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How Evansville-area boys, girls performed at the IHSAA state track and field meet

Treasure Washington, Evansville Courier & Press
·4 min read

On your mark, get set, go.

The IHSAA state track and field meet commenced with the boys championships on Friday at Indiana University's Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex before the girls competed Saturday. And Southwestern Indiana was well represented with dozens of high school standouts performing against the state's best competition.

On the boys side, four area competitors made podium appearances. Reitz's Xavier Thomas did it twice, finishing as the state runner-up in the 200 (21.44 seconds) and third in the 400 (47.67). Jasper's Bralen Bair and Gibson Southern's Lucian Wicker placed sixth in the 200 and 300-meter hurdles, respectively. Jasper's Jaryn Weinel was eighth in the 800 (1:54.40).

Evansville F.J. Reitz's Xavier Thomas yells in excitement after competing in the 200 meter dash Friday, June 2, 2023, during the IHSAA boys track and field state finals at Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Evansville F.J. Reitz's Xavier Thomas yells in excitement after competing in the 200 meter dash Friday, June 2, 2023, during the IHSAA boys track and field state finals at Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington.

IHSAA state track: Speedy sprinters Alexia Smith, Xavier Thomas to close careers at state meet

And there were three girls state champions. Forest Park senior Rachel Mehringer swept the hurdles with a state record in the 100 (13.38 seconds) before claiming the 300 (42.72). Meanwhile, Bosse senior Alexia Smith won the 400 in 54.12 seconds — the fifth-fastest time in state history — and also placed second in the 100 (11.83) and fifth in long jump (18-09.5). Wood Memorial's Josie Page took home the high jump title (5-10).

Others who reached the podium: Signature School's Ava Olomajeye was fifth in the 400, Jasper's Ava Englert was sixth in high jump and Castle's Amaya Royal was sixth in the 200.

Here's how every Evansville-area state qualifier performed:

Evansville-area boys competitors

100: 26th: Karwin Pope (Princeton) 11:15; 33rd: Cadin Kramer (Castle) 11.62.

200: 2nd: Xavier Thomas (Reitz) 21.44; 6th: Bralen Bair (Jasper) 21.88; 29th: Marques Ballard (Boonville) 23.19.

400: 3rd: Xavier Thomas (Reitz) 47.67; 17th: Reagan Shaver (Mater Dei) 49.64; 18th: Cainen Northington (North) 49.79.

800: 8th: Jaryn Weinel (Jasper) 1:54.40; 24th: Austin Wren (Jasper) 1:59.96.

1,600: 26th: Nolan King (Central) 4:43.22.

110 high hurdles: 18th: Jaylonn Mitchell (North) 14.94.

300 hurdles: 6th: Lucian Wicker (Gibson Southern) 39.23; 24th: Bret Lange (Heritage Hills) 41.18.

4x100 relay: 18th: Jasper 42.82; 20th: Castle 42.99.

4x400 relay: 20th: North 3:26.28; 25th: Gibson Southern 3:32.74.

4x800 relay: 18th: Castle 8:09.26; 23rd: Gibson Southern 8:13.17; 25th: North 8:17.11.

High jump: 11th: Luke Hauser (Forest Park) 6-06; 21st: Jordan Barksdale (North) 6-02; 28th: Ethan Spindler (Gibson Southern) 6-0; 30th: Donovan Moore (Reitz) 6-0.

Pole vault: 20th: Blake Longabaugh (Princeton) 14-0; 23rd: Grant Boyd (Pike Central) 13-0.

Long jump: 21st: Jeremy Anderson (North) 20-08.75; 23rd: Marques Ballard (Boonville) 20-07.

Shot put: 22nd: Timothy Dixon (North) 50-05.25; 24th: Reece Wilder (Boonville) 49-11.75.

Discus: 20th: Will Bracher (Castle) 148-09; 28th: Andrew Weinzapfel (Memorial) 133-01.

Evansville-area girls competitors

100: 2nd: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 11.83; 15th: Amaya Royal (Castle) 12.29; 24th: Iana Tecson (North) 12.69.

200: 6th: Amaya Royal (Castle) 25.23; 11th: Gerilon Kelly (Bosse) 25.34.

400: 1st: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 54.12; 5th: Ava Olomajeye (Signature School) 56.61; 25th: Taylor Johnson (Reitz) 59.44.

800: 12th: Kaden Leverenz (Signature School) 2:17.23; 19th: Abrielle Richard (Evansville Christian) 2:19.40; 21st: Aubrey Nowaskie (South Knox) 2:20.56.

1,600: 13th: Emma Gresham (Boonville) 5:06.64; 26th: Cordelia Hoover (Reitz) 5:27.57

Evansville Bosse's Alexia Smith kneels down to breathe after winning the 400 meter race Saturday, June 3, 2023, during the IHSAA girls track and field state finals at Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington.
Evansville Bosse's Alexia Smith kneels down to breathe after winning the 400 meter race Saturday, June 3, 2023, during the IHSAA girls track and field state finals at Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex at Indiana University in Bloomington.

3,200: 15th: Heidi Meade (Princeton) 11:12.26; 16th: Haley Meade (Princeton) 11:12.36.

100 hurdles: 1st: Rachel Mehringer (Forest Park) 13.38; 15th: Elle Knepp (Barr-Reeve) 15.24.

300 hurdles: 1st: Rachel Mehringer (Forest Park) 42.72; 9th: Madelyn Knies (Jasper) 45.86; 13th: Landyn Rasche (Northeast Dubois) 46.20.

4x100 relay: 14th: North 48.80.

4x400 relay: 18th: Jasper 4:02.96; 24th: North 4:04.95.

4x800 relay: 20th: Princeton 9:50.38.

High jump: 1st: Josie Page (Wood Memorial) 5-10; 6th: Ava Englert (Jasper) 5-06.

Pole vault: 12th: Ann Elise Sloan (Evansville Christian) 11-00; 23rd: Riley Hinson (Forest Park) 10-00.

Long jump: 5th: Alexia Smith (Bosse) 18-09.5; 11th: Ava Kissel (Tecumseh) 17-09.

Shot put: 22nd: Gretchen Hurt (Castle) 27-05.75; 26th: Angelica Sierra (Southridge) 35-08.

Discus: 10th: Ava Weisheit (Gibson Southern) 123-11; 17th: Gretchen Hurt (Castle) 118-01; 24th: Charlotte Cordts (North) 109-11.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville-area boys, girls results from IHSAA state track meet