STRONG SHOWING

The Whitley County Lady Colonels had one of their best finishes ever in the Class 3A Region Track Meet at Madison Central last week. The Lady Colonels finished fourth out of the 10 schools participating with a total of 62.50.

“This is the highest the girls have ever finished since I have been the coach at Whitley County,” Chuck Davis said. “As far as I know this is the highest we have finished ever. Just six points separated fourth place from second.”

“I think our girls performed pretty well in our tough region,” Davis said. “We held our own and even surprised some in events we have been traditionally weak in. I think we have some young girls coming up and as they mature we will be even better in the future.”

“It is going to be hard to replace Shawnee Holbrook and her leadership skills, but we have a few young girls willing to try and step in for her,” Davis said.

Junior Mariah Jackson had an outstanding day on the track, winning the 100-meter dash in a time of 13.30 and the 200-meter dash in a time of 26.81. Jackson held off Madison Central senior Mallary Turner to win the 100-meter dash and pulled away of Lincoln County’s Taylor Elam to win the 200-meter dash.

“I think Mariah has a shot at placing in the 200-meter dash. She has gotten better each meet and peaked at the right time in the region,’ Davis added. “You never know. It just takes one jump or one race. I think we need to run as well as we ever have to compete at that level.”

Freshman Jessica Dennis-Bay was sixth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29.35.

Senior Shawnee Holbrook qualified for the Class 3A State Meet to be held at the University of Louisville Saturday with a second place finish in the 300-meter hurdles. She ran the race in a time of 50.66, losing to Turner of Madison Central. Holbrook was third in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 17.05. She lost to North Laurel’s Ashley Woolum and Montgomery County’s Angelica Shkraba.

The Lady Colonels 4X100 Meter Relay team has advanced to the state meet with a second place finish to Madison Central. Whitley County’s Jackson, Destiny Beattie, Dennis-Bay and Holbrook ran the race in a time of 53.42.

That same team took first place in the 4×200 Meter Relay in a time of 1:52.44. They turned the tables on Madison Central, who finished second with a time of 1:52.47.

The 4×800 Meter Relay team finished fourth in their race in a time of 12:11.97. Summer Amador, Audrey Brown, Megan Cole and Abby Monhollen ran the race.

Sierra Anderson tied for fifth in the High Jump with a leap of 4”8’ while Maria Johnson took fourth in the shot put with a throw of 80”7’.

In the boy’s meet, the Colonels finished eighth with 20.50 points. Junior Brian Kurzeika was third in the 110 Meter Hurdles in a time of 17.40, just missing the state meet. Clay County’s Brandon Word was second with a time of 17.35. Kurzeika tied for sixth in the high jump with a leap of 5’10”.

Senior John Madon, who recently signed to run track and play football at the University of the Cumberlands, was second in the discus with a throw of 124’1” and third in the shot put with a throw of 43’1”. He will advance to state in the discus.