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Goshen's Petkova is a regional champ

bob oppenheim, the elkhart truth, ind.
·5 min read

Goshen sophomore Kristina Petkova claimed the championship Tuesday in the 400 meters at the Kokomo Girls Track Regional.

Petkova finished with a time of 56.40. Last year, the RedHawks track standout placed fourth in the 400 at the regional with a clocking of 58.39.

Warsaw won the regional title with 81 points. Penn finished second with a 54 total, while NorthWood was fifth with 28 points.

The top three in each event and others meeting the 3 Participant Standard in the finals advance to the state finals on May 31 at Indiana University.

The Kingsmen were led by their 3,200-meter relay team, which finished first with a time of 9:47. On that relay were Arianna Balinnang, Aubrey Morgan, Jenavieve Nash and Janine Mbianda.

Penn's Mary Eubank finished second in the 1,600 (5:01) and third in the 3,200 (11.21).

Elkhart's Ava Decker qualified for the state finals for the second straight year in the discus after finishing second in that event on Tuesday. Decker had a toss of 132-9. Last year, Decker placed second at the regional in the discus with a throw of 125-1.

NorthWood got a second place time from Hannah Chupp in the 100 hurdles (16.32) and from its 400-meter relay team of Anna Roeder, Kady Hutsell, Chupp and Elayna Yoder. That foursome complied a time of 50.01.

The Panthers' Hanna Clyde finished third in the 400 with a clocking of 58.10.

"Overall, we're very pleased with the team performance," said NorthWood coach Mark Mikel. "Fifth place is outstanding for NorthWood.

"To have Hannah (Chupp) and Hanna (Clyde) advance to the state finals as individuals and the 400-meter relay make its third consecutive appearance in Bloomington is very exciting. Claire Payne had her best night of the season in the high jump (4th, 5-2). Waiting to see if she gets a call back."

Concord's Lia Davis finished third in the high jump with a 5-2 showing. Davis will be making her first appearance at the state finals.

The Minutemen finished with only 16 points after placing second at the Warsaw Sectional with 74.5 points.

"We did get our high jumper to move on to state, but overall it wasn't a very good night on the track for us," said Concord coach Jerry Redmond. "Nagging injuries had a part to do with that. We were not able to complete our race in the 1,600 relay because our first leg pulled up with a knee injury. She had been dealing with that injury most of the year.

"The girls didn't perform at the regional like they are capable of and like we had hoped for. The good thing is that they will all be back next year. We just need to chalk it up as a learning experience and be ready for next year."

Northridge sophomore Lily Vasil finished second in the pole vault, as she finished with a 10-6 showing. Vasil will be participating in the state finals for the first time. As a freshman, she placed ninth in the pole vault with a vault of 9-6.

"Lily is a very talented athlete," said Northridge coach Trisha King. "We have been waiting for a big meet like this from her for awhile. Troy Rumfelt, our vault coach, said she had a great practice Monday night and was optimistic that it would carry over to the (regional). Her first miss of the night was at a height nine inches higher than her previous best."

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KOKOMO REGIONAL

Team scores: Warsaw 81, Penn 54, SB Washington 36, Culver Academies 29, NorthWood 28, Columbia City 26.5, John Glenn 26, Wawasee 25, Eastern (Greentown) 24, Whitko 24, Northwestern 22, Elkhart 22, Northridge 21, Mishawaka 20, Western 20, Concord 16, SB Riley 16, SB Adams 14, Plymouth 12, Goshen 12, Bremen 11, North Miami 10, Triton 10, Maconaquah 9, Tippecanoe Valley 9, Kokomo 9, Cass 8, Manchester 7, Marian 5, SB St. Joseph 4, Fairfield 4, Lakeland Christian 3.5, Madison-Grant 3, Pioneer 2, Jimtown 1.

(First place and area schools in top 8)

3200 relay: Penn (Arianna Balinnang, Aubrey Morgan, Jenavieve Nash, Janine Mbianda) 9:47; 7. Goshen 10:17.

100 hurdles: Adriana Swanson (SBW) 15.66, 2. Hannah Chupp (NW) 16.32, 7. Ava Dixon (Con) 17.29, 8. Evie Mashala (Con) 17.73.

100: Camryn Burner (War) 12.78, 5. Sofia Ugwoke (Penn) 12.99, 8. Kylie Wiegand (Jim) 13.11.

1600: Josefina Rastrelli (War) 5:00, 2. Mary Eubank (Penn) 5:01, 4. Dakotah Moore (NR) 5:18.

400 relay: SB Riley (Samara Ford, Keyeira Burton, Abby Wittrock, Karis Johnson) 49.57; 2. NorthWood 50.01; 6. Concord 50.53; 7. Elkhart 50.67; 8. Penn 50.77.

400: Kristina Petkova (Gos) 56.40, 3. Hanna Clyde (NW) 58.10.

300 hurdles: Adriana Swanson (SBW) 46.71, 6. Ella Bailey (Penn) 48.58, 7. Evie Mashala (Con) 48.61.

800: Josefina Rastrelli (War) 2:17.72, 4. Hadley Troyer (NR) 2:23.

200: Lydia Goodsell (Glenn) 25.80, 4. Brendayah Dale (Elk) 26.50, 8. Ja'leiiya Williams (Elk) 27.20.

3200: Kenya Leitch (Col. City) 10:57, 3. Mary Eubank (Penn) 11:21, 7. Ellie Stabnik (Penn) 12:06.

1600 relay: Culver Academies (Grace Gibbs, Emily Baxter, Ella Raub, Quinn Bird) 4:04; 2. Penn 4:05; 6. Northridge 4:11; 8. NorthWood 4:13.

High jump: Grace Sailors (N Miami) 5-3, 3. Lia Davis (Con) 5-2, 4. Claire Payne (NW) 5-2, 7. Anna McCullough (Penn) 5-0.

Pole vault: Margaret Barnett (War) 11-0, 2. Lily Vasil (NR) 10-6, 4. Jill Pletcher (Penn) 10-3, 5. Jalyn Stofleth (FF) 10-0, 6. Madilyn Collins (Elk) 9-6.

Long jump: Makenna Brooks (Eastern Gr) 19-1, 7. Dea'ana Emerson (Con) 17-0, 8. Kamerin Malone (Penn) 16-7.75.

Shot put: Gwen Howard (Whitko) 47-2.25, 5. Gabrielle Noubissi (Penn) 37-4.50, 6. Brynlee Jellison (Elk) 36-6.50.

Discus: Emma Yoder (Waw) 142-9, 2. Ava Decker (Elk) 132-9.