holbrook also found the podium in both events, placing fourth in the 800 meters and eighth in the 1,600 meters.

Distance reigns supreme in Class 3A, Region 5

Covington Catholic started the Class 3A meet the same way Highlands did in 2A. The quartet of Mitchell Drees, Joe Mayer, Luke Meagher and Will Sheets won the 4x800 relay in 7:52.14, leading Conner and Cooper to podium finishes.

"I told these guys, 'You know, Jaguar and Cougar taste like chicken. Let's just eat them up.'" Drees said.

The Colonels were even with Conner and Butler halfway through the race before sophomore Will Sheets raced past both of them.

Sheets returned in the 3,200 meters against the deepest Northern Kentucky field at the meet. Conner's George Johnson and Joey Carroll, Ryle's Tiger Bartlett and Cooper Paul Van Laningham all ranked in the top six of the state rankings.

"It's like 'enemies before, friends after.' Conner and our team run together sometimes," Sheets said.

The sophomore ran with Johnson through four laps before making his move. He eventually opened up a 50-meter gap and won by nine seconds. Sheets celebrated with gummy bears after the win; his favorite color is red.

Bartlett also got second in the 1,600 meters. His teammate Allison Kopser got eighth in the girls 3,200 meters.

Podium placers

Girls 100 meters: 5th ‒ Isabella Vonlehman (Conner)

Girls 200 meters: 4th ‒ Isabella Vonlehman (Conner); 5th ‒ Simone Bessong (Cooper)

Boys 200 meters: 7th ‒ Ethan Long (Covington Catholic)

Girls 400 meters: 5th ‒ Isabella Vonlehman (Conner); 8th ‒ Simone Bessong (Cooper)

Boys 400 meters: 8th ‒ Tate Glass (Campbell County)

Girls 800 meters: 3rd ‒ Ellie Greenwell (Notre Dame); 4th ‒ Olivia Holbrook (Campbell County)

Boys 800 meters: 2nd ‒ Evan Smith (Ryle); 3rd ‒ Armando Montes (Dixie Heights)

Girls 1,600 meters: 4th ‒ Ellie Greenwell (Notre Dame); 8th ‒ Olivia Holbrook (Campbell County)

Boys 1,600 meters: 2nd ‒ Tiger Bartlett (Ryle)

Girls 3,200 meters: 8th ‒ Allison Kopser (Ryle)

Boys 3,200 meters: 1st ‒ Will Sheets (Covington Catholic); 2nd ‒ Joey Carroll (Conner); 3rd ‒ George Johnson (Conner); 4th ‒ Tiger Bartlett (Ryle); 6th ‒ Paul Van Laningham (Cooper)

Boys 300-meter hurdles: 3rd ‒ Kaden Gardner (Ryle)

Mixed 2x50 relay: 5th ‒ Campbell County; 7th ‒ Simon Kenton

Mixed 4x100 shuttle relay: 2nd ‒ Ryle "A"; 5th ‒ Ryle "B"; 6th ‒ Simon Kenton; 7th ‒ Ryle "C"

Mixed 2x200 relay: 6th ‒ Ryle; 8th ‒ Campbell County

Girls 4x400 relay: 4th ‒ Dixie Heights; 8th ‒ Conner

Boys 4x400 relay: 6th ‒ Cooper

Boys 4x800 relay: 1st ‒ Covington Catholic; 2nd ‒ Conner; 6th ‒ Cooper

Girls discus: 2nd ‒ Viktoriya Emilianova (Ryle); 7th ‒ Ella Goetz (Notre Dame)

Boys discus: 4th ‒ Grant Reece (Conner)

Girls shot put: 1st ‒ Viktoriya Emelianova (Ryle); 6th ‒ Ella Goetz (Notre Dame)

Girls long jump: 3rd ‒ Aubrey Elkins (Dixie Heights)

Girls high jump: 8th ‒ Caroline Hooper (Dixie Heights)

Boys high jump: 5th ‒ Kaden Gardner (Ryle)

Girls pole vault: 8th ‒ Abigale Bauer (Campbell County)

Boys pole vault: 7th ‒ Deion Keller (Campbell County)

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: KHSAA track: Top Northern Kentucky finishers at 2023 state meet