Girls' track: Bloomington North, South dominate regional taking 13 titles

There's never any worry that Bloomington North junior Dede Eberle and South senior Lily Myers are going to give it their best effort, no matter how tired they might be.

That last race is always the toughest. They just don't act like it until they're done.

For Eberle, who long jumps while going through 100 hurdles prelims and finals and then capping off the 400 relay, the 300 hurdles is always a challenge. But for the second week in a row, she never lost and incredibly had better marks in all four events.

For Myers, who helped the 3,200 relay break the meet record, won the 1,600 and took second in the 800, there was enough left in the tank to win a 400 sprint against North's closer in the 1,600 relay to crush the meet and school record in that event.

After those outstanding performances as Tuesday's Bloomington North Regional, they will both carry their four-event load to state, where they will likely rise to the occasion one more time.

"I was fine up until my 300 hurdles," Eberle said. "But I ran so much faster than I did at sectionals, a whole second faster. I was passed out at the end. They had to drag me off the track.

"I just shocked myself being able to run a 45, even after I just competed three events before. I'm just shocked and glad I did it."

Eberle finished her 100 hurdles in 14.43, just .04 off last week but also a regional record by .4, jumped 17-6¼, was all by herself at the end of the 400 relay, which broke the school record from last week with a 48.68, and then went 45.32 to win the 300s by .07. Both hurdle times are under the state standard.

"Someone who has the potential to score in four events, that's big," North coach Justin Helmer said. "What I've noticed about Dede, this year, when it's go time, she is such a big competitor. So I think that she will be fine there."

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She also, apparently, a big jokester, wearing a walking boot to the meet as a prank.

"I told her, next time she does that, let me in on it," Helmer said.

Myers had the finishing kick for the 3,200 relay, putting distance between the Panthers and Northview for a win in a meet record 9:21.56. She won the 1,600 in 5:04.44 and took second in the 800 in 2:15.33. Then with what she had left in the tank, added a fourth sub-60 leg to the 1,600 relay, which spun a school and meet record 3:58.92.

"That was not expected," South coach Jill Rensink said.

"That was insane," Myers said. "Everyone did so amazing."

South and North ran side by side the whole way in the final relay, setting up the close finish between Myers and Sarah Elliott as North crossed in 3:59.99.

"In all our four-by-four we've been really close to North this season, so I after last week we just decided that we were going to go for it and get the win," Myers said. "And I think knowing that I'm good at the 800 has helped me be a little more confident in my speed.

"The four-by-four was my fourth event so it was just go out and see what I can do and this season, I've gone under 60 a few times, which I never thought I'd be able to do. I've never put much pressure on it because I'm never fresh for it, so I just go out and do it."

North wins team title

Bloomington dominated the meet with North taking nine titles and South four, leaving one each for Edgewood, West Vigo and Paoli.

North had 131 points to 97 for South 97 with Northview (58) nipping Edgewood by a point for third. Paoli was eighth at 26, Eastern Greene tied for 12th with nine. The top three in each individual event and relay move on to state next weekend at Indiana University.

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"That was impressive," Helmer said of his team's effort. "I can think back to some years when we had some pretty good teams and we didn't come close to nine. We were a little tired tonight. It's a tough meet.

"I have found over the years, we run great at sectionals and make it look easy there, and it's just a little bit harder here. The competition is a little bit better."

The Cougars got all three relays out, taking second in the 1,600, third in the 3,200. In the sprints, Australian exchange student Sarah Elliott had to push back her flight back home after winning the 100 in a photo finish (12.65) where the top five were separated by just .09.

Teammate Cora Deemer was second by .01 but scratched out of that at state to focus on the 200, where she was third in 26.34, and the relays.

Nola Somers Glenn broke the school and meet record in the 800, powering ahead early to finish in 2:11.64.

"I'm pretty much trying to go out fast and finish faster, or as fast as I can" the junior said. "Hopefully, at the state meet, I'll have a little more competition to push me. I'm just trying to remember that even though maybe I'm the fastest here, there's still people out there faster. Just compete against the clock."

