A year ago, the Mercer County Titans edged out the Highlands Bluebirds, 78.5-75 for the Class 2A state championship.
The Bluebirds came back to the University of Kentucky Outdoor Track Facility hoping to make up the difference and bring home their first state championship since 2014 on Friday. Highlands gave a valiant effort scoring 70 points. But the Titans came back better than last year scoring 94 points to win another crown. However, the Bluebirds left knowing another runner-up finish means the program is in a good spot.
“They come out and get after it daily,” said Ryan Leopold, Highlands head coach. “We’re building a championship program. Mercer County is just deeper than us now. But we’re closing the gap.”
Highlands senior Jake Welch scored 22 points overall repeating as 400 dash champion in 49.31 seconds. Welch took third in both the 200 in 22.47 seconds and the 100 in 10.91 seconds.
“It was terrific,” Welch said. “Just fighting back from adversity has helped me develop character. I even had to fight adversity (Friday). In the last 25 meters of the 100 dash, I pulled my quad (muscle) so I ran the 400 injured and still found a way to win. The character showed right there. It’s just that never give up attitude. It didn’t feel good warming up. But nothing was going to stop me from scoring more points for my team and defend the championship in the 400.”
Sophomore Rilen Pinkston recorded the other win for the Bluebirds in the pole vault. Pinkston tied with Knox Central senior Logan Lambo and Mason County junior AJ Barrett at 13 feet, 6 inches for a personal record. But Pinkston won the championship clearing the mark on the first try while Barrett and Lambo did it on their second tries.
“I was ecstatic. Electricity was running through my veins,” Pinkston said. “It was probably one of the greatest moments of my life. You do the best you can. You keep on driving (going up and over the bar). If you do it, you do it. If you don’t, you don’t.”
Highlands junior Aiden Nevels placed in both hurdle events to score 14 points. Nevels took second in the 110 meter hurdles in 15.57 seconds and third in the 300 hurdles in 40.94.
“This is one of the first times running the 300 hurdles because I didn’t run it last year,” Nevels said. “I really had to reach within myself to pull through. The 300 is more about running between the hurdles. The 110 is more about form going over the hurdles.”
Highlands senior Isaac Surrey scored the other four points in jumps. He took fifth in the high jump at six feet even.
Highlands senior Thomas Gray-Torsell took third in the 800 meter run in 1:56.07 for a Top 10 time in the state. Sophomore Malcolm Robertson took eighth in the two-mile run in 10:02.94.
The Highlands two-mile relay team finished second in 8:10.38. Gray-Torsell, Alex Lacourt, Will White and Sam Jones ran it. Gray-Torsell and Lacourt also helped Highlands to a fourth-place finish in the mile relay in 3:30.10. The other runners were Ben Hack and Dominic Mills.
“We graduated some key placers from last year,” Gray-Torsell said. “We have some good young runners. We had some personal records.”
Holmes scored 10 points placing fourth in two relay events good for a 19th-place tie with Shelby County. The 800 relay team of Mayne White, Robert Cameron, David Commodore and Curtez Hill ran it in 1:31.37. The same four ran the 400 relay in 43.92 seconds.
The Mercer County girls also won the state championship scoring 81.5 points. Highlands placed the highest of the teams in Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties with 24 points.
Highlands junior Haley Zell scored the most points individually taking second in the triple jump clearing 35 feet, .5 inches. Zell also took eighth in the long jump at 16-1.25.
“I’m pretty proud of myself and happy my coaches helped me throughout the way,” Zell said. “They trusted me in throwing me in this at regionals. Everything fit together perfect.”
The Highlands two-mile relay team of Kate Jamie, Franny Smith, Avery Barber and Ava Meyer took third in 10:09.69. The mile relay team of Zell, Laney Smith, Jamie and senior Faith Broering took sixth in 4:12.87. The 800 relay team of Zell, Laney Smith, Broering and Sarah Thurnauer took fifth in 1:47.59.
“Haley Zell did well for not doing the triple jump before the region meet,” said Brian Alessandro, Highlands Head Coach. “Our relays were strong. We had some things fall in place in some events or we’d have placed higher.”
Broering will play soccer at the University of Cincinnati starting this fall. She also helped the Highlands soccer team to three straight region championships and state runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2019.
“Everyone from administrators, coaches, parents to teammates is incredible,” Broering said. “It’s really because of them that Highlands sports are so fun and as memorable as they are. They do everything to make sure we have as much fun as we can. They put together good practices. I think it’s hard to find people who make running in a circle so much fun.”
Highlands junior Rylee Swope took eighth in the shot put. She shot 31-2.25 on her third throw.
Scott tied for 20th with 12 points. Sophomore Maddie Strong scored most of the points finishing second in the two-mile in 11:28.08.
“I’ve finished in the top five before so I wanted to go for the top four,” Strong said. “I knew that first place was going to be tough so if I went out and settled in second, that was going to be worth my time. I really try to watch my lap counts. But overall, I think it’s really important that I trust my body and I know that my training is going to take me where I need to be.”
Strong also ran a leg in the fifth-place two-mile relay in 10:14.4. Her teammates were Dyllan Hasler, Allison Clemons and Ansley Lindloff.
Holmes finished 28th scoring six points. Holmes sophomore Ja Nia Johnson took third in the high jump clearing 5-2 on her first try.
“I’ve been working hard all year even though I’ve been going through a lot of things,” Johnson said. “I’ve never gotten 5-2 before. I just feel like you have to believe in yourself. (Then) you can do anything.”
Last week, the Highlands won the Class 2A, Region 4 meet with 167 points. The Highlands girls took second with 119.