Dave Schuh admits he’s not the most tech-savvy man alive.
Bishop Brossart’s girls track coach, however, knows a thing or 5,000 about guiding the Mustangs to a team title. The latest example: Monday’s Class A, Region 4 meet, a 173-157 triumph over defending state champion Beechwood at Munninghoff Family Stadium.
“Winning a region’s always special,” said Schuh, who’s finishing his 45th season at Brossart. “That’s what these kids have been working for … Northern Kentucky competition’s pretty tough.”
Beechwood coach Dave Meyers wasn’t upset.
“We’re a better state team than we are a region team,” Meyers said. “Bishop Brossart has really good throwers and pole vaulters. Our throwers are still developing, and we don’t have any vaulters.”
Beechwood’s Maryah Counts and Lily Parke and Brossart’s Zoey Woosley were multiple-event winners.
Counts won three races – the 100 (12.71 seconds), the 200 (25.81) and 400 (57.79).
Parke dominated the distance events – she won the 800 (a track-record 2:20.40), the 1,600 (5:23.49) and joined Charli Gerrein, Annie Harris and Catie Hazzard to take the 4×800 (9:55.81).
Parke said the 1,600 is her favorite.
“I have the most fun running that,” she said. “I like the four laps … It’s not as much speed as I need in the 800. I feel like I do better with more distance.”
Woosley won the long jump (16 feet, 10 inches), the 100-meter hurdles (15.81 seconds) and was part of the Mustangs’ winning 4×100 relay quartet (52.19).
St. Henry’s girls finished third with 97 points. Newport Central Catholic was fourth with 33.5, and Walton-Verona took fifth with 32.
Beechwood boys take title with slim margin over Brossart
The Tigers edged Brossart, 153-143.
“As the season went on and on, we knew we had a team that could do it,” Meyers said. “It was close on paper leading in.”
Beechwood effectively secured the win after 11 events – the Tigers led Brossart, 98-73. Meyers said it was partly because Oliver Unger won the high jump (5-10) and placed second in the 110 hurdles (15.97), and Xavier Campbell won the shot put (47-10.5).
“I’ve never gotten first in anything in region, so it’s pretty exciting to get first in high jump,” Unger said.
Luke Erdman’s double in the 100 and 200-meters certainly helped as well, taking the 100 in 11.01 seconds, the 200 in 22.19 seconds.
Brossart countered with senior Nate Ruth, who won the 800 (1:58.92), 1,600 (4:31.17) and 3,200 (9:56.25) and joined Max Leuderalbert, Griffin Hill and Gines Ocalles Aracas to win the 4×800 (8:21.02).
“I like the 1,600 ‘cause it’s long enough that it’s not all speed,” Ruth said. “But it’s short enough that you need a little leg speed, and it’s a lot more tactical than some of the other races. The (3,200), you can fall asleep and run.”
Ruth and Beechwood’s Robert Wilke turned the 1,600 into something like Mystik Dan vs. Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby – Ruth won by three hundredths of a second.
Brossart’s Nick Heck led for about the first 600 meters. Ruth, Wilke and Beechwood’s Samson Weldemichael were in the lead pack.
“I took it with 500 meters to go,” Ruth said.
Wilke went to his finishing kick with about 200 meters to go.
“We were in a tight group, and I knew I had to pass as many people as I possibly could,” Wilke said. “You have to give it your all the last 200 no matter what … Unfortunately, my kick was just slightly not enough.”
St. Henry finished third with 72 points. Newport Central Catholic was fourth with 61.50, and Williamstown placed fifth with 35.
Dayton and Bellevue dominated the Unified events.
The Greendevils won three events: James McFarland and Sydney Harris in mixed shot put (36-5 3/4) and Kelcie Martin and Sammy McFarland in 2×50 relay (16.62) and 2×200 (1:08.38).
Bellevue won two: Aleigha Watson and Jaylah Dowell won the mixed long jump (19-6 3/4) and Parker Kern in wheelchair discus (7-3).
For complete individual results, visit ky.milesplit.com (bit.ly/4bDDTrC).