"She's running the race the way she needs to right now," Helmer said

And in pole vault, senior Hope Taylor has made the most of her one season, upping her best mark to 10-9 to win the event.

"It's a really good feeling," Taylor said. "It's not something that I've been doing for the full four years but it's something that I've worked really hard for all season. We've been working a lot with switching the poles and where I start in the steps and it's all coming together."

Edgewood breaks through

Last year's regional was just one heartbreak after another as the Mustangs piled up a number of fourth place finishes. Edgewood still had a few this year, with the 400 relay breaking the school record with a 50.50, Shayli Walker in shot put and then Hannah Crain in the 3,200.

But overall, Edgewood had much better luck as Emma Edwards had her second best race in the 400 (59.20), German exchange student Sara Polito lowered her best time in the 300 hurdles (45.77), Ella Hayden was strong in the long jump (17-2), the 1,600 relay turned in a 4:05.88 and Ashley Abram raised her school record in the pole vault to 10-3.

All resulted in third place finishes to go along with the dominating win in the 3,200 by Clara Crain (10:40.83).

"It was awesome," Edgewood coach Zack Evans said. "Especially after the four-by-one getting fourth, it was, 'Oh, now, are we going to be in for the same things as last year?' But they all showed up and did what they were supposed to do. It's an awesome group of kids who work hard every day. It's not hard to get them to work hard."

Abram was only competing thanks to a call up after struggling at sectional to an 8-6. She made the most of it.

"To bounce back like that mentally, right?" Evans said. "You don't want to have two weeks in a row at the end of the season where things kind of crash. To have her do so well tonight was awesome."

South freshmen shine

Among South's state contingent are three freshmen individual qualifiers.

Start with Ellie Barada winning the 400 in 57.72 and leading off the winning 3,200 and 1,600 relays. Violet Hall went over 5-2 to take third in high jump and also helped the 400 relay take second in 50.34. And Jasmine Martoglio, also on the 3,200 relay, was battling with Martinsville freshman Laura Barco for second in the 3,200 and surged away at the end for an 11:11.78.

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"Getting all three relays through is huge," South coach Jill Rensink said. "We haven't had the four-by-one there since (2016) and to have two freshmen on it is great. Jasmine going as a freshman, Violet going as a freshman, it really bodes well for the future.

"It's so nice to have a big group going."

Another frosh, Helena Cutshall, was on the 400 relay and made the 100 finals, while Adriene Shaevitz was fifth in the 100 hurdles and sixth in long jump.

Lucas under pressure

North's Hadley Lucas did not figure to be under much pressure to earn state bids, especially with such large margins between her and the competition again, in the shot put and discus. So she put some on herself.

The idea was for the junior to get a good throw in early and then shoot for the moon, or at least the meet record of 169-5 in the discus. But sector fouls on her first two throws forced her to make a safe (non-spinning throw) just to make the finals and she did with a toss that still would have won the event.

Given three more throws, she put two outside the lines again, both over 170 feet, but did keep the middle one in play, hitting 163-1 for the win.

"We were trying a different strategy tonight," Hamidovic said. "It was completely different than what we've ever tried before. As a coach, you want to see how they respond to different things. It may have been too much pressure.

"She certainly leans on her experience but what makes her special is that she has incredibly high expectations for herself and also very humble."

Lucas took care of the shot put with a 50-0 that did break in the meet record set by the legendary Stacy Martin in 1999 (49-3½).

Eastern sets two marks

Eastern Greene's season ended with a pair of school records lowered one more time this season.

Esther Crane went 11:48.55 for sixth in the 3,200, faster than her old mark of 11:50.57 from earlier this year. The T-Birds also lowered their 3,200 relay time by another big chunk, from the 10:40.58 at sectional to a 10:22.44 to left then in fourth place.

Ram tough

Paoli's Kyrsten Fehribach made it to back to state for the third year in a row and will be going in three events this time, taking the title in the high jump at 5-4 while also taking second in the 100 hurdles (15.24) and 300 hurdles (45.39), both were career best times.

Taking second in the high jump and also advancing to state was Orleans' Callie Alston with a 5-3.

BLOOMINGTON NORTH REGIONAL

Top team scores: 1. Bloomington North 131; 2. Bloomington South 97; 3. Northview 58; 4. Edgewood 57; 5. Terre Haute South 34; 6. Terre Haute North 31; 7. Linton-Stockton 29; 8. Paoli 26; 9. West Vigo 24; 10. Charlestown 21; 11. Seymour 15; T12. Eastern Greene 9; Brownstown Central 9; North Central 9; T15. Jeffersonville 8; Orleans 8; T17. Martinsville 6; Clay City 6; T19. Brown County 5; Eastern (Pekin) 5; Madison 5; T22. Bedford North Lawrence 4; T29. Springs Valley 2.

Individual results

Top three individuals advance to state

100: 1. Sarah Elliott, BNorth, 12.65; 2. Cora Deemer, BNorth, 12.66; 3. Dusty Welker, WV, 12.68; 4. Kyrra DeGroote, WV, 12.69; 7. Helena Cutshall, BSouth 12.97. (10. Madelyn Spires, Orl, 13.19; 11. Violet Hall, BSouth, 13.21).

200: 1. DeGroote, WV, 25.89; 2. Cassidy Pettijohn, THSouth, 26.20; 3. Deemer, BNorth, 26.34; 4. Eden Bailey, BSouth, 26.36; 5. Elliott, BNorth, 26.73. (12. Madeline Esslinger, Lighthouse Christian, 27.52; 13. Mary Batz, BNL, 27.55).

400: 1. Ellie Barada, BSouth, 57.72; 2. Jayda Holbrook, Chstwn, 59.10; 3. Emma Edwards, Edg, 59.20; 4. Sydney Montgomery, Sey, 1:01.81; 5. Batz, BNL, 1:01.88; 8. Keira Feagans, BNorth, 1:03.25. (10. Avery Rayl, Edg, 1:04.05).

800: 1. Nola Somers Glenn, BNorth, 2:11.64 (meet record; old record, 2:12.20, Rachelle Roberts, Columbus East, 1984)(school record; old record, 2:12.49, Somers Glenn, 2023 sectional); 2. Lily Myers, BSouth, 2:15.33; 3. Ellia Hayes, Nvw, 2:20.05; 4. Hadley Gradolf, BrwnCo, 2:21.23; 8. Millie Williams, BSouth, 2:28.09. (10. Ellie Patrick, BNorth, 2:30.15; 11. Zoey Smith, Mitchell, 2:35.97; 12. Allison Hughett, Orl, 2:36.44).

1,600: 1. Myers, BSouth, 5:04.44; 2. Hayes, Nvw, 5:05.37; 3. Brooke Trinkle, Sey, 5:18.20; 4. Halle Miller, Nvw, 5:21.65; 6. Kate Barada, BSouth, 5:26.21; 8. Lilyanna Blais, EG, 5:26.90. (13. Hayden McGuire, BNorth, 5:43.70).

3,200: 1. Clara Crain, Edg, 10:40.83; 2. Jasmine Martoglio, BSouth, 11:11.78; 3. Laura Barco, Mart, 11:16.58; 4. Hannah Crain, Edg, 11:34.81; 6. Esther Crane, EG, 11:48.55 (school record; old record, 11:50.57, Crane, 2023); 7. Aurora Martoglio, BSouth, 11:49.07. (15. Sophie Harris, SV, 12:53.55).

100 hurdles: 1. Dede Eberle, BNorth, 14.43 (meet record; old record, 14.83, Trinity Clements, BNorth, 2014); 2. Kyrsten Fehribach, Paoli, 15.24; 3. Sophie Hale, Lint, 15.26; 4. Kathryn Ison, NCent, 15.33; 5. Adriene Shaevitz, BSouth, 15.86. (14. Zoie Ault, EG, 17.84).

300 hurdles: 1. Eberle, BNorth, 45.32; 2. Fehribach, Paoli, 45.39; 3. Sara Polito, Edg, 45.77; 4. Camryn Thompson, BrwtnC, 45.98. (11. Addison Goerges, Edg, 50.67).

High jump: 1. Fehribach, Paoli, 5-4; 2. Callie Alston, Orl, 5-3; 3. Hall, BSouth, 5-2; 4. Emma Martin, THNorth, 5-2. (11. Macy Hall, SV, 4-10; Reese Davis, Mart, 4-10).

Long jump: 1. Eberle, BNorth, 17-6¼; 2. Hale, Lint, 17-2½; 3. Ella Hayden, Edg, 17-2; 4. Brenna Stallcop, Nvw, 16-6½; 6. Shaevitz, BSouth, 15-11½. (9. Cutshall, BSouth, 15-9¼; 14. Ellie Anderson, BNL, 14-9; 15. Miya Campbell, SV, 14-0).

Shot put: 1. Hadley Lucas, BNorth, 50-0 (meet record; old record, 49-3½, Stacy Martin, Edgewood, 1999); 2. Mariah Posey, THSouth, 40-4½; 3. Becca Robbins, Lint, 38-11½; 4. Shayli Walker, Edg, 36-8; 5. Molli Lucas, BSouth, 36-2¾; 7. Ella Meehan, SV, 35-5½; 8. Anna Barnes, BSouth, 34-10½. (10. Cara Sanders, BNorth, 33-11; 14. Sarah Drabing, SV, 31-11½; 15. Jillian Bond, Mitchell, 31-8).

Discus: 1. Lucas, BNorth, 163-1; 2. Robbins, Lint, 128-5; 3. Megan Jackson, ClayCity, 116-0; Posey, THSouth, 111-9; 6. Sanders, BNorth, 109-1; 7. Barnes, BSouth, 106-5. (Drabing, SV, NM).

Pole vault: 1. Hope Taylor, BNorth, 10-9; 2. Cali Wuestefeld, THNorth, 10-6; 3. Ashley Abram, Edg, 10-3; 4. Janel Solie, BNorth, 9-6; 7. Harlie Robbins, Edg, 9-0. (9. Audrey Freeman-Day, BSouth, 8-6; Kiara Erickson, BSouth, 7-6; Kayln Ritz, BNL, NH).

400 relay: 1. Bloomington North (Daisy Rogers, Elliott, Deemer, Eberle), 48.68 (school record; old record; 48.91, sectionals 2023); 2. Bloomington South (Mackenzie Freeman, Cutshall, Bailey, Hall), 50.34; 3. Terre Haute North, 50.34; 4. Edgewood (Macey Crider, Abram, Goerges, Hayden), 50.50 (school record; old record, 50.68, 2022). (10. Martinsville (Maddie Moscrip, Layla Wolff, Jade Johnson, Emily Fluke), 52.07; 14. Bedford North Lawrence (Lily Dusard, Rose Dusard, Traceu Hanners, Ellie Anderson), 53.25.

1,600 relay: 1. Bloomington South (Barada, Bailey, Williams, Myers), 3:58.92 (meet record; old record, 4:00.59, Bloomington North, 2014)(school record; old record, 4:01.95, 2023); 2. Bloomington North (Somers Glenn, Deemer, Feagans, Elliott), 3:59.99; 3. Edgewood (Polito, Hayden, Rayl, Edwards), 4:05.88; 4. Terre Haute North, 4:13.60. (12. Martinsville (Wolff, Cassy Berry, Moscrip, Kaitlyn Spurgeon), 4:23.58; 13. Owen Valley (Kaylee Deckard, Alison Anderson, Mallory Owen, Lily Smith), 4:25.52.

3,200 relay: 1. Bloomington South (Barada, Williams, J.Martoglio, Myers), 9:21.56 (meet record; old record, 9:26.68, Bloomington South, 2018); 2. Northview, 9:26.63; 3. Bloomington North (Patrick, Katie Kent, Emma McDivitt, Somers Glenn), 10:10.30; 4. Eastern Greene (Ashley Hudson, Sydney Richardson, Crane, Blais), 10:22.44 (school record; old record, 10:40.58, sectionals, 2023). (11. Owen Valley (Owen, Bailey Kay, Andson, Smith), 10:43.05; 13. Orleans (Tessa Price, Jayden Blanton, Ayla Steele, Allison Hughett), 11:28.54.

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on Twitter @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Girls' track: Bloomington North, South dominate regional