Tiger Bartlett, Evan A. Smith and Viktoriya Emelianova turned Saturday’s Class 3A state track meet into the Ryle Revenge Tour.
Dixie Heights freshman Ari Carter waited until her final throw to win the discus crown, and Simon Kenton’s Alexis Howard needed four jumps to win the long jump and complete Northern Kentucky’s gold medal haul.
Bartlett, Smith, Emelianova, Howard and Carter claimed championships at the University of Kentucky’s Track and Field Complex. Bartlett won the 1,600 meters in 4:14.25. Smith’s 1:54.40 in the 800 was an eyelash ahead of Didie Drogba’s 1:54.42.
“I have been itching for this for so long now,” Smith said. “I fell short in the region last year, I fell short in the state. Now we’re here.”
Emelianova defended her shot put title with a 40-foot, 2. 5 inch toss, and Carter’s 122-0 in the discus was a little more than a foot farther than Olivia Dabney of Woodford County.
“It’s my first high school state,” Carter said. “I won middle school state last year.”
What was most impressive about Emelianova’s win: she broke her right foot last month and wore a boot when she wasn’t throwing.
To Bartlett, Saturday was exponentially better than the 2023 season. (“I got second in the 1,600 and fourth in the 3,200,” he said.) He’s not much for hyperbole; he just said he gave everything he had.
Bartlett could’ve hummed the late Tom Petty’s “The Waiting” because it was the hardest part of his win; the top eight finishers stayed on the platform for at least seven minutes.
“That wait was terrible,” Bartlett said. “I threw up about five or six times. I think, for me, the wait might have been a little bit worse.”
Bartlett was third after 400 meters; he pulled away midway through the second lap.
“I feel like I’m someone who often waits ‘til later in the race,” Bartlett said. “But I felt like today that I knew what I had to go out and do to get the win – and it worked out.”
You might think Emelianova, Howard and Carter liked suspense – Howard leaped 18 feet on her fourth jump, and Emelianova won on her fourth attempt and fouled three of her last four.
West Jessamine’s Aly Doyle jumped 18 feet on her fifth attempt; Howard won because her leap came one try sooner.
Seconds
Notre Dame, the state’s smallest 3A school, finished 13th with 19 points. Pandas coach Matt Hollenkamp, however, was elated because Ella Long, Norah Barker, Cameron Kirtley and Kate Blettner placed second in the 4×400.
“We’ve won the 4×400 before,” Hollenkamp said. “I love the way we just finished; I was very impressed with how the girls were fighting there in that race – great way to end the season.”
Campbell County’s Allison McKee, Aidan Christopher, Lila Dunlevy and Olivia Holbrook opened the silver festivities with a runner-up finish 4×800 relay. Holbrook also finished second to Assumption’s Julia Schmitt in the 800.
“I’m pretty happy with it,” Holbrook said of her day. “Obviously, I wish we could’ve won; second is still good.”
About 45 minutes after the 4×800, Conner’s Bella VonLehman placed second in the 100.
“I was super-close,” she said. “I’m actually really happy with this.”
Campbell County’s Branton Koroly did the same in the 300 hurdles.
Conner senior Joey Carroll’s 9:08.99 in the 3,200 was about three seconds behind North Oldham’s Adam Patel’s 9:05, and Howard’s 37-9 ½ was good for second in the triple jump.
And thirdly
VonLehman, who’s headed to the U.S. Naval Academy later this month, earned bronze in the 200 – her 24.99 was less than a second behind winner Sanaa Washington of Bryan Station and silver medalist Clara Warrick of Oldham County.
“Obviously, you want to go for the win, and that’s what I tried to do,” VonLehman said. “But (the 100 and 200) were the highest I placed – ever.”
Ryle senior pole vaulter Ethan Southerland’s 15-5 was the highest in the state going into Saturday, but he managed a 15-0, a foot behind Jordan Bryner of Madison Central’s winning 16-0. Jackson Gray of Woodford County was second at 15-6.
“I am a little disappointed in myself,” Southerland said. “I know what I’m capable of. I cleared 16 in practice before. I gave what I had, though.”
Southerland tried a new, stiffer pole at 15-6; he said the other one was too soft, and he couldn’t get enough vertical height.
Ryle’s Nathan Verax, Keegan Knecht, Logan Verax and Vincent Gallucci were third in the 4×100 Shuttle Hurdle Unified. They combined for a 59.94 clocking.
Dupont Manual cruised to the girls team title over Assumption, 79.5 to 45. Dixie Heights was ninth with 29 points.
St. Xavier was equally unchallenged in the boys team standings. Ryle placed fifth.
For complete results, visit milesplit.live. (bit.ly/3VqmCgd